Yuto NAGATOMO, selected from FC Tokyo, was part of the SAMURAI BLUE (Japan national team) at the 2025 East Asian E-1 Football Championship Final Round held in South Korea. Entrusted with the team captaincy for this tournament, he made his first appearance in a national team match since the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar tournament during the second match against China.
Regarding this tournament where he showcased his strengths aiming for the World Cup next June, Tomoo Aoyama, who covered the event on-site in South Korea, summarizes the battle.
Overcoming difficult times, Yuto NAGATOMO stepped onto the pitch for the Japan national team for the first time in 950 days.
In March last year, he returned to the Japan national team, giving a wake-up call to Moriyasu Japan after their quarterfinal exit in the AFC Asian Cup. He lifted the slightly off-track team with his characteristic spirit and conveyed the significance and passion of representing Japan and competing on the world stage through his words and actions. Thanks to that, the team recorded an unstoppable six consecutive wins in the FIFA World Cup 26 Asian final qualifiers (third round). The players’ awareness rose, and they secured qualification for the tournament at the fastest pace in the world.
However, on the other hand, Nagatomo himself experienced the frustration of being left out of the matchday squad for 12 consecutive games. Although he had always said in words, "I will do whatever I can for the team," he considered any role as long as he could contribute to the Japan national team. His fifth World Cup appearance was a battle in which he put his entire football career on the line. While being regarded as an essential member of the team, he struggled with the conflict of not being able to contribute on the pitch as a player.
In this tournament, Hajime MORIYASU was appointed team captain and was expected to lead with his experience, words, and play. He spent the first match on the bench, and in the match against China, he played the full game as the left stopper in a three-back formation. After that match, having endured a difficult period of over two years, he finally revealed his true feelings about the opportunity that had come.
"It was too painful. The word 'painful' sums it up. However, I have overcome adversity and suffering many times before. Everyone might have thought, 'Nagatomo is finished,' but I have simply kept believing in myself. I have always felt a sense of crisis that I was not contributing as a player. I'm not stupid, so I have objectively viewed and understood the situation, and there were times I felt I might not be considered as a member. I knew there were shortcomings, including frustration and my own inadequacies. That’s why I was so motivated in the match against China. Playing as a member of the team that wins the World Cup still feels far away for me, and I have many challenges ahead, but without a doubt, I was able to take the first step."
Personally, I approached the China match with the mindset of 'If I fail today, it's over,' and I was that committed. Wearing the Hinomaru on my back and fighting is both an honor and a pride. I've felt the frustration of not being able to play in matches, but once I'm on the field, I've decided to fight with all my soul. After all, I aim for the highest levels, so there is still much I need to do. For example, when facing players like Mbappé or VINICIUS, I calmly assess whether my current sprinting ability is enough. I believe age doesn't matter here; if I improve quality, I can extend my capabilities.
In the match against China, he was entrusted with an unfamiliar role as part of a three-back defense. There is a 38-year-old who even views that positively. He saw it as a chance to expand his possibilities as a player and enhance his own value. Also, the presence of Coach Makoto Hasebe, with whom he once fought alongside, has become significant for him. While he was active as a defensive midfielder for the national team, at his club Eintracht Frankfurt, he was entrusted with the defensive line later in his career and became a legend in the club's history.
"He was called the 'Emperor' in Germany. There is definitely positioning that cannot be achieved without experience, such as intelligence, crisis awareness, and covering ability. I think (Mr. Hasebe) was excellent at reading the game, so I am learning from that as well. If I can become capable of playing as a center back here, the chances of making the World Cup squad will increase. Being able to demonstrate that I can play right, left, wing-back, side-back, and both sides of center back will bring me closer to my dream."
In this tournament, the Japan national team successfully achieved consecutive championships, and Nagatomo experienced lifting the cup for the first time in his life as the team captain. From here on, as a player, he will aim for his fifth appearance in the main tournament as a solid defensive multi-player.
However, without making an impact in the blue and red, the Japan national team cannot reach the stage of the World Cup. He himself fully understands that.
"I have no choice but to go all out. I have to raise my level one or two steps higher. If I don't contribute to Tokyo, it won't lead to the World Cup, and right now, that's what fuels me," his desire for growth only intensifies. Age doesn't matter here; he just believes in himself and pushes forward.
Frustration, a sense of accomplishment, and thoughts for the future — for the player wearing number 5, the 10 days spent in South Korea became an important time to clarify the path toward the main tournament and to reaffirm his determination.
(Honorifics omitted in the text)
Text by Tomoo Aoyama
Photos by Kenichi Arai
