Ithraeyat: The Art of Sports

This is something many of today’s adults would say if they saw a football player do a bicycle kick — an acrobatic backflip type of kick — attributing it to a character that has inspired many children in the Arab world to play football, the animated Captain Majid. 

In our 25th edition of Ithraeyat, we pay homage to the “Art of Sports,” its universal appeal, and the importance of team spirit, as captured by our golden cover by artist Ben Mosley. Most of all, we pay homage to the defiant push of competitiveness that keeps us going each and every day. 

There is no underestimating the art and influence of great storytelling, in this case that of the 1980s Japanese manga and anime Captain Tsubasa authored by Yoichi Takahashi, better known across the Arab world as Captain Majid after it was dubbed alongside a collection of Japanese series that have shaped the lives of several generations. The anime transfixed a generation of children and made it their dream to be able to shoot and score like him — I was one of them.

Check out this month’s edition by clicking here.