Q, first of all, welcome back.
A, I'm home. Thank you very much.
Q, Was the atmosphere different from previous age-specific national teams, not only in the Japan national team's matches but also in practice?
A, that's right. In age-group national teams, the players are all the same age, but this time there were players from various age groups. Each player this time is a top player who plays in the world's top leagues. The sense of tension was on a completely different level and incredible.
Q: How was the tension of the match at the Japan National Stadium?
A, I was always ready to play. When the match actually started and I was warming up in the second half, honestly, I was quite nervous wondering if I would be called in and what I would do if I was called.
Q: You started in the match against Colombia, but did you have a feeling you would play in the practice after the match against Uruguay?
A, during practice, I also felt intuitively that there was a chance for the side back. I was prepared for the Uruguay match as well, but when I did not play, I switched my mindset and prepared for the possibility of playing in the next Colombia match.
Q: How was it to participate in the match?
A, to be honest with my own feelings, I couldn't show much good. In the defensive part, the first goal was conceded at my position. Honestly, the evaluation is not very good. Even so, the coordination on the side with player Kaoru Mitoma was something we had been discussing continuously since two days before the match, so there were some scenes that went well. The challenge is that we couldn't connect it to a result.
Q: Did you feel that you were able to showcase what you developed in Tokyo, such as positioning, throughout the match?
It was a style of football similar to Tokyo's. The full-backs would move inside, and the play involved breaking down the defense through the relationship between the wingers and full-backs. I was somewhat accustomed to that feeling, so I think I was able to get into the game more smoothly than the other players.
Q: You were also the kicker for set plays.
A, I knew from the practice one or two days before that I might be the kicker. In Tokyo, I haven't been able to kick good balls in the past few matches. I only kicked once, but I relaxed my shoulder and was able to kick exactly where I aimed, which gave me confidence. I want to be able to do the same in Tokyo as well.
Q: Were you nervous about the match against Colombia?
A, I was extremely nervous. I was so tense during the warm-up that it felt like I was losing every ball pass, but at that point, I was able to clear my mind. Even in Tokyo, when my warm-up wasn't going well, I had the feeling that I could relax and ease into the game smoothly. I kept telling myself that even if I made mistakes during the warm-up, I could still enter the game in a good state.
Q: Were you not nervous during the match?
A, I was somewhat calm, but when I entered and sang the national anthem, I once again felt the reality of standing on the pitch as the Japan national team. Rather than being nervous, my excitement increased.
Q: You wore the number 5 of the great senior.
A, I also found out by looking at Tokyo's Instagram and Twitter posts after practice ended at the same time as everyone else. I was surprised. It is truly an honor to wear the number that Nagatomo has carried for 15 years. However, I still feel that I haven't reached the same level yet, so I don't know if I will become number 5 from now on, but I will continue to give my all and show what Tokyo's fullback is like.
Q: Did you talk about anything with Yuto Nagatomo after returning?
A said to me, "I've carried this number for 15 years, so you have to play with that kind of spirit too." This time it's number 5, and I don't know what will happen when I'm chosen next time, but for me, the image of number 5 is strongly associated with Nagatomo. That hasn't changed.
