Raised in the blue and red since elementary school. A center back who is expected to be the future of the club has been promoted from FC Tokyo U-18 to the top team. In the 2024 season, he was registered as a 2nd year student while still belonging to the U-18 team, and made his top team debut in the Emperor's Cup in June. He felt a strong sense of responsibility when he put on the blue and red uniform and fought at Ajinomoto Stadium. Shuto NAGANO, who says he wants to compete for a starting position from his first year in the top team. We asked the young defender, who is also aiming to fight from Asia to the world while wearing the Japanese national flag, about his journey to promotion and his current state of mind.
──Congratulations on your promotion to the top team. Please tell us about your thoughts when you first heard the good news.
Thank you very much. I was honestly very happy. I have always thought that it is not easy to join the top team at a club like Tokyo. I have been working hard to become a professional as a dream, so I am really happy.
──I've been going to Kodaira since I was in elementary school.
I have been training as a member of the FC Tokyo Soccer School Advanced Class at the Kodaira Course since I was in 5th grade of elementary school. I am really happy to have been able to become a professional player in this club, as I have been nurtured in the academy for a very long time.
──He was in the same Advanced Class as Ryunosuke SATO since then.
Yes, that's right. The U-15 team was divided into Musashi and Fukagawa, but it's really moving to be able to play soccer together with players I've been practicing with since elementary school in the professional world.
──What kind of player do you think you are, including self-introduction?
A characteristic of mine is that I aggressively go for the ball during play, and I believe that is a weapon that can't be beaten by others.
──When I hear from the staff who were involved during my academy days, I was told that I had been saying "I like defense" since I was in elementary school. There are not many players like that, so it seems that the people who coached me at the time were also impressed.
Usually, people tend to focus on skilled attacking players, but for me, it was always fun to steal the ball from them. I have always thought about how I can take the ball away and have played with that in mind. The moment when I actually managed to take the ball away was the most enjoyable moment for me.
──It seems that Josip KUZE also attended the Japan School of Boca Juniors (Argentina).
I attended Boca's school from around the third grade until I graduated from elementary school. There, I was taught various intense plays and defensive techniques in the Argentine style, and I feel that those skills are still alive in me today.
──At that time, I also heard stories of actually going to Argentina.
When I moved up from 5th grade to 6th grade, I had the opportunity to go to Argentina with the Boca Juniors project and play soccer with players of the same age from Boca and other teams in Argentina. It was a really great experience to actually feel the intensity of playing in South America and the soccer environment there at such a young age. I was also able to watch a game at the Boca Juniors stadium and feel the passion for soccer. I still vividly remember the scene of all the fans and players coming together to cheer.
──Have you experienced "La Bombonera (Boca Juniors' home stadium)"?
It was truly amazing. I still remember it vividly. Fans and supporters were climbing over the fence and there was smoke from flares. Boca scored about three goals and the stadium was literally shaking. There was also a loud roar and everyone, regardless of their seat, was ecstatic and celebrating. I got goosebumps all over my body.
──The original experience is... amazing.
Through the project of going as a team from Boca's Japan School, we were able to consider the environment and safety, and since we were with the players we usually play with, our parents also said, "If you try it, go for it." I think that the reason I came to love intense play is also due to the valuable experience I had in Argentina. At Japan School, we were directly coached by local coaches, so the coaching methods were different from Japanese coaches, and they were passionate in talking to the players, which may have been a little different from others. It was a special experience. The mindset towards competition was also taught during practice, and even now, I always think about playing with the mindset of never losing.
──What was your 6 years in junior high and high school like wearing blue and red?
I feel that I have grown a lot in these 6 years. I didn't think I was a standout player in elementary school, and even at FC Tokyo U-15 Fukagawa, I was completely out of place among the talented players around me. Since my elementary school team wasn't very strong, joining Fukagawa was the first time I learned about the standards of those around me, and I think I was able to improve by competing with the talented players there.
Do you have any memories from your three years in junior high school?
In Fukagawa, I think I was trained as a person in addition to playing, such as the importance of meals. In soccer, I was conscious of leading the team in my third year, but before that, I wasn't very good at speaking up. I think those are the areas where I was able to grow thanks to coach Masato OTA's advice.
──If there is anything that has left an impression after FC Tokyo U-18 promotion, please let us know.
I think that unexpected things happened one after another since I entered high school. I was able to play in the U-18 team and was called up to the youth national team for the first time. I learned a lot from Mr. Okuhara in terms of encounters, and I was able to train with players like Kanta DOI, Kota TAWARATSUMIDA, Naoki KUMATA (currently on loan to Iwaki FC), and Renta HIGASHI (on loan to Giravanz Kitakyushu from the 2025 season) who are currently active as professionals. I believe that these experiences of training together every day have greatly helped me grow as a player.
──I played with a very strong character 3rd year student when I was a 1st year high school student.
Yes, that's right. At first, there were some nerves (bitter smile). But through practicing together and being able to play in games, I feel like I was able to gain recognition from those around me. Also, the fact that the third years kindly spoke to me helped me to fit in well.
──Are there any players you should aim for in the top team?
Tsuchihi player has been playing together for a long time, and he is a senior who I really respect because our positions are close. When I was a first year high school student, I always watched his play and learned a lot from it. He may be a little clumsy off the pitch (laughs). He was also a very kind and easy-to-talk senior, so I am very grateful.
──FC Tokyo U-18 has been working smoothly, but last year, they also experienced a major injury. It must have been frustrating for him, as he could have been promoted with Sato last summer, and he must have been carrying that frustration with him.
Honestly, during my second year of high school, I had continuous injuries and felt like I was falling behind Sato and other players of the same age. I was really frustrated. However, I also think that I gained something from my injuries. I was able to focus on building my body during the rehabilitation period, so in that sense, it was a meaningful time.
──Next season, there will be a battle from the AFC U-20 Asian Cup to the FIFA U-20 World Cup. After that, there will also be the Los Angeles Olympics. As one of the players who faced the FIFA U-17 World Cup last year after recovering from an injury, I think they want to take revenge on the world.
1A year ago, I experienced the most frustrating moment in my life and I truly wanted to come back to this stage. Next season, I will have the chance to do so again, but first I need to make a name for myself in the professional world. It won't be easy to get there, so I want to focus on how much I can contribute to the team. As a member of the Olympic generation, I know that I won't be chosen unless I perform at the top level in J1 League or overseas leagues. It's up to me to become a key player for Tokyo as soon as possible. I will approach this with the mindset of competing for a starting position from my first year.
The reason I was able to recover from the most frustrating experience in my life.
Honestly, the presence of my teammates was huge. I was feeling down for a while, but they cheered me up with jokes and brightened up my mood, which I am very grateful for.
──What did you gain during this season as a final year in the academy, constantly moving between the top team and U-18?
Participating in practice with the top team was truly a special experience. In a completely different environment from the U-18 team, there were many high-level players, and even just one practice session provided many valuable lessons. That time was precious and truly a wonderful experience for me.
──Made my top debut in the Emperor's Cup 2nd round match against V-Varen Nagasaki in June. What were your feelings when you stepped onto the pitch?
I was really nervous. When I played in the game, I felt the reality of "this is the world of professionals", but at the same time, I also felt the desire to play more on this pitch, so I thought I had to work harder.
──It was my top team debut at Ajinomoto Stadium. Was the view from the stands different from the view from the pitch?
As a professional, I feel a sense of responsibility when standing on the pitch at Ajinomoto Stadium, knowing that I have the support of the fans and supporters. When I was cheering from the stands, I always wanted the team to win, so now that I am wearing the blue and red uniform, I feel the emotions of always having to give my all and the weight of the responsibility when stepping onto the pitch.
──From next season, I will have to compete for positions with players like Masato MORISHIGE and my senior in the academy, Tsuchi players. What are your thoughts on this competition?
1Even though it's my first year, I can't just passively follow someone else and expect to contribute to the game. If I spend my time like that, it will be a wasted year. I want to show my enthusiasm regardless of the age difference with my senior teammates, and I want to play actively from the beginning of the season to earn recognition from the coach, staff, and my teammates. However, I know that even if I perform well in practice, I may not get to play in the actual game or things may not go as I want them to in the professional world. So, I do have some anxiety, but I am also excited to see how much I can do in that environment and how I can overcome the situation when I am not able to play.
──Four players from the same year, including player Sato, have been promoted to the top team. There may also be players who will meet again as professionals through university. What kind of players are they?
I don't think I would be where I am today without the members I have played with so far. We have pushed each other and improved together while playing in Tokyo. I would love to play soccer together again and hopefully we can reunite in the professional world someday.
──Finally, I would like to send a message to the fans and supporters.
I want to be able to demonstrate my strengths, such as my physicality and ability to build up, in order to gain recognition from the fans and supporters. It will take a lot of effort to become a key player in this team. I will do my best to compete in the professional world and I appreciate your support.
♢Shuto NAGANO Profile
Date of Birth: April 15, 2006
Height/Weight: 182cm/77kg
Hometown: Nerima, Tokyo
Career: FC Tokyo U-15 Fukagawa → FC Tokyo U-18
Representative History: U-16 Japan National Team, U-17 Japan National Team, U-18 Japan National Team
Text by Kyohei Baba (Freelance Writer)
