While earlier iterations of Captain Tsubasa focused purely on the joy of youth sports, Road to 2002 injects a heavy dose of professional reality.

The 2001 anime adaptation (52 episodes) is perhaps best remembered for its unique, non-linear storytelling, which confused some viewers while delighting others. The anime opens not with Tsubasa as a child, but with a 20-year-old Tsubasa Ozora stepping onto the pitch at the renowned Estadio Camp Nou, wearing the Blaugrana of FC Barcelona.