It was a quiet accumulation of days. He has already achieved a total of 438 J1 matches, ranking 16th in history. With 12 more matches, he will approach becoming the 14th player in history to reach 450 J1 matches. When this season ends, his professional career will have reached half of his life. Masato MORISHIGE said, "I can't believe so much time has passed," as if savoring the moment.
That 18th year as a professional coincided with the 30th anniversary of the J-League. A young soccer player who experienced the initial excitement of the league recalls, "I collected player cards and even wore training shoes with the mascot's illustration on them." The popularity of soccer was reignited at the World Cup held in Qatar at the end of last year. The momentum to revive that excitement from back then is definitely growing. As a player who was raised in this league, I can say this with confidence.
"After the World Cup, I felt a strong desire to boost the J-League. In order for Tokyo to become even bigger, we need to increase our exposure and put more effort into it. Because I have been playing in the J-League for a long time, it has become a part of my daily life. However, when I look at it from a broader perspective after the World Cup, there are still aspects that have not become a part of this country's culture. We need to make it cool for people to wear team uniforms in the streets. That's why we need to promote and boost the J-League from the capital city of Tokyo. Tokyo players also need to take on the responsibility of branding and elevating the status of the J-League."
The team's longest-serving captain, in his 14th year, has been living the same daily life as always as he prepares for the opening of that memorable year. However, there have also been different daily routines.
"It was a good camp, with both young and veteran players communicating in a way that we haven't seen before. The team atmosphere was great as well. There were many things to learn from the young players, and the younger players were able to learn from those who have been playing in Tokyo. I think there was a good synergy from this. It's fun to talk to the young players, and they're kind of cute."
Energetic young players make fierce appeals, and veterans also demonstrate their own strength in competition. Such days were repeated in Okinawa and Miyazaki. In the second year of the Albert regime, we will continue to work from a good position that we started last season and challenge the evolution of positional play that holds the ball. We will review the team's challenges and achievements that are updated daily and discuss our progress and challenges.
"It is important to focus on the upcoming game and not make excuses. In order to create this soccer, it is important to have an environment where we can share our opinions. To win, it is important for everyone to not run away from that and work together. We all have the same desire to win, and players who cannot play in the game will naturally come out in the future. However, instead of complaining and leaving, players who cannot play in the game should be able to say 'Let's do our best to play in the game.' That is what I think is good about this team."
And before the opening, there were words that remained vivid in memory precisely because they were unfamiliar. Morishige definitely said, "I'm excited." Since the COVID-19 pandemic, although there have been limited easing of restrictions, vocal cheering has been prohibited as a general rule. Finally, it will return to normal this year.
"I've always loved Tokyo. But in my 14th year here, I feel like I love Tokyo even more than before. Maybe it's because I've been here for so long, but I have a strong attachment to this place. I've started to feel a lot more about wanting to achieve results with this team, and how happy I am to be a part of this team. The fact that we have fans and supporters hasn't changed, even during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, I have forgotten what it was like to hear the voices and cheers of the fans. There are players who haven't experienced that. Many players don't know the atmosphere of Tokyo's stadiums. Just imagining that atmosphere, or the feeling of singing "Yuruneba" together after a victory, naturally boosts my motivation. I think it would give me goosebumps. I hope that all the pent-up emotions will explode in a positive way. I think it will make me appreciate things that used to be taken for granted and become a source of motivation. In that sense, I'm just excited and looking forward to it."
That word, of course, is also tied to our big goal. That's because our goal, which we all aim for, is nothing but the league title. That amazing atmosphere will return to Ajinomoto Stadium. Morishige said, "It's definitely exciting, isn't it?" as he put it on.
Mori Shige said, "I want to keep my promise at Ajinomoto in the 2019 season and I want to win this season without giving up." I was taught by my mother's friend who lives near me, "People who don't give up are hated, you know." But even though he is such a man who never gives up, the number of people who love him is increasing year by year. I want him to prove that he has spent half of his life as a professional and to correct the old ladies' words from that day. If you don't give up, your wish will come true someday.
Text by Tadashi BABA (Freelance Writer)
