The Japanese top tier match between Cerezo Osaka and Yokohama FM took a bizarre turn when a half-naked man led the players out before the game. The man, wearing only rainbow-colored speedos, a hat, and a pink cast on his right leg, hopped on one leg with a serious expression before shaking hands with the players and posing for pictures.
He then performed a dancing skit and received applause from the crowd before the game began. Fans were left bewildered by the unusual scene and took to social media to seek explanations.
Some expressed confusion and amusement, while others pointed out that the incident would likely feature on no context football accounts. This wasn’t the man’s first appearance at a J1-League fixture, as he had previously gate-crashed a game involving Osaka.
Despite the unusual start to the match, the game itself provided plenty of entertainment as league leaders Osaka were held to a 2-2 draw by third-placed Sanfrecce. Leonardo de Sousa Pereira equalized twice for Cerezo, securing a point for the home team against a tough opponent.
