I joined the team during this season's camp period, but at first, with the change in environment, I struggled to get into good condition. I often came on as a substitute, and I don't think I was able to fully demonstrate my abilities in the first half of the league.
Even so, I have always thought about how to improve my condition and how to fit into the team, and I have been working daily with the desire to adapt to the style of football that Coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI aims for. Gradually, I began to grasp the plays and movements the coach demands, which led to more playing opportunities, and results such as goals and assists followed. From the time the results started to come, I finally felt a sense of adapting to the J.League.
As the season approached its final stages, I scored more goals, gained confidence, and felt that my condition was at its best. Looking back on the 2025 season, I initially struggled to get going and felt sorry about that, but from the middle of the season onward, I was able to play in a way that I was satisfied with. However, I have a strong desire to do even better. That is why, in the final match against Albirex Niigata, I want to score a hat-trick and finish the season with double-digit goals.
Regarding the soccer environment, I was able to communicate well, so I relatively smoothly adapted to the team. However, the demands in soccer itself differ between Germany and Japan, and the most challenging part was how to apply what I had built up in Germany to playing in the J.League. That said, it wasn't that I couldn't do anything; it felt like correcting each "small mismatch" one by one.
What gave me confidence was definitely the match against Nagoya Grampus where I scored my first J.League goal. It was my first time in the starting lineup, and being able to record both a goal and an assist made me feel that "what I have been doing is not wrong," and it was a game where I could demonstrate my value within the team. It was also significant in terms of letting others get to know me, and I felt like I was able to fully integrate into the team all at once in that match.
And I really wanted to win the Emperor's Cup... While reaching the Semifinal Round itself might be something to be proud of, losing after fighting through extra time was truly frustrating. That showed the areas where we fell short of our current abilities and the challenges we must face. Some fans and supporters said, "Thank you for bringing us this far," but surely they also wanted to see us win the championship, and that's why the desire to win remains strong.
The first half of the league was tough at times, but the presence of the fans and supporters who continuously cheered us on was truly significant. Sometimes there were harsh voices, but we are "companions" who have seen the same scenery and spent the same time together through good times and bad. Without that support, we might have been relegated to the J2 League, and I am sincerely grateful for the encouragement that helped us regain our form in the second half of the league.
This weekend's match, I want to express my gratitude through plays that move the soul and make the spectators enjoy themselves. That is exactly the kind of football I believe I should express. Fighting to the very end, running continuously, and battling tenaciously for the team. Of course, scoring many goals and winning feels the best, and I believe the fans and supporters want that too. However, what I can do is not just score goals. Running hard and showing the fighting spirit unique to Tokyo. I want to fully express that on the pitch and finish with a victory.
