Yuto Nagato: It always feels special to win the championship. I hope to help the Japanese team win the World Cup next

July 16th In the third round of the East Asian Cup, the Japanese team defeated the South Korean team 1-0 and won the East Asian Cup championship with a total of three games. According to Japanese media "Football Digest", after the game, Japanese veteran Yuuo Nagato was interviewed and talked about topics such as being the captain and participating in the 2026 World Cup.

When you win the East Asian Cup, you really feel special. No matter what kind of game you win, you will be very happy as long as you can experience such a special moment.

Talk about being the captain of the Japanese team

Although I had always thought about how to lead the team and restrained myself with the requirements of being the captain, I still felt some different pressure when I really made myself the captain.

If the team fails to achieve ideal results under its leadership, I will feel a very important sense of responsibility. This time the team has many young players. If I fail to integrate them, I may not have such an opportunity in the future. Through every day and every game, I can feel that the team is gradually converging into a whole, and the changes are very obvious. It can be said that this team has become a very excellent team. Now I am reluctant to part with everyone.

Talking about the World Cup 1 year later, although I played a game in the East Asian Cup, I think this is also a step forward, but everything starts from now on. I hope to become a member of the team to win the World Cup championship in the next step.

Talking about the team

To be honest, I hope that all members of this Japanese team can participate in the World Cup. Through this East Asian Cup, the young players in the team have achieved great growth. Although there are many players who have been selected for the national team for the first time and have made their national team debut this time, I still feel the team's cohesion and integrity, and I feel that this team can continue to become stronger. Sure enough, this also proves the level of the J League and the strength of the players. I also think that those players who are not selected into the national team have a high level, and I really feel that the level of Japanese players is constantly improving.

I want to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart if I have the opportunity to encounter such a special moment.