Who is Shidou Ryusei based on in Blue Lock? Explained

Blue Lock's Shidou Ryusei was an immediate favorite the moment he was introduced. He made it through the Second Selection instead of Rensuke Kunigami, ranked 111. Although he was only glimpsed in the anime, manga fans are well aware of the beast Shidou Ryusei.

His aggressive and eccentric nature, coupled with an insatiable drive for football, made him a dangerous and even violent contender at Blue Lock. He is opposite to Rin Itoshi, entirely self-sufficient and instinctive in his playstyle. He tends to be a one-man show, refusing to rely even a little on his teammates.

With many of the series' players based on real-life superstars, Shidou Ryusei's character finds inspiration from Swedish legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Both players have very similar playstyles and physical characteristics.

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Shidou's real-life inspiration

Shidou Ryusei is based off of Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Image via Sportskeeda)

As mentioned, Shidou Ryusei is based on Swedish football player Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The pair share a talent and unmatched agility at maneuvering the ball through the air. Physically, both players are quite similar, standing 6'1 (Shidou) and 6'3 (Zlatan) with a lean, muscular build.

Even regarding personality, both players reside in the same realm — like Zlatan, Shidou is considerably confident in his abilities. Both players possess the necessary toolkit to influence a match all on their own. Moreover, Shidou and Zlatan are unafraid to speak their minds and later words into action when needed.

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Shidou's abilities in Blue Lock

Shidou Ryusei (Image via 8bit)

Shidou Ryusei boasts the Goal Poacher or Poacher archetype. They are forwards who roam about the six-yard box/penalty area for crosses, passes, or loose balls to pounce on the opportunity to score. "Poachers" refer to those players who need only the smallest of chances to poach or steal a goal.

The role requires that Goal Poachers normally play as center forwards or second strikers. As seen in the manga, Shidou possesses top-tier stats in terms of physical dominance, ball control, power, and shot accuracy. His ego and skill were great enough to be acknowledged by Sae Itoshi himself.

Shidou is one of Blue Lock's physically strongest and most dominant players, capable of holding off even Kunigami. This is complemented by his high speed, excellent spatial awareness, and reflexivity. Moreover, he possesses an extremely powerful and venomous shot, with variations like Bicycle Kick, Dragon Drive, etc.

His height allows him to jump substantially high, and his physical stature boosts his heading capabilities. So even in the air, Shidou is a menace near the goal. Lastly, his Flow State pushes his physical and perceptive abilities to their extremes, awakening a deadlier version of all his abilities.

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How Shidou's abilities and Ibrahimovic's playstyle are similar

Shidou Ryusei (Image via Muneyuki Kaneshiro, Kodansha)

Shidou Ryusei's abilities and overall playstyle are quite similar to Zlatan Ibrahimovic's. Both players are physically dominant on the pitch, capable of out-muscling nearly any opponent. This makes them tough to manage and contain when on the counter.

This physical dominance also translates to their aerial capabilities, making them lethal options in the box. On the ball, they are quite skillful, possessing impressive ball control and flashy moves in their respective lockers.

What makes them unique is their ability to maneuver mid-air with or without the ball. This allows them to pull off stunning acrobatic movements when it comes to both scoring and defending. Further, such prowess means they rarely miss an opportunity to shoot from unusual angles, scoring from the toughest of positions.

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Related links:

• 10 best Blue Lock strikers and their special skills, ranked
• Blue Lock: 4 characters who like Nagi (and 4 who can't stand him)
• 8 most aggressive Blue Lock characters, ranked