The period of enrollment was only two and a half years. However, his presence in the blue and red uniform as a high school graduate will undoubtedly leave a mark in the club's history.
Kuryu MATSUKI, 21 years old.
The growth that led to becoming captain at a young age in Tokyo, and the "path" left behind at the club.
A writer who has been watching his journey and future in Kodaira every day, as he sets off for Europe with the blue and red spirit in his heart.
Text by Yasuhei Baba
He was a player who embodied the concept of "Shuhari," which illustrates the process of training for those who aspire to follow the path.
Kuryu MATSUKI has faithfully followed his teachings, thought for himself, and worked hard to become independent. And now, he has embarked on a new journey to establish his own unique world.
I have continued to burn with an insatiable desire for improvement. Every time I face a wall, Matsuki strangely becomes smiling. That's why I can't forget this line, like the protagonist of a boys' comic.
"Difficult or challenging moments can be enjoyable."
Every time he gets rejected, he brushes his hair back and pats his cheeks to regain his determination. That's how he opened the door to his dream. He said that the biggest change before and after turning pro was "thinking while playing soccer."
"At first, I didn't think about it at all and just played without any worries, but every time I heard stories from my seniors, I learned the importance of thinking. By thinking while playing soccer, I was able to find ways to break through on my own."
He showed a difference from the first year of his professional camp. If there was something he didn't understand, he would catch his seniors or staff during practice or at the end of practice and bombard them with questions. He looks back and says, "I thought I couldn't do it unless I did that much." It had become a daily routine in Odaira. Yojiro TAKAHAGI was also one of the players who was often called out by Matsuki.
Takahagi transferred to Tochigi SC in the J2 League in the summer of the 2022 season to find a place to shine, and only played with Matsuki for six months. However, in the final match of that season, when he visited Ajinomoto Stadium to greet everyone, Matsuki approached him and asked with a serious look in his eyes, "How was I?" Takahagi, who had already left the team, was surprised and said, "I thought, 'Don't ask me!' (laughs). I watched from above and talked about how it should be, but Matsuki's drive to improve is amazing."
He continued to learn as a professional and learned how to draw a growth curve. Perhaps that's why there is occasionally a scent of his predecessors in Matsuki's play. The long feed from his own half that became the starting point for Ryotaro ARAKI's goal in the 4th round of the Meiji Yasuda J1 League against Avispa Fukuoka this season was a clever pass that could be called Takahagi's specialty.
Furthermore, while adhering to his teachings, Matsuki was also proactive in making changes where necessary.
"Your shoelaces are untied."
I didn't even realize it myself, but it wasn't just once that I was called out by Matsuki first. Because I'm watching the opponent closely, I notice things well.
It's the same during interviews. Look up, think about the words to say, and then make eye contact with the other person to have a conversation. They understood the questions and gave us comments that exceeded our expectations multiple times. Because they have a habit of doing so, when we are impressed by their killer comments, we naturally smile.
That's why I have taken on a leading role in this team. In my second year as a pro, I stated that I wanted to be a good example for younger players and show them a good example.
"I have a desire to push up from the younger generation. I also have to do it as a young leader."
In his second year as a professional, when asked about his responsibility and awareness, Matsuki jokingly said, "The younger players are like 'follow me' to me," but I think half of it was a joke and half of it was serious. He has taken on the role of connecting the upper and lower levels, and has been working to create a team with good communication. In his third year as captain this season, he has further accelerated this.
"First of all, it was fun. When Peter (Klamovski coach) honestly told me that he wanted me to be the captain, I felt like I was in a position to lead this team. There were three captains, Kei-kun (Kei Koizumi), Mori-kun (Masato Morishige), and myself, but each of us played our roles in a well-balanced manner. While I, as a younger player, raised the level of the team, Mori-kun watched over us from above, and Kei-kun communicated with various players, creating a good balance."
We have made every effort to promote communication within the team and instill in each player the awareness of being a captain on the pitch. Their presence alone had a great influence on those around them. When Kota TAWARATSUMIDA and others were in their third year at FC Tokyo U-18, coach Takashi HARA (now a coach for the top team) always encouraged them, saying, "To me, the most Tokyo-like player in the top team is Kuryu MATSUKI. Shouldn't you academy players strive to be like him?" MATSUKI has continued to run and fight for the team. He was loved by his seniors and served as a good role model for his juniors, always following the path he believed in. Before he knew it, he had become a player who looked great with the captain's armband.
After leaving behind many souvenirs in blue and red, Matsuki flew to Europe. He fulfilled his dream of transferring to the English Premier League's Southampton FC and is now playing for Turkey's first division team, Göztepe SK, this season. Perhaps it was inevitable.
Matsuki has come to the airport every time a player has left to challenge overseas in the past two and a half years, saying "because I am indebted to them". No matter how early in the morning it is or if there is practice that day. "I will never forget my gratitude. I am reminded that this is the type of player that will follow after me."
"I have been able to play in many games and gain more experience than other players. There are role models and younger players who are eager to come up, so I want to do my best not to lose. That's why I have high expectations for all players. Although I feel lonely, I have received great support from everyone, so I want to firmly follow the path I have chosen."
The 2 and a half year journey shows the correctness of the path we have taken. There are still many dreams we want to achieve. Being selected for the Japan national team, and even more, becoming the first Japanese player to win the UEFA Champions League. Above all, there is a huge dream of becoming the greatest player among the players who have left FC Tokyo, as promised with the blue and red singers.
"I believe that if you keep working hard, your dreams will come true."
The journey of Kuryu MATSUKI, whose name contains the word "king", will continue for a long time from here. The protagonist will always take a strong step forward, overcoming any difficulties, in order to have the last laugh. That is because he is the Kuryu MATSUKI that we have seen.
