Mario Engels on his time at Tokyo Verdy: ”I lived in Tokyo, and I saw some really wild things…”

Rolex

“From my very first paycheck, I bought a watch—a Rolex,” says Mario Engels. ”That had always been a dream of mine. I don’t have it anymore because I sold it. I even made a profit and used that money to buy a new one. I’m really a watch guy. I can identify the brand and price of any watch at a glance. In an instant, I can tell what kind of watch someone is wearing. Watches truly excite me. I find them beautiful and see them as an investment.”

Designer Clothing

“I really enjoyed the photoshoot. I’ve done a few shoots for sports brands with the club before, but this was different. I have to say, I’d love to do more of this. I’m someone who buys a lot of clothes. Back in the day, it was all designer clothing, but now I’ve toned it down a bit. I used to chase after high-end brands, but now I find a lot of great pieces at Zara too. Expensive shoes paired with simple trousers and a nice shirt already make a good outfit for me. I don’t feel the need to follow every new trend.”

”Sometimes I go shopping with teammates from Heracles, but honestly, I prefer going alone. When it comes to clothing, I tend to do my own thing. Others can give their opinions, but I don’t let that influence me much. I can confidently say that at every club I’ve played for, I’ve been in at least the top five when it comes to fashion, haha.”

Tokyo

“I also played in Japan. I lived in Tokyo, and I saw some really wild things when it came to fashion. They truly have everything you can imagine there, including a lot of vintage. My jaw often dropped in disbelief at the clothing styles of my Japanese teammates—and not always in admiration, haha.”

”Making connections with them was challenging. Ninety percent of the team didn’t speak English. I had a translator to assist me, but it was still tough. On top of that, I was there with my ex-girlfriend, and when we broke up, I was left on my own. I did feel lonely at times.”

”That said, Japanese people are incredibly kind and respectful. There’s a lot we in the West could learn from them. I grew a lot personally from my time there. It was an experience I wouldn’t trade for anything.”

If you’d like to continue reading the full interview, you can now order ISSUE 83.