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On May 27 players and coaches from the Italian team for the FIFA World Cup visited Tsurugaya School for Special Education. At first four people were due to visit - two players, the manager, and a coach - but in the end five came: midfielders Damiano Tommasi and Gianluca Zambrotta, forward Vincenzo Montella, and coaches Luigi Riva and Antonio Valentino.
All 144 students at the school had been looking forward to the visit. The elementary section made a big Italian flag with the students' handprints on it, while the middle section made a huge banner. The high-school section made pompoms and ceramic bells. Italy had played a practice match against Kashima Antlers the day before the school visit, so the players were tired. But despite this they looked relaxed as they met the students.
First, the players demonstrated their amazing ball skills by juggling the ball with their feet. Then they played a relay game using a big ball, shaking the hands of each and every student in a very friendly manner. Last, the students encouraged the players by singing "Hooray, Hooray, Italia!" to a Japanese-style tune. The players seemed genuinely delighted when the students said that they hoped they would win the World Cup.
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