- For the other version of the character, see Stefan Levin (RoNC).
Stefan Levin (ステファン・レヴィン, sutefan revin), alternatively translated as Stephan Levin, is an attacking midfielder from Sweden.
Description[]
He first appeared in Battle of World Youth arc.
Biography[]
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Battle of World Youth arc[]
Levin first appeared on World Youth Hen (1994) chapter 13. Once a kind person who loved football, Levin changed severely after the death of his childhood friend and fiancée Katarina Karen, who died in a traffic accident while he was busy celebrating his win in Sweden's national tournament. As per her last request, Levin was determined to become the world's best no matter the cost. To this end, Levin focused on making the high impact Levin Shot to injure his opponents in order to gain victory. Levin would be among the four players involved with the Viking Project, players sent abroad to learn techniques from foreign countries before taking these techniques home. Levin becomes infamous in Germany when he manages to injure Genzo Wakabayashi's left wrist in Bundesliga.
Levin would reunite with Fredericks, Brolin, and Larson from their adventures abroad to join Sweden Youth for the upcoming World Youth tournament. In a public declaration, Levin promised that World Youth would be his last tournament, once he had claimed to be the top player. Levin would watch Japan closely due to their previous victory in the 1st International Jr. Youth Tournament in France years prior. Japan would continuously exceed expectations with stunning victories against both Mexico and Uruguay. In contrast, Sweden opted to play conservatively, intentionally keeping Levin out of their matches against America and Colombia to avoid having to play against Brazil for opening match after groups. Nonetheless, Levin would finally be brought out against Germany, and made a deafening statement by decisively winning 5-3.
The upcoming game with Japan would have an unexpected development as Hikaru Matsuyama, a key player in linking Japan's offense and defense, could not participate due to his own fiancée being involved in a traffic accident. This incident mirroring himself would delay Levin's exit from the locker room, as Fredericks, Brolin and Larson would have to convince him to finally go to the field.
Sweden's heavy research on opposing players would allow them to gain the early advantage as Levin was able to keep up with Shingo Aoi's speed before intentionally allowing Aoi use the Right-Angle Feint, so Larson can steal the ball from behind him. Levin intercepted Jun Misugi's cut against Frederick, but found himself marked by Akai, the only player the team did not research. Akai proved to be stubborn marker as he defied Levin's progress and stole the ball. When Japan's attack is stopped by Brolin, Levin is unable to take the ball due to Akai's intervention. In response, Levin heads back to his side to directly take the ball from Brolin instead.
Using both Aoi's Right-Angle Feint, and the Aurora Feint, Levin is finally able to get through Akai and uses the Levin shoot against Wakabayashi. This time, however, Wakabayashi was aware of the high impact and rotation of the shot and punched it upwards, sending it safely over and past the goal net. Levin would then be hampered again by Akai and was forced to pass to his teammates, but their attacks were easily repelled again by Wakabayashi. Levin used the Aurora Feint for the second time to pass Akai before trying with a Levin Shot, but Genzo responded by punching the ball away towards Ryo Ishizaki, and Japan resumed its attack. After a heated battle near Sweden's net, Brolin and the others would successfully defend, but the pass to Levin would be cut a second time by Akai as the first half concluded with neither team scoring a point.
Before heading back, Levin smashed the name boards of Wakabayashi and Akai, intending to get back at them in the second half. In the second half, Japan would try to mark Levin early, but Levin used the Aurora Feint to sneak a back pass to Brolin before running past the players. Though Japan would keep Levin marked, this would not be the correct decision as the team now focused on playing without their captain instead. The gaps in Japan's defense eventually allow Levin to close in on the penalty area, but his Levin Shot would be deflected by Tsubasa Ozora, whose shoe was destroyed in stopping the attack.
The ball's high rotation, however, allowed it to return back to Levin, but Akai had come again, using his abdomen to stop the ball. Levin would not back down from this challenge as he performed two more Levin Shots, with Akai only barely defending after receiving the high impact goals with his shoulder and face. Tsubasa would finally claim the ball after Akai's defense, and charged past Levin, stating he had no intention of using Levin's technique as he refused to turn the ball into a weapon.
These statements, and his realization at how ruthless he had become in Karen's name, shakes Levin as he is unable to bring himself to leave Japan's side of the field. Sweden would manage to shake off Japan's counterattack and cleared the ball to Levin, who now only had Wakabayashi and an immobilized Akai in the area. Rather than make a shoot, Levin opted to send the ball through the touch line and helped Akai out of the field. Though he had lost his team a golden opportunity, Levin's small reversion into his old self earned him even more support from the team as they increased their passing, and Levin's shoot would now focus on speed instead impact. Without Akai properly marking him, Levin is able to make a goal but is caught by Wakabayashi. Shortly after, Akai returns to the field, but his injuries prevent him marking Levin properly. Regardless, Levin is unable to find a proper goal by the end of the second half, and Akai would be replaced by a returning Matsuyama in extra time.
Levin would quickly get through Hiroshi Jito with Aurora Feint, but is chased closely behind by Matsuyama, and intercepted from the front by Wakabayashi. Levin would not able to chase after the ball as Japan's new Zone Press strategy sends the ball too far for him to reach, and Tsubasa would finish the game in their favor using a Sky Wing Shoot.
While defeated, Levin would retract his earlier statement of retirement, claiming that he still truly enjoyed playing the game, and intended to get his revenge against Japan in the World Cup. Before parting ways, Levin expressed his apologies to Akai, happiness that Matsuyama's fiancée had made it through, and gratefulness for his encounter with Tsubasa.
Road to 2002 arc[]
After returning to Germany, Levin is revealed to have joined Karl Heinz Schneider and Xiao Junguang at FC Bayern Munich as Schneider prepared a new squad to face Wakabayashi at Bundesliga. Munich would go undefeated until their eventual match against Wakabayashi at Hamburg, where Hermann Kaltz would score an early goal against them after a long pass from Wakabayashi. Levin, Xiao, and Schneider would make several attempts to get through Wakabayashi, but he is able to adjust to their shots, and the Levin Shot would be stopped by Wakabayashi before it has the chance to return back to Levin.
In the second half, Coach Rudi Frank Schneider creates a new plan for the team to disorientate Wakabayashi with a long chain of passes before finally shooting. This strategy would have more success as Wakabayashi could no longer catch the goals consistently. Munich would finally find a tying goal when a Levin fakes a shoot to pass to Xiao, who also fakes a shoot to pass to an unmarked Schneider. After Kaltz is ejected from the game for intentionally hitting Schneider, Munich finds the winning goal when Wakabayashi abandons his post to unexpectedly make a penalty kick.
Munich would remain undefeated for the remainder of Bundesliga, and Levin and the others would eventually become that season's champions.
Rising Sun arc[]
Levin appears as a former U-21 Sweden representative, who did not classify in the Europe qualifiers for the Madrid Olympics Tournament. He is seen watching the live Football TV game between Olympic Japan and Olympic Germany.
Rise of New Champions arc[]
Levin appears in Rise of New Champions as a Wave 1 DLC player. Sweden is not participating in the Junior Youth World Challenge, but he is present in Episode of New Hero as one of a group of observing players. In this game/arc, it is implied that Katarina is alive as while she is not mentioned by name, he refers to his girlfriend and one Rank Up Scene features the New Hero custom player accidentally eavesdropping on a phone conversation between the two of them.
To be updated as series progresses.
Techniques[]
- Main article: Stefan Levin/Techniques
Gallery[]
- Main article: Stefan Levin/Gallery
External links[]
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