U-20's Blue Lock Starting Lineup

Third Selection

Waiting Room,

Murano's eyes were glued to the television screen, waiting for the victor of the match. Just then, Ego walked into the room with Itoshi Sae.

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The match versus Team C ended in a 5-4 thriller against Team C.

The next match ended in a 5-3 victory against Team B, where Hiori took over Nishioka's sixths spot and played in the match for Team B. With that, the Third Selection concluded.

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"The tryouts are over. Six hours from now, I'll announce the regulars for the match against the U-20 Team," Ego announced.

While the players were in the third selection room, Murano lied on the bed watching all of it unfold on one of the screens in the room. The time Ego set was up and the players were already in the center room.

"Good work out there, You unpolished gems. I believe this makes it the second time we are meeting directly. Greetings. For starters, I'll reiterate. Football is a sport where you score goals. "Goals" are the entire reason a striker exists. That's why for the Third Selection's tryouts, I decided to form a team centered around the one with the highest goal rate. SO steel your hearts, and listen hard. I'm about to announce the eleven players who will play against Japan's U-20."

"First, the number one player, Hayashi Murano. Scoring an average of 2 goals per match in the tryout. Not to add his outstanding 3-goal average throughout the first and second selections in 9 matches. The type of player to cause serious problems for the opposing team even when his teammates aren't performing well. In my ideal team, the goalie is the first attacker, and the striker is also the first defender. Murano is the perfect example of that," Ego explained.

"Moving on, the goalkeeper is Gagamaru. With the ability to react to balls at an instant notice, and overall flexibility. Your physical attribute numbers make you the top candidate for the Goalkeeper spot."

"Tokimitsu(LB) and Ikki Niko(RB). The left center back position, with his high degree of physical strength and immovable physique. Tokimitsu brings a strong physical presence and sturdy build to the left side, making it difficult for opponents to break through and get close to our goalkeeper. The right center back, with his high spatial perception and ball-stealing ability. I expect you to hold the defensive line."

"And in either wing of those center back, we'll have a dribbler and a stylish player that boasts speed and technique. Chigiri Hyoma will take the right wing, while Aryu Jyubei will take the left. They both possess impressive speed and technique on the field."

"Next in the lineup are our two holding midfielders, tasked with protecting the defensive line and supporting the attackers. Yo Hiori takes on the left side while Mikage Reo takes on the right. Acting as a coordinator, these players would maintain a solid defense and midfield by covering any gaps and directing defenders to their correct positions."

"I will now introduce the attackers. First up, Ranze Kurona. He will be partnered with both Murano and the Second Striker (whose name has yet to be announced). With his precise short passes and excellent positioning, Kurona will take on the role of the left-wing forward. On the right wing, Seishirou Nagi, the player who with his superior ball control, scored goals that went above and beyond the feasible. A brilliant, outstanding talent."

"Lastly, the Second Striker, whose role is to create explosivity and scoring opportunities for the main striker, Murano. In this case, to work explosively, that's your call Shidou. After being side by side with Murano since the second selection, I believe you're more suitable to complement his playstyle." Ego concluded.

These are the top 11 who will face the U-20 Japan team.

Team Blue Lock - Starting Eleven >>

Goalkeeper: No. 1, Gin Gagamaru.

Left-Back: No. 2, Aryu Jyubei

Center-Backs: No. 3, Aoshi Tokimitsu

Center-Backs: No. 4, Ikki Niko

Right-Back: No. 5, Chigiri Hyoma

Left-Midfielder: No. 6, Yo Hiori

Right-Midfielder: No. 8, Mikage Reo

Left-Winger: No. 11, Ranze Kurona

Right-Winger: No. 7, Seishirou Nagi

Second Striker: No. 9, Ryusei Shidou

Striker: No. 10, Hayashi Murano

Team Blue Lock - Substitutes

Barou

Isagi

Yukimuya

Bachira

Karasu

Haiji

Raichi

Otoya

Zantetsu

Nanase

Kiyora

Kunigami

As the lineups were finally announced, Aryu raised an important question, "I'm sure Rin scored a lot of goals too so why isn't he part of the starting lineup or even the bench?" He wondered why Rin, who also scored a high number of goals during the third selection, wasn't part of the starting lineup or even on the bench.

"Excellent question, Itoshi Rin also scored an average of 2 goals in the third selection but Murano edges him in the fact that he can create chemical reactions with his opponents. This is very evident if you look at his games since entering Blue Lock. Also, right after I had finalized the lineups, I received a call. It was from Buratsuta, the President of the JFU. He said that Itoshi Sae was dissatisfied with the forwards in Japan's U-20. So he proposed that Blue Lock would be canceled if we didn't accept Itoshi Sae's conditions. And the condition he had was to pick one person from Blue Lock to add to the U-20 team."

"Itoshi Sae chose not any of you here but Hayashi Murano instead. But Murano flatly denied his request after being pulled out of the third game in the Third Selection due to an injury. Which led to Itoshi Sae to pick his little brother, Itoshi Rin. So Rin will play as a member of the U-20 team against us."

"Well, anyway, this team was going to be centered around Itoshi Rin or Hayashi Murano. In the end, I chose Murano and Itoshi Sae complied and picked Itoshi Rin instead. As for the result of our decisions, that will be determined in 15 days. In front of the whole of Japan."

Authors note/ Question: Do any of you know what day/month of the year that the U-20 match was played?