There is nothing like a great underdog sports story to rally a nation's spirits. And in Japan, where sumo and baseball had reigned king for so long, soccer is becoming the new sports darling on the horizon.

　　没有什么能比体育比赛中弱队反败为胜的故事更能凝聚一个民族的精神。在长期以来相扑和棒球一直占据主导地位的日本，足球很有可能成为运动新宠。

　　Nadeshiko Japan's win at the Women's World Cup on Sunday night came at a crucial time in Japan as political strife continues to hobble reconstruction efforts. The March 11 disasters have further strained the country's economic woes and exacerbated the need to instill reform measures to combat the rapidly aging population.

　　周日晚上，日本队赢得女足世界杯的冠军。此时的日本正处于关键时刻，政治纷争仍在阻挠震后重建工作。3月11日的天灾进一步加深了日本的经济困境，使得推出改革举措以对抗人口迅速老龄化的状况成为了当务之急。

　　While Japan grapples with all of these headaches, soccer has emerged as the unlikely bright spot, triggered by the men's surprising run last summer at the World Cup in South Africa. The Samurai Blue defeated heavyweights Cameroon and Denmark for a slot in the round of 16 before being knocked out by a penalty shot against Paraguay just over a year ago.

　　Reuters球迷在东京庆祝胜利。虽然日本还在努力解决所有这些令人头痛的问题，但日本女足却成为人们意料之外的亮点。这或许是受了去年夏天日本男足在南非世界杯上的惊人表现的推动。一年多以前的南非世界杯上，日本男足接连击败喀麦隆和丹麦两支劲旅，跻身16强，最终在和巴拉圭队的点球大战中一球惜败，未能挺进八强。

　　In late January, under the new manager Alberto Zaccheroni, the boys in blue grabbed their record fourth Asian Cup championship, edging past the favored Australians.

　　今年1月下旬，日本队在新任主帅扎切罗尼（Alberto Zaccheroni）的带领下，以1比0的比分小胜夺冠热门澳大利亚队，创纪录地第四次夺得亚洲杯冠军。

　　At a period when Japan has been increasingly ceding its dominance to China outside the sporting arena, Nadeshiko Japan beat their neighbor in the regional qualifying round during the Asia Cup playoffs in May of 2010. The defeat denied China a berth in the Women's World Cup finals for the first time ever.

　　在竞技体育的赛场之外，日本逐渐向中国让出了霸主地位。但2010年5月在争夺今年德国女足世界杯入场券的女足亚洲杯季军争夺赛上，日本队击败了中国。那次失利令中国女足有史以来第一次未能闯入世界杯。

　　But, perhaps most poignantly, was the way that organized soccer rallied in an impressive show of solidarity in the immediate weeks following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. More than 40,000 fans piled into a sports stadium in Osaka in late March with painted faces, wigs and giant flags -- enthusiastic accessories reminiscent of the Samurai Blue's surging run in the World Cup in South Africa last summer. They were there attend a charity match between Japan's all-star players and national soccer team.

　　但或许最令人难忘的还是3月11日的地震和海啸之后的几周，日本足球界集结在一起，展示出的团结精神给人留下深刻的印象。3月底，4万多球迷涌入大阪的一个体育场，他们的脸上涂着油彩，头戴假发，共同挥舞着巨型国旗。这些激情澎湃的“装备”令人想起去年夏天南非世界杯上日本队不断向前冲的战绩。这些球迷观看的是日本全明星队和国家队之间的一场慈善赛。

　　A big draw was the return of all the European-based players. Defender Yuto Nagatomo, who plays his club soccer for Inter Milan in Italy, was one of 12 overseas-based players to return to Japan for the match. CKSA Moscow player Keisuke Honda, who was Japan's MVP at last summer's World Cup in South Africa, also stood on the Osaka pitch.

　　这场球赛的最大看点是所有常驻欧洲的日本球员都回国参加了比赛。效力于意大利国际米兰队的后卫长友佑都（Yuto Nagatomo）就是回国参加比赛的12名常驻海外的球员之一。效力于莫斯科中央陆军队（CKSA Moscow）的本田圭佑（Keisuke Honda）也参加了大阪的比赛。他是去年夏天南非世界杯日本队最有价值球员。

　　The unity exhibited by Japanese soccer contrasted sharply with other sports. Japanese baseball leagues bickered for days about whether to delay the season and hold night games amid calls from the government to conserve energy. Sumo has remained enmeshed in scandal.

　　日本足球表现出的团结精神和其它体育项目形成了鲜明对比。由于政府呼吁节约能源，日本棒球联赛连日来一直在为是否推迟本赛季以及举办夜场比赛争得不可开交。相扑运动也深陷丑闻之中。

　　Such actions have led to an explosion of soccer support recently. Since South Africa, the Japanese players have become attractive recruits in Europe. Some have landed sweet sponsorship deals. Mr. Honda is the face of casual-clothing chain Uniqlo and sports drink Aquarius. Mr. Nagatomo was recently selected to be the pitch man for Mazda's updated Demio sub-compact car.

　　这导致足球运动近来受到爆炸性的支持。自南非世界杯以来，日本球员已经成了欧洲俱乐部争相招募的对象。有些球员签下了丰厚的赞助合同。本田圭佑成为休闲服装连锁店优衣库（Uniqlo）和运动饮料Aquarius的代言人。长友佑都最近被选中成为马自达Demio微型轿车的推广大使。

　　Japanese fans are hoping the Nadeshiko women will come into similar fortunes upon their return home.

　　日本球迷希望日本女足回国后也能有类似的好运。

　　“To think that Japanese women would become this good at soccer was unthinkable several years ago,” said Yoshikio Yamaguchi, a 54-year-old sushi chef, while watching the championship game at a sports bar in Tokyo. While women have excelled at other sports like softball and judo, Mr. Yamaguchi said women's soccer lacked funding compared to bigger rivals like the U.S. and European countries. 'It is amazing they have come become No. 1 in the world with so little financial support,' he said bemoaning the low salaries of the women.

　　54岁的寿司大厨山口佳树（Yoshikio Yamaguchi，音）在东京的一家体育酒吧观看冠亚军决赛时说，几年前不敢想象日本女足能有这样的成绩。虽然日本女队在垒球和柔道等其它体育项目上表现出色，山口佳树说和美国及欧洲国家等强劲对手相比，日本女足缺乏资金；在严重缺乏资金支持的情况下日本女足还能夺冠真是令人惊讶，但他也感叹女性的工资较低。

　　The women's league is stuck in the semi-professional club stage that Mr. Yamaguchi, an avid follower, says makes it difficult to make a living on. The victory on the international stage gives him hope women's soccer will gain more financial traction, allowing Nadeshiko to defend the title in 2015.

　　女足联赛停留在半职业化俱乐部的阶段，狂热支持女足的山口佳树说这使得女足球员很难以此维生。此次夺冠点燃了山口佳树的希望，即女足会得到更多的财政支持，让日本女足能够在2015年卫冕。