learn Where To Read World Cup Football Manga

The World Cup is upon us! Hosted across Mexico, Canada, and the United States, it brings together 46 teams from around the globe. Football truly is the sport that brings us all together. I won’t tell you who I’m rooting for, but it might be unexpected.

Now, the World Cup might not be your thing, but I know reading manga is. If you’re looking to get into the spirit of the tournament, or maybe just want a better understanding of the sport the whole world plays, then these infographics are for you. They’re a collection of some of the most popular football (or soccer) manga, from old classics to modern hits, from long-running series to stories with just a handful of chapters so get ready to read world cup football manga.

World Cup football manga starting XI infographic, laid out as a 4-3-3 formation on a soccer pitch. Forwards: Be Blues! (11), Ao Ashi (9), Captain Tsubasa (10). Midfield: Whistle! (8), Blue Lock (6), Shoot! (7). Defence: Sayonara, Football! (2), Fantasista (4), Football Nation (5), Days (3). Goalkeeper: Mai Ball! (1). By @readmangacool."

"World Cup football manga starting XI infographic listing 11 titles on a soccer pitch with volume and chapter counts. Ao Ashi (9): 40 volumes, 412 chapters, finished. Be Blues (11): 40 volumes, 489 chapters, finished. Captain Tsubasa (10): 37 volumes, 114 chapters, finished. Whistle! (8): 24 volumes, 216 chapters, finished. Blue Lock (6): 39 volumes, 350 chapters, publishing. Shoot! (7): 33 volumes, chapters unknown, finished. Sayonara, Football (2): 2 volumes, 8 chapters, finished. Fantasista (4): 25 volumes, 233 chapters, finished. Football Nation (5): volumes and chapters unknown, on hiatus. Days (3): 42 volumes, 376 chapters, finished. Mai Ball! (1): 16 volumes, 107 chapters, finished. By @readmangacool."

World Cup Football Manga – Ao Ashi

Manga
Volumes: 40
Chapters: 412
Status: Finished
Published: Jan 5, 2015 to Jun 23, 2025

"Ao Ashi manga panel: a boy in a football kit sits on the grass, legs stretched wide, gazing up at a cloudy sky. A speech bubble above reads that someone found an interesting kid they'd like to mentor."

Glory and ambition await young Ashito Aoi as he takes his first steps toward becoming a professional soccer player. But after being thrown into a harsh new environment, can he hold onto his spider’s thread and climb his way to the top?

A fateful encounter on Futami Beach in Ehime, Japan, brings together Fukuda Tatsuya—a once-rising star whose promising career was cut short—and Ashito Aoi, a brash, hot-headed striker with a deep love for soccer despite his selfish tendencies.

After being selected to try out for the Tokyo City Esperion Youth Club, Ashito stakes his future on the opportunity to create a better life for his single mother and older brother. Along the way, he must confront his own shortcomings and survive the fiercely competitive world of J-Youth soccer.

World Cup Football Manga – Be Blue!

Manga
Volumes: 49
Chapters: 489
Status: Finished
Published: Jan 26, 2011 to Oct 12, 2022

"Be Blues manga panel: a number 9 player leaps mid-air chasing down the ball on a packed football pitch, with teammates and a full stadium crowd in the background." alt text for world cup manga football blog

Ryuu Ichijou dreams of one day joining Japan’s national soccer team. Widely regarded as a soccer prodigy, his ambitions seem well within reach. But while still in elementary school, Ryuu is hit by a car while protecting his friend, forcing him to endure two years of grueling rehabilitation.

The story follows Ryuu as he joins his high school’s soccer club and works to overcome the lasting effects of his injuries, all while chasing his dream of becoming one of Japan’s greatest soccer players.

World Cup Football Manga – Captain Tsubasa

Manga
Volumes: 37
Chapters: 114
Status: Finished
Published: Mar 31, 1981 to Apr 26, 1988

"Captain Tsubasa manga panel: goalkeeper Wakabayashi makes a diving save, gloves gripping the ball against the net, viewed from behind the goal with players and the stadium crowd below. Caption text credits the magnificent diving catch."

Eleven-year-old Tsubasa Ohzora transfers to a new school, where he quickly becomes the star of the school’s soccer team. His Brazilian coach, Roberto Hongo, recognizes the young player’s incredible potential and offers him the chance to travel to Brazil to continue his training.

As Tsubasa trains harder with every passing day, he grows more confident in his abilities. Former rivals become trusted friends, and with each match, his dream of playing in the World Cup feels closer than ever.

World Cup Football Manga – Whistle!

Manga
Volumes: 24
Chapters: 216
Status: Finished
Published: Feb 24, 1998 to Oct 8, 2002

"Whistle! manga panel, two-panel page: top panel shows a boy reacting as narration says the ball is going to Taki. Bottom panel shows two players colliding at speed with motion lines, while another character with glasses teases him for running into her again and being reckless."

Everybody has a dream, and for Shou Kazamatsuri, that dream is simple: he wants to become the best soccer player he can possibly be. As the spirited captain of the Josui Junior High soccer team, everyone looks up to him. In return, Shou does everything he can to keep the team together, no matter the cost.

World Cup Football Manga – Blue Lock

Manga
Volumes: Ongoing
Chapters: Ongoing
Status: Publishing Published: Aug 1, 2018 to

"Blue Lock manga panel: a player with a wild, fanged grin explodes upward through dark ink splatter effects, wearing a Bastard München jersey. Below, bold score text reads Bastard München 3, PXG 2."

After reflecting on the current state of Japanese soccer, the Japanese Football Association hires the enigmatic and eccentric coach Jinpachi Ego to help achieve its dream of winning the World Cup. Believing Japan has lacked a truly egoistic striker with an insatiable hunger for goals, Jinpachi launches Blue Lock—a prison-like facility where 300 of the country’s most talented high school strikers are isolated and forced to compete against one another. Only one player will survive the program and earn the right to become Japan’s national team striker, while everyone else will be permanently barred from representing the country.

Among those selected is Yoichi Isagi, a striker who failed to lead his high school team to the national tournament. After choosing to pass to a teammate who missed instead of taking the winning shot himself, Yoichi is left wondering if things would have turned out differently had he been more selfish. Given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity through the Blue Lock Project, he sets out to prove himself, overcome his doubts, and become the world’s greatest striker while leading Japan to World Cup glory.

World Cup Football Manga – Shoot

Manga
Volumes: 33
Chapters: Unknown
Status: Finished Published: Aug 8, 1990 to Sep 18, 1996

"Shoot! manga page, multiple panels: a boy named Toshi is urged to shoot and use his left foot as he traps and controls the ball mid-air, sparking a chance. Following panels show teammates and spectators reacting with alarm, and a close-up of Toshi doubting himself, thinking he hasn't really mastered his left foot shot."

Toshihiko Tanaka is a young boy who enters Kakegawa High School alongside his friends Kenji and Kazuhiro, with the goal of playing soccer alongside Yoshiharu Kubo, a legendary player they have always admired. While his two friends are hesitant to return to the sport, “Toshi” eventually convinces them to join the team.

Together, they begin a journey filled with challenges, competition, and personal growth as they aim for the All-Japan High School Championship. Along the way, the team must overcome countless obstacles while chasing their dream of becoming the best soccer players they can be.

World Cup Football Manga – Sayonara, Football

Manga
Volumes: 2
Chapters: 8
Status: Finished
Published: Jun 20, 2009 to Aug 20, 2010

"Sayonara, Football manga page, multiple panels: a girl celebrates dribbling past a defender, taunting him not to celebrate too soon, while a boy shouts in French. Two players collide mid-air chasing the ball above a cloudy sky panel, then tumble to the ground together with a "pop" sound effect as the ball bounces free."

Onda Nozomi is in her second year on the middle school soccer team but has yet to play a single official game simply because she is a girl. Having grown up playing soccer, she possesses incredible technical ability, endurance, and natural elegance on the field. However, she struggles to overcome the physical differences between herself and her male teammates, watching as the players she grew up with continue to move further ahead of her.

Even her younger brother, Junpei, who is also part of the team, begins to surpass her. Coach Samejima recognizes Nozomi’s incredible talent and understands what she can bring to the team, but because soccer is such a physically demanding sport, he refuses to let her play.

But Nozomi is not the kind of person who gives up easily. Determined to prove herself, she trains harder than anyone else and continues to push the team forward, hoping that one day she will finally get the chance to step onto the field and play in an official match.

World Cup Football Manga – Fantasista

Manga
Volumes: 25
Chapters: 223
Status: Finished
Published: Jul 28, 1999 to Mar 3, 2004

"Fantasista manga page, multiple panels: a player leaps to control the ball overhead with a sound effect reading soooonff, watched by a shocked teammate. A smaller panel shows another aerial challenge for the ball, followed by a close-up of a player in an Italy kit reacting with intensity."

Teppei Sakamoto is a young boy from the countryside who has always loved soccer. All of his skills and passion for the game were taught to him by his older sister, who helped him develop his abilities from a young age.

Eventually, his sister encourages him to join the Mizumoto High School soccer team, marking the beginning of a new chapter in Teppei’s life. Now stepping into a completely different environment, how will this soccer newcomer adapt and prove himself on the field?

World Cup Football Manga – Football Nation

Manga Volumes: Unknown Chapters: Unknown Status: Publishing Published: Dec 11, 2009 to

"Football Nation manga page: players warm up on the pitch under a stadium roof as narration notes they're being their usual selves, while a boy in glasses observes closely. Lower panels reveal the players are from Saitama Reds Youth, with the boy in glasses saying he can't tell who's tense, as another player watches the stands with a worried expression."

“Wanted: Players with Beautiful Legs!” With that headline, Kicker Weekly sports reporter Yukari Ogata is given the challenging task of covering Tokyo Crusade, an amateur football club. What seems like another ordinary assignment quickly turns into a potentially career-changing discovery when Ogata learns that Chihiro Oki—a football freelancer known as the “Joker”—is taking part in the team’s tryouts.

Rumors say that the Joker can play any position on the field, and that any team he joins is almost guaranteed to win. But why has a player with such incredible talent remained unnoticed for so long?

With an ex-league professional, a group of underdog players, and an eccentric coach determined to bring them together, this Division III club may have what it takes to challenge the odds and win the Emperor’s Cup.

World Cup Football Manga – Days

Manga
Volumes: 42
Chapters: 376
Status: Finished
Published: Apr 24, 2013 to Jan 20, 2021

"Days manga panel: a chaotic goalmouth scramble as Ryouzan players and opponents crowd around a header, with the ball flying high off a jump. A speech bubble reads that he can make sure no one's crying in the end, while a fallen player watches from the ground and a full stadium crowd fills the background."

Weak, clumsy, and shy, Tsukushi Tsukamoto is an easy target for bullies. Although he endures their torment, it eventually leads to a fateful encounter with Jin Kazama, a fellow Seiseki High School student and a soccer genius of the same age. After rescuing Tsukamoto from the bullies, Kazama invites him to join a futsal match because his team is short on players.

Despite struggling to keep up with the more experienced players, Tsukamoto’s passion and determination never waver. Not even an injured foot can stop him from chasing the ball and running across the field. His endless effort and refusal to give up inspire the team, especially the unmotivated Kazama. After scoring the winning goal, Tsukamoto discovers how much he loves soccer and how much he enjoys playing alongside Kazama.

Inspired by Kazama, Tsukamoto decides to join him in the school’s soccer club. However, he soon learns that Seiseki’s team is famous nationwide, and a player as inexperienced as him may not even survive the selection process, let alone make the first team. But with the only skill he can truly rely on—his ability to keep running forward—Tsukamoto begins his journey to prove himself on the field.

World Cup Football Manga – Mai Ball!

Manga
Volumes: 16
Chapters: 107
Status: Finished
Published: Jul 27, 2012 to Mar 22, 2019

"Mai Ball! manga panel: a female player in a number 6 jersey leaps for the ball with a "zaf" sound effect, surrounded by smaller inset reaction shots of teammates and spectators. A speech bubble in French reads that it's time to score another one."

Mai has been helping her childhood friend, Kunimitsu, with his soccer practice every morning since they were young. After years of training together, Kunimitsu has become a two-time MVP at the middle school national championships.

One day, Reika—one of Kunimitsu’s biggest admirers—witnesses the two childhood friends practicing together and is shocked by Mai’s ability to keep up with him. Determined to prove herself and earn Kunimitsu’s recognition, Reika challenges Mai to a soccer match.

Caught between her childhood crush and a new rival, can Mai keep her composure under pressure? With a habit of becoming nervous and getting lost in her thoughts about Kunimitsu, Mai struggles to perform outside of practice. Can she overcome her distractions and defeat Reika on the field?

Where to read football manga online

If you havent already check out my infographic on the best free manga apps, it will show you places to check out the titles above.

Blue Lock – On K MANGA, Kodansha’s official comic app, where chapter 1 is free and it’s up to date with the latest simulpub chapters. Volumes are also on Kindle. K MANGA
Days – Kodansha USA publishes it digitally, and volumes are available through Amazon/Kindle, Google Play, Kobo and other digital storefronts. It’s also on the K MANGA app.
Sayonara, Football – Published in print and digital in North America by Kodansha USA, so it’s on Kindle and readable via Kodansha’s ecosystem.
Mai Ball! – Kodansha USA publishes this digitally in English too, so Kindle works here.
Whistle! – Published in English by VIZ Media under the Shonen Jump label, with all 24 volumes available through VIZ — so the VIZ Manga app covers it. Fandom VIZ
Captain Tsubasa – Shueisha publishes the English digital edition, which means MANGA Plus (Shueisha’s app) is where you’ll find it

The World Cup Is Over But The Fun Doesn’t Have To Stop,

So, if you’re reading this, you probably already know that the new world champions are Spain, and everyone is just happy it wasn’t Argentina after all the sore losing and fights.

However, the World Cup doesn’t have to end here. You still have 11 football manga—or soccer manga for our American, Canadian, and Australian friends—to dive into. From the latest series with modern art styles to older classics that helped shape football manga, there’s something here for every fan, whether you’re just getting into the sport or looking for your next great read.

hope you enjoyed this article about world cup football manga.