On the fifth day of camp, there was only a morning practice, and some players also participated in afternoon training.
Since last night, Yuto NAGATOMO and Keigo HIGASHI have arrived in Okinawa and joined today's practice.
Today, we divided into positions, with the attacking players focusing on finishing and the defensive players working on drills that reflected various situations in the match.
In the finishing practice, we repeatedly received passes in front of the goal and took shots, while being aware of the goalkeeper's preparation for the shots.
In the defensive menu, the coaching staff played the role of the opponent, and the players practiced building up play by connecting the ball from the defensive line while checking their positioning.
Finally, we confirmed set plays in preparation for the first external match of the season scheduled for tomorrow. We concluded the fifth day of practice with a focus on real match situations.
After lunch, player Nagatomo, who announced his contract renewal yesterday, responded to media interviews.
Many media representatives rushed to Okinawa. Player Nagatomo has shared passionate words about Tokyo. We will publish some excerpts, so please take a look.
Q: Yesterday, the contract renewal was announced, and in the comments, you mentioned, "I took my time to think about how I want to live my life moving forward." Can you share how you were thinking about this internally leading up to the contract renewal? What feelings led you to decide on the contract renewal?
A, after the World Cup ended, I wanted to rest both physically and mentally, so I took it easy without thinking about soccer until the New Year. However, during that one month, by reflecting on myself, I considered what path I would take moving forward. I realized that I still felt a great and profound passion for soccer, and as that feeling solidified, a strong desire to win a title in Tokyo and lift the trophy grew within me. The discussions with Tokyo took place after the New Year. After talking, Tokyo also expressed that they needed me, so I believe this contract was finalized.
Q: What are your thoughts after finishing your first practice today, and could you tell us what kind of conversation you had with Chairman Nonomura, who was also present?
I felt a sense of relief returning to my home. Seeing the smiles of my teammates, including coach Albert PUIG ORTONEDA and the staff, made me want to contribute even more to this team. I discussed with Chairman Nonomura how we can further enhance the J League in the future.
Q: I believe the memories of your performance in the World Cup are still fresh, but as you head into a new season, how is the training camp in Okinawa, including the training environment?
A, Okinawa is a place I love so much that I come here every year even during the off-season. It’s a place where I can relax, and the time flows slowly, creating a wonderful environment. Being able to start again in such a place is truly a happiness for me, and I want to receive great energy from this land and give back to the team once more.
Q: This season, Shuhei TOKUMOTO from Okinawa has joined us. He plays the same position; what is your impression of TOKUMOTO?
A, I haven't seen him play yet, and I haven't practiced with him yet, so I don't know the details, but I have heard that he is left-handed and of high quality, so I am really looking forward to playing together. And I welcome the competition for positions. Being able to compete with such a great player is a huge source of pride as a professional, and I think it will allow us to have high-level competition. In this professional world, there is no such thing as giving in, but within that, I want to engage in fierce competition, grow together, and ultimately contribute solidly to the team. I want to have that kind of high-level contest.
Q: Please share your enthusiasm for this season.
Last season, I believe that under the leadership of Albert PUIG ORTONEDA, a great foundation for the team was built, so based on that foundation, we aim to compete for the title this season. We have wonderful players, so I believe we can achieve that dream and goal.
Q: Please tell us about the team's goals and your personal goals as a player.
A, as I mentioned earlier, the team's goal is to win the J.League title. As for me personally, first and foremost, I want to firmly demonstrate my abilities on the pitch as a player and contribute to the team's strength. Also, I have gained a lot of valuable experience—both overseas and with the Japan national team at the World Cup—and I believe my major goal is to properly pass on that experience to the younger players and juniors.
Q: In four years, there will be the World Cup in 2026. Please share your feelings about your activities with the Japan national team and your thoughts on the World Cup at this moment.
A, I will say it many times, the more you experience the World Cup, the more you become captivated by it, and you always have the desire to compete as a player in that place again. And as long as I am active, I want to aim for the Japan national team, so first, under a wonderful coach, staff, and teammates in Tokyo, I want to firmly demonstrate my abilities. I believe that will lead to the path to the Japan national team.
Q: After the Qatar World Cup, what is the essence of soccer that is needed? Is it the toughness that does not succumb to that level of intensity, or is it mental strength? How would you articulate that? Please tell us how much of this is currently present in Tokyo and how much is lacking.
A. To get closer to the top of the world, first of all, the physical aspect of close ball situations and duels obviously still need to be improved. Also, as you can see from watching the World Cup final, everyone was desperately chasing the ball and fighting in close ball situations with all their might. Even Messi, who is called a genius, showed incredible defense and dueling skills. That has to become the standard at the top level of the world. Furthermore, when considering the global standard not only for Tokyo but also for the J.League, I feel that the strength in close ball situations is still lacking. Having played in Europe for over 11 years and competed in hundreds of matches representing my country in the World Cup, I believe that this strength in close ball situations, or rather the spirit and soul behind it, is still insufficient among Japanese players. To raise this standard, I must demonstrate it myself in the J.League and in Tokyo. It's easy to say with words, so I want to fight this season so that I can firmly show it through my actions.
Q: I believe it was a World Cup that you dedicated your life to, but what was the main reason you stayed active even in a state where it wouldn't have been surprising to burn out?
A, I have devoted everything to this World Cup over the past four years, so honestly, I hadn't thought at all about the future after the World Cup. But during this past month of self-reflection, the first big inspiration I received was from watching the final match between Argentina and France. I was truly shocked and gained an incredible amount of energy. It showed me the greatness of football and how much it can move people. And I realized that I am standing on that stage. If I don't give up, I might be able to return to that stage again. I felt a strong, rising passion like that, and I understood that grasping this future depends on me. If I continue playing football, I want to win a title here in Tokyo, which I love so much, with a truly wonderful coach, Albert PUIG ORTONEDA, who has helped me grow, and the best teammates. I also want to get into the condition to play again for the national team. These are the feelings I have come to.
Q: I think you have spent a lot of time with your family during this past month. Please tell us about your family's and children's reactions to hearing that you, Nagatomo, will continue your career as a professional player.
A, I don't think the children fully understood it, but my wife seemed to want me to continue playing actively, and she was very happy. My body is still in great shape, and since my wife was cheering up close at the Qatar World Cup, she seemed to wish for me to keep going. So, she was very happy.
Q: After it was decided that we would be eliminated from the World Cup, you mentioned the need to invigorate the J-League, which I believe is something you have been saying since our first participation in the World Cup. Please share your feelings about wanting to invigorate the J-League again and how much you want to develop Japanese football through this effort.
Q: I believe that without the development of the J.League, there can be no development of the Japan national team. After all, I myself grew up in the J.League, went overseas, and then came back. Also, the players currently playing abroad have grown and developed in the J.League and are now active. I believe the J.League is the foundation of Japanese football. If the level of this foundation does not improve, there will be no development of the Japan national team. That is why I want to give back the experience I have cultivated so far to help develop the J.League, which I think will be a great way to repay the Japan national team. I was nurtured both by the Japan national team and the J.League, and that is why I am who I am today. I believe I can make a significant contribution in return. Without doing this, I think there will be no future development of the Japan national team.
Q: You mentioned earlier your desire to hold the trophy. Please tell us about your feelings towards winning the championship.
A, my feelings are so passionate that my vocabulary can hardly express them. Tokyo has experience winning cup competitions, but has not yet won the J.League. I believe this team must be the one to excite the capital Tokyo the most. It is very sad, and personally painful, that this team has not yet lifted the trophy. Bearing the pride of Tokyo and the blue and red, I am determined to work hard to lift the trophy this season. I believe everything is in place. I personally think we have the members, the coach, and the staff capable of achieving this.
Q: Nagatomo, who is always shining, how much is your shine right now?
A, is it flashy? I first returned my hair color to black, but the level of flashiness has not changed. I actually think it has increased. My passion is burning. I changed my hair color back because the World Cup is a festival, and since the festival is over, once it's finished, I wanted a fresh start, to focus on my current work by looking down at my feet. I returned it to black as a symbol of dedicating everything. So, compared to red, my appearance might be plain, but my heart is burning passionately.
Q: What issues would you like to address?
There are too many things. I have never been satisfied with myself before, but in this World Cup, I really saw many of my own challenges. Of course, all of them. Physical aspects, skills, including tactical aspects, I think I have to improve everything. Mentally, I think I have reached a top level in the world, but when considering the global standards in physical and skill areas, I still need to improve a lot. Some might think that Nagatomo won't improve anymore due to age, but I believe that the moment I give up is the end of my own dream, so I will not give up. I have achieved everything I have imagined I could do so far, so I believe I can do it.
Q: Regarding your mentality, did this confidence come from the World Cup, or have you always had the belief that you wouldn't lose?
A, you are saying that you reaffirmed your strength in this World Cup. You have experienced it four times so far, but you were not as strong as you are now. Looking back at these four times, I can confidently say that I have grown the most, especially mentally, becoming more resilient.
Q: Earlier you mentioned being captivated by the World Cup, but what exactly do you mean by captivated?
A, I think you can tell by looking into my eyes when I shouted Bravo, but normally, people don't get that excited in everyday life. That excitement comes from the joy and pride of being able to compete in the precious World Cup held once every four years, and from feeling the weight and pressure of carrying the national flag on your back. I truly felt that this is a great honor as a professional soccer player. Therefore, the World Cup, where you can feel everything as a soccer player, only comes once every four years. And the more you experience it, the more you become captivated by the World Cup, that's what it means.
Q: In four years, there will be another World Cup in three and a half years. Is Yuto Nagatomo looking ahead to three and a half years from now, or is he focusing on the accumulation of each year leading up to the World Cup?
A, both. Of course, I believe you can't reach that place without being able to visualize everything. However, I can imagine myself three and a half years from now. But that's not enough, so year by year, really day by day, from today onward in practice, how much I can improve myself, how much I can get closer to the ideal self three and a half years from now, I truly think it's a daily battle. Therefore, I hope to overcome myself and show an even more interesting Nagatomo again.
Q: Will we be able to hear shouts like Bravo again?
A, I myself don't know. Those words came out instinctively, from the soul, so I can't make any promises here, but I think something interesting will happen again. Everyone, please look forward to what an excited Nagatomo will do.
Q: There was a bravo and welcoming reaction from all over Japan following yesterday's announcement, not just from fans and supporters. How do you feel about such reactions?
A, first of all, I felt happy, and I truly feel that with each 'Bravo' I receive, my passion grows even more. Even today, when I came here, the coach told me, "Take your time to build your body," and "Calmly work on it," but I feel like saying I want to play a match right now. That's how excited I am. This 'Bravo' might be a word I myself have used, but I have received many of them, and I think they give me courage and passion.
Finally, here is a glimpse of off-the-pitch moments.
The training camp is located near the sea, where you can enjoy the scenery of the blue sky and ocean. The players also take the time to head to the beach to refresh themselves.
A temperature suitable for entering the sea. It's that time when fatigue starts to build up, but these two also gave me great smiles.
Tomorrow's practice match will be against the local Meio University.
The match will kick off at 10:15, consisting of two halves of 30 minutes each and one half of 20 minutes.
We would appreciate it if attendees could check the precautions.
https://www.fctokyo.co.jp/news/14344
