I remember this anime series when I was about 7-11, I think. It was all about these teenagers whose life was football (And I mean soccer!). The main character was Benjamin, a boy with a black fringe ('bang' to you Americans). He and his friends were in this teenage football team, but like real life, their teams were always changing. I remember one of his friends was called Lucas. Benjamin's rival was Ceasar (I think), a boy with long, brown hair, who played against Benjamin once, for Naples. I think he joined Benjamin and friends in their team in the end, though.
What was unique about this show is that it featured these 'super-kicks'. Benjamin could shoot the ball up in the air so that it rose and then dove, as though it had a mind of its own. It was called the 'eagle shot', I believe. Ceasar also had a special shot of his. These series were quite brutal. I remember a remark of one of my family members: "Don't these grown-ups have anything better to do than watch those teenagers?" Because in the stadiums, which are world league size stadiums, only adults are cheering them on (albeit without any hats, flags, banners or anything of the like). And this show was about this big league.
I remember Benjamin also had this crush on a blonde girl, which he didn't get to see often because football took up so much of his life.
I remember Benjamin and friends once played against the 'Red dragons', whose goalie and leader both were highly skilled martial artists - the goalie stopped a super-kicked ball with his fist!
The series took on what I believe can be Japanese day-to-day life, exaggerated as it is. Please correct me if I'm mistaken!

Does this ring any bells? I really want to know what that show is called, because all titles were ripped from all anime shows I saw as a kid. (Duuh-duh,duh-duuuuuuuh; that's the closing to the show's main - and catchy - tune.) Does anyone know?

EDIT:
In the opening to the show, Benjamin and the blonde girl were rolling around in an open meadow, I believe. And it closed with Benjamin kicking a ball at the screen.

Lots of soccer anime's out there,...
Soccer/Football anime
Benji Price

Possibly,...

Captain Tsubasa (83)


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Where will he strike next? The man's on a roll! 8)

No. My show looks totally different. Thanks for the guess, though.

Don't worry, He'll get it the second time. Just you watch. :wink:

The only thing I can think of is "Whistle!", a series put out by Shonen Jump, though I think it might be too recent to be what your thinking of.

Quite recent, as I'm nearing twenty now :) . How recent is it, anyway, asks the hypocrite me?

The tune was nearly all brass-orchestrated, but the beat had a rather rock element to it... I think. What I always found so funny about the show is that the commentators to the matches never found anything at all bizarre about the ball rising and then diving independently. "Now Benjamin has fired his famous eagle-shot!" :lol: I still find that incredibly amusing.

I'll try to gather any more memories I might have.
But... ah, even as a kid, it was like the names of Benjamin's team slipped past my ears, even though I vididly remember (and hear) a chant from their supporter friends, watching a match from their tv. Of course, because I'm Icelandic, this makes it rather difficult to me to be able to verify names and quotes unless I've seen the original product.

I remember an animated soccer show called "The Hurricanes" but it wasn't anime. :?

I would assume it would be that show. In Italy, the series was brought over under the ttile "Holly e Benji".

It started in Weekly Shonen Jump in 1998. Didn't go to TV until 2000 or so.

I think I just found some info about this....

Moero! Top Striker
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=531
http://www.gloum.net/da_champion.php?page=champion
http://www.meganimation.net/Animes/Html/champions.htm
http://site.voila.fr/sentrack/top_striker.htm

It only really occured to me as I remembered going to one French website of cartoons that were shown in France (and Quebec at a lesser extent) and spotted one called L'ecole des champions, and not having a real idea what this was until now. In the French series, both characters were called Benjamin and Cesare, so this might've answered the question TOO well!

Ahem, let me just clear my throat for a second and say this with dignity...

THANK YOU!

This is it! This is the exact show that I was talking about! The screenshots take away any doubt! Wow, thanks a lot! The theme song is without a doubt the same. You just solved the mystery that I've carried with me for years! You're a genius, 80sVidKid! But thanks to all of you for all your help! You all are geniuses! :lol:

I didn't overreact, did I?

Not sure. :)

I'm glad to have helped out. I would've thought it was Tsubasa as well until you brought up the names and I had to go into some further thought over it. I only wish I had saw a show like this growing up, but hardly anime got as big an exposure in the US as it had in France and/or Italy.