"Gives Me Goosebumps It's So Cool": Outpouring of Praise for Yūgo Kobayashi's Illustration Celebrating Spain's Yamal Winning the World Cup

On the official "Aoashi" X account, an illustration drawn by the manga's author, Yūgo Kobayashi, featuring Lamine Yamal of the Spain national team—the 2026 Soccer World Cup champions—was published and has become a hot topic.

This post was accompanied by a celebratory message: "A beautiful kingdom of football. Congratulations Spain! Yūgo Kobayashi."

In the revealed image, Yamal is depicted wearing a uniform with the jersey number "19," seated on a grand throne, and raising the World Cup trophy with his right hand. Inside the illustration, the word "Yamal," Kobayashi's signature, and the date "2026.7.20" can be confirmed. Furthermore, on July 15 following the semifinals, an illustration of Marc Cucurella, also of the Spain national team, was released. Alongside the word "Cucurella," this piece depicts a powerful Cucurella roaring with both fists clenched, next to a chibi character with sparkling eyes, complete with Kobayashi's signature and the date "2026.7.15."

"Aoashi" is a hit soccer manga by Yūgo Kobayashi that was serialized in "Weekly Big Comic Spirits" (Shogakukan) starting in 2015 and reached its conclusion with Volume 40 released in August 2025. With cumulative circulation exceeding 25 million copies, it continues to gather strong support even after its serialization ended. Set in J-Youth, the relatable growth of protagonist Ashito Aoi and realistic depictions of soccer created a buzz, capturing the hearts of a wide audience ranging from anime fans to sports enthusiasts. Season 1 of the TV anime aired from April to September 2022, with Season 2 scheduled to broadcast starting October 2026.

In response to this post, numerous enthusiastic reactions poured in from fans, including comments like: "Kobayashi-sensei is way too good at capturing their features," "The power of the artwork is amazing! It truly has the presence of a champion," "I think Yamal's expression is absolute perfection," and "Kobayashi-sensei's Yamal gives me goosebumps it's so cool...! Seeing a real star player drawn in the Aoashi art style is the absolute best!"

(C)小林有吾・小学館／「アオアシ」製作委員会