Kyuki Matsuki appeared on the TBS television program "KICK OFF! J" and talked about the World Cup.
Discussing Japan's defeat and elimination by Brazil
I believe the Japanese team has proven to the world that we are fully capable of competing with Brazil.
In the next major tournament, I hope to stand on that stage and lead the team to go even further, reaching the round of 16, the quarterfinals, or even further. To achieve this goal, improving the overall strength of the young players is crucial, and I also need to become stronger in the future.
I'm really disappointed that I wasn't selected for this World Cup squad. I firmly believe I have the ability to compete, and the World Cup is a stage I absolutely want to shine in.
Talking about Yuto Nagatomo's five consecutive World Cup appearances
Yuto and I played together at FC Tokyo. During that time, he was down-to-earth and set an excellent example for the younger generation. He is the most passionate person I have ever met when it comes to football.
My biggest regret about this World Cup is not being able to fight alongside Yudu on the national team jersey again. If I am successfully selected for the national team in the future, I will definitely share the good news with him as soon as possible.
Talking about the 2025-2026 season
To put it more emotionally, this season's experience was like riding a roller coaster.
First, the competitive level is completely different; the intensity is instantly elevated. Southampton previously played in the Premier League, and the players in their squad were all at the Premier League level.
At the time, Sugawara Yukinari was on the same team as me. The intensity of the league was so high that I couldn't help but complain to him: "Yukinari, the level here is just too high." I still remember that sentence clearly to this day (laughs).
But my personality allows me to find enjoyment in tackling difficult problems. I'm driven by a strong desire to do better, and I truly feel that I still have a lot of room for improvement.
If I had to sum up the entire season in one word, it would be "growth." Having experienced various competitions, I can clearly feel my continuous improvement, and my potential is far from exhausted. I hope to deliver even better performances in the future, reflecting this growth.
My greatest growth lies in my judgment and decision-making when I have the ball. The logic of vision utilization for wingers and central midfielders is vastly different.
The winger position is almost always in a one-on-one situation, and needs to use running and feinting to distract the opponent before receiving the ball;
After receiving the ball, I no longer rush to pass it out; instead, I immediately observe the direction of the goal before considering my next move. Now I'm very confident in this, and I can always make the best choice.
Looking ahead to the World Cup four years from now is naturally my goal, but right now I'm trying out multiple positions, including winger and attacking midfielder. I believe I can perform well in any position.
My goal is to become an iconic player in Japanese football, and the first step is to secure a core position in the club.
The overall level of the Japanese national team has been improving year by year. I hope that I can join them, become a key player, continue to deliver results to drive the development of Japanese football, secure a place on the national team for a long time, and become a football legend like Yuto-san.
