the apple of one’s eye

FIFA.comがJリーグの歩んできた20年の軌跡を取り上げています。

In a sense, Japan's first club competition, the Japan Soccer League (JSL), concurred with the country's economic boom from the 1960s to 1980s. Formed in 1965, the 12-strong amateur championship was brought to an end in 1992, when the Japanese Football Association (JFA) decided to form a professional league on the back of the nation’s maiden success in the AFC Asian Cup that same year.

Until then, golf and baseball had long dominated Japanese sports, with football in the back seat. With professional management, however, the new-look league took the country by storm as football began to find its place among the headlines. One of the biggest attractions of the fledging league was their foreign imports, many of whom are among the world’s established stars.

Topping the list was Zico, who helped little-known Kashima Antlers become runners-up in the inaugural J.League. Then came his compatriot Dunga, who became the apple of the local fans' eye through his displays for Jubilo Iwata, while Serbian Dragan Stoijkovic emerged the tournament’s MVP in 1995, playing under an Arsene Wenger-coached Nagoya Grampus.

Catching the most attention, of course, were the league's first local stars. The most notable was Kazuyoshi Miura, who steered Verdy Kawasaki to the title in the opening two editions. Led by the ‘King Kazu’ and boasting the likes of Masashi Nakayama, Masami Ihara and Ruy Ramos, Japan went so close to qualifying for USA 1994, only missing out through conceding a late goal in the 2-2 draw against Iraq.
http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/clubfootball/news/newsid=1663171.html

the apple of one’s eyeは「非常に大切にしているもの，とても可愛がっている人」などという意味で，もともとは「ひとみ」という意味から派生したとのことです（『ジーニアス英和辞典』第4版，大修館書店）。（Sugiuchi）