<Taishi Brandon NOZAWA>
I am really glad to be able to participate in this tournament as a player of FC Tokyo. Thank you for your support――.
Q: What kind of tournament has this become?
A, it ended in a disappointing result both individually and as a team. However, being able to fight as a member of the Japan national team on that stage became a special experience.
Q: Did you feel any differences compared to previous international tournaments?
A, I didn't particularly feel anything. However, the schedule was tough, and I did feel that the travel was quite burdensome.
Q: I think you must have felt frustrated without any playing opportunities, but did you feel anything during this representative period?
I felt that I still need to grow in various aspects, and I was reminded that I need to put in more effort to reach a higher level.
Q: The battle in Tokyo begins again from here. Please share your enthusiasm.
I think it's important to value each match. Time keeps passing, so I believe it's about how much we can cherish this moment. I want to raise our awareness and approach not only the matches but also the practices with more intensity.
Q: What kind of efforts would you like to make in order to aim higher from here?
A, the league matches will start again from here. I think it is important to produce results as a matter of course and to contribute to the team's victory, but I still believe my level of play is not high enough, so I need to raise the overall standard.That can happen through continuous participation in matches, and I also think there are improvements that can be made during practice. In any case, I want to cherish each day.
<Ryotaro ARAKI>
Thank you for all the support from Japan.
Q: What kind of experience was this for Araki?
A, I feel that this tournament was a valuable experience when considering my future in football.
Q: Wasn't the feeling of regret stronger?
A, that's right. Honestly, the feeling of regret is greater, and there were parts where I felt I could have done more. But there's no choice but to switch gears, and as an individual, I want to level up more. The Japan national team has a major tournament, the World Cup, in two years, so I want to grow more towards that.
Q: There were scenes of tears after the match.
A, I didn't think I would cry myself. However, I was more frustrated than I imagined, and when I went to Bryan LINSSEN, I couldn't hold back seeing him collapse.
Q: How do you want to utilize this experience moving forward?
A, I believe that from here, my new first step towards the next goal begins. I want to work on the areas where I feel I am lacking and tackle what I need to do more, moving forward step by step.
