ANTLERS OF THE DEAD

It’s been a boring old month in Japan, apart from one of the country’s top clubs welcoming back former players and letting zombies ambush them. You know, the usual.

Kashima Antlers’ home ground was the venue for Robbie Keane’s late leveller against Germany at the 2002 World Cup. But that was bland compared to recent events, like allowing a bloodthirsty mob to maraud around the venue, hunting down fans and any beloved ex-players.

This odd occasion was a collaboration between Kashima Antlers, local video game developers and haunted house producers, as part of an ‘escape room’ craze that’s popular in Japan right now.

Fans were invited along and told their task was to escape the zombies – and that they’d be joined by former Kashima players Koji Nakata and Yutaka Akita.

The prizes on offer? An autographed shirt as well as a football, which doesn’t seem much of a reward for outrunning hordes of the undead, frankly.