Decades of history. A well-stocked (if slightly dusty) trophy cabinet. A distinguished list of former players considered amongst the best in Japanese soccer's history. Backing from one of the world's most powerful ownership groups in the form of City Football Group, to say nothing of majority owner Nissan.

With all this on Yokohama F. Marinos' side, an outside observer would be forgiven for taking manager Ange Postecoglou's claim of underdog status in the J. League's first division with a grain of salt.

Yet that is precisely the position in which the Original 10 club finds itself, contesting the 2019 season with one of its greenest squads in recent memory as rivals pack their rosters with expensive talent from Europe and South America.