先日来日し、セレッソ大阪の入団会見を行ったフォルラン。ワールドカップ得点王という超ビッグネームのJリーグクラブ加入は、日本のサッカーファンから熱い視線を集めている。
■すでに通訳と意気投合か
スカパー！による生中継も行われていた入団会見では、視聴者から話題となっていたことがある。それはフォルランの隣にいた通訳の白沢敬典さんである。レヴィー・クルピ前監督を公私ともに長く支え、その風貌から「ガンジーさん」との愛称でセレッソサポーターから親しまれている名物通訳である。
ただし今シーズンは、クルピ監督退任とブラジル人選手が在籍していないため、セレッソを去るのではないかと言われていた。ただフォルランの入団会見に、通訳として同席。会見でフォルランがスペイン語ではなくポルトガル語を話していたのも、通訳のガンジーさんに合わせていたのではないかとも言われている。
なにはともあれ、白沢敬典さんの残留は、セレッソサポーターにはとてもうれしいニュースだったに違いない。
なおフォルランとガンジーさんはすでに意気投合したのか、フォルランは白沢さんをガンジーと呼んでいることが2月13日の自身のTwitterで発覚。
「ガンジー（通訳）と宮崎で. Con Gandi (traductor) en Miyazaki 」
今後、Jリーグでのフォルラン語録を生むためにも、ガンジーさんの手腕に期待が集まりそうだ。
【関連記事】
（2014年2月15日、「フットボールチャンネル」より転載）
ディエゴ・フォルラン 画像集
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