On September 10th, Beijing time, Japan national team coach Hajime Moriyasu (58 years old) appeared on Fuji TV's live broadcast program "Pokappoka" and talked about veteran defender Yuto Nagatomo (39 years old, FC Tokyo) who played for the Japanese team in five consecutive World Cups.
Yuto Nagatomo, who will turn 40 on the 12th, made a substitute appearance in the final group stage match against Sweden at this World Cup, setting a new record as the first Asian player to achieve this feat. As the team's spiritual leader, he made a significant contribution to the team. After the World Cup, Nagatomo considered retiring, but ultimately decided to continue his professional career, playing for J1 League club FC Tokyo in the new season.
Hajime Moriyasu spoke highly of this veteran player: "He has always maintained a positive attitude. Even though he is a veteran in the football world, he still insists on self-disciplined training and carefully maintains his personal competitive state."
Regarding the controversy surrounding Yuto Nagatomo's inclusion in the World Cup squad, Hajime Moriyasu reiterated: "At the time, media opinions were mixed, but in my opinion, he absolutely deserved to be selected. He earned his place on the national team through his performance on the field, perfectly proving his worth."
