A young and ambitious new captain prepares for the 2024 season of battles
MF 7 Kuryu MATSUKI
Special content introducing the all-blue-red warriors who will challenge the 2024 season. What are the players, who are facing the opening, thinking and what kind of determination are they going to face for the year? The players' stories, hidden in their love for the club, their desire for titles, their thoughts for success, and the roles they must fulfill - what will they be? For Kuryu MATSUKI, the 2024 season may be a major turning point as a soccer player. In his third professional season, he has been chosen as one of the team captains, leading the team with his play and his back. He also reveals his ambition to make it to the Paris Olympics as a member of the U-23 Japan national team, and to join the Japan national team. He will become the leader of the blue-red team in name and reality, and challenge the new season.
This preseason, there was an incredible heat unleashed from Kuryu MATSUKI. It could be said that the number 7 was always at the center of the team building. In his third professional season, MATSUKI is trying to become the face of Tokyo in both name and reality.
During the training match at the camp held in Okinawa and Miyazaki, Matsumaki's left arm was wrapped in a yellow armband. There was no discomfort there, and it fit perfectly. Since last season, I have felt a big difference in the driving force and impact of the attack depending on whether he is on the pitch or not, but this season, clear leadership has been added there. As he also served as captain at Aomori Yamada High School, it was a piece of cake for him to enter the pitch at the front and do the coin toss. His actions of looking around widely and raising his voice during the game were the moment when a new leader was born in Tokyo, which has been a challenge in recent years.
After returning to Kodaira after a three-week camp, the "flow" only accelerated. In training matches, he continued to wear the captain's armband and led the team. In one match, the presence of Matsuki clearly changed the intensity on the pitch, proving his importance. As a representative player, he wrote a message on an ema for good luck and also attended a J.League PR event to announce the start of the new season. And alongside Masato Morishige and Kei Koizumi, he was announced as the captain for this season. It was a natural progression.
While everyone around him is making a fuss about him being a "young captain", he remains extremely calm. "I wear the captain's armband on the pitch, but other than that, as long as I can do it while sharing with my teammates, it doesn't really change," he calmly explains. Whether he has a title or not, his determination as a key player for this season is strong. Not only as a defensive midfielder, but also as a playmaker, he understands that the 2024 season will demand even more results from him.
"In order for the team to go in a better direction, your own results become important. If you strive for that, you can keep going."
"Captain Kuse" who has become the center of the team both in name and reality. He continues to demonstrate his passion and determination for victory on the pitch, leading the blue and red army to unseen heights.
Text by Daisuke Suga (El Golasso)
