Q: Please tell us about the background and circumstances behind your decision to continue playing and renew your contract with FC Tokyo.
A: To be honest, after the FIFA World Cup 2026™, the feelings I had invested in it over the past four years were so strong that, following the defeat, I was leaning toward retirement. However, even though I returned to FC Tokyo five years ago determined to win a title, I have not been able to bring the club a single one. As the days passed, feelings of disappointment in myself and frustration kept growing. Then, from the bottom of my heart, I felt a passion rise up within me to win again with FC Tokyo and lift the trophy. That strengthened my desire to continue my playing career with FC Tokyo.
Q: What does FC Tokyo mean to you, Nagatomo?
A: What does the club mean to me? It is like a family that fights together. Coming back here naturally makes me feel like, "Let's do this again." It brings me a sense of calm, and when this contract was finalized, I was reminded once again that this is a club I truly love.
Q: What kind of play would you like to show the younger players? Also, please tell us what sparked your passion, if there was anything in particular.
A: I want to show the younger players my strengths: competing for every ball and my fighting spirit. Those are my strong points. On the day we lost to Brazil at the FIFA World Cup 2026™, I was in a daze, as if my heart had been pierced. But even though my legs hurt, they were aching to keep fighting. I then had some time off, but honestly, the gap between my body and my mind was difficult. My body had finished the World Cup feeling unfulfilled and was still saying, “I want to fight.” But my heart felt as though it had a hole in it, and I could not see a way forward.
However, as the days passed, the frustration of losing at the World Cup came flooding back, along with my own sense of shame and disappointment at not having won a single title in the five years since returning here. That is how I came to feel that I wanted to fight to lift the trophy here once again and win a championship. Physically, I had been ready since immediately after the World Cup ended.
Q: Around when did you make your decision after the FIFA World Cup 2026™? Going forward, will you aim for the next World Cup with the Japan national team, or will you retire from international football?
A, I made the decision about three weeks later. To be honest, I was too disappointed to watch the FIFA World Cup 2026™. But as I reflected on myself, my passion gradually began to well up. As long as I am a player, I want to aim for a place in the Japan national team. It is not that I intend to retire from international football myself; it is up to the manager to decide whether I am needed for the Japan national team. I will continue to strive to represent Japan.
Q: You recently returned home to your hometown of Ehime Prefecture, didn’t you?
A: When I returned to Ehime, I was able to relax and see the children, who gave me energy. I think the children helped heal the hole in my heart and gave me the impetus to move forward again. I was able to recharge in Ehime, and I am extremely happy to be able to move forward by signing again with the club I love so much. I am also grateful to everyone in Ehime.
Q: Please tell us how the other players reacted when you told them.
A: When I met the players, the younger players looked really happy. I was happy too, and I shared a heartfelt embrace with Masato Morishige, whom I have fought alongside for many years. I think we had both been waiting for this. I am happy that I can fight alongside him again, and I want to lift the trophy with him.
Q: When you discussed your decision with your family, did they say anything that encouraged you to take the step?
A: My wife, Airi (Airi Taira), told me that she wants me to continue playing even after the FIFA World Cup 2026™. When I asked her why, she said, “Wouldn’t it be a waste to retire when your body is still performing at full capacity, when you are healthy and free of injuries?” My children also told me, “We still want to see you battling on the pitch.” They would ask me, “Why did you lose at the World Cup?” and put quite a lot of pressure on me, but I have overcome that and am standing here now. To be a good father, I want to wear FC Tokyo’s blue-and-red uniform and shine on this pitch again. That is the kind of image I want to show them.
Q: You will turn 40 next month. What goals do you have?
A. I am not thinking about my age at all. I believe I am more fired up than anyone else. Even in my forties, I have no intention of changing my playing style. I want to run, fight, and play more intensely than anyone else on the pitch, and make everyone happy.
Q: Yasuhito Endo holds the record for 152 caps for Japan. Nagatomo has 146. Does that feel far away or close? Please tell us how you see it.
A: I had not been thinking about it that much, but I am six caps behind? That is a long way off. It is a long way off, but as long as I am a player, I want to aim for the Japan national team. I want to show that I have evolved, and make sure that what I am saying here is not just talk by proving it properly on the pitch.
The above are excerpts from the press conference held on August 8 (Sat).
