The unprecedented journey continues to the dream stage one and a half years later.
DF 5 Yuto NAGATOMO
People, players, and stories. Introducing the 2024 PLAYER'S REVIEW, featuring all the blue and red warriors who fought through the 2024 season. What were their thoughts and feelings during the season? Confidence, progress, challenges, joy, and regret... Each player will reflect on their battles this season in their own words.
In March of this year, Yuto NAGATOMO once again joined the Japan national team's roster. Wearing the blue and red uniform, he continues to push forward towards his dream of making his 5th appearance in the FIFA World Cup. While he has been on the bench for the national team, he remains determined to lead Japanese football with a calm analysis of himself and an unwavering passion that makes every cell in his body tremble. How does he view this season, where he walks a path that no one has ever taken and overcomes all obstacles?
"Keep an eye on it for a year and a half. I will definitely make it to that place."
Yuto NAGATOMO's name was engraved on the list of members of the Japan national team aiming for the FIFA World Cup 2026 North and Central America tournament, for the first time in about 1 year and 3 months since the Qatar tournament. When he finished the previous dream stage, he once thought about retiring from active duty. What stopped him was his desire to become the first Asian to participate in 5 consecutive World Cups.
"Personally, it was good to improve my performance in March and be able to return to the national team. Although I couldn't play in the games, being consistently selected has firmly connected me to my dream. I also have confidence in winning and I think it was good to be able to break through there."
Nagatomo's season can be said to have started with a joy that had been 5054 days in the making. In the Meiji Yasuda J1 League Sec. 4 match against Avispa Fukuoka, which came just after the national team announcement, he scored a powerful volley shot. This performance ignited his rivals and led to a season where the role of fullbacks was highlighted.
"I think I was able to compete firmly with the veterans in order to create competition within the team and give them stimulation. On the other hand, I was also able to receive stimulation from them. In that aspect, there was intense competition among the fullbacks. It's not often that fullbacks are involved in scoring goals, including other teams, so I think we had a good competition there."
Nagatomo shakes his head and says "just".
"If you look at it positively, it's true, but scoring is like a bonus. It's not like I scored because I got better. I'm calmly analyzing myself. Still, I scored two goals and couldn't extend my assist. I don't necessarily think I've grown. It's also frustrating and unsatisfying that we couldn't win any titles as a team, including the cup tournament."
With these thoughts as nourishment, the unprecedented challenge continues. There is no path before Nagatomo, but a path is created behind him. He himself does not think of this as anything special.
"Because it comes from within me, I can't look at it from a bird's-eye view. In the end, people are people, and I am myself. I am only fighting for what I want to do and achieve, for my dreams. I don't feel like I'm doing anything special, I'm just fighting and living for what I want to achieve. I can imagine what it will feel like to achieve it, and I'm sure I will get there. When that happens, I want to look back on my soccer career. It would be great if I could realize that what I have done is valuable."
Living in the present, without clinging to the past. Those words of a man have flown into the future.
"I have a solid image of participating in the World Cup. It's in a year and a half, right? I'm not worried about anything. I've been on the bench for a while and the media has been worried about me, but I'm not worried at all. I am confident that I can bring my mind, skills, and body to the best state. So, I have no sense of urgency."
I am not walking on a path that leads somewhere. The footsteps I have taken will lead to my dreams. For this long journey, for this long journey──.
Text by Koji Baba (Freelance Writer)
