On the 5th, Japanese national team coach Hasebe Makoto (41) was the first national team coach to be interviewed in Chiba City for the first time, revealing his relationship with his ally, defender Nagatomo Yuto (39, FC Tokyo).

He played in 114 matches for the Japanese national team, and played the World Cup in the 2010 South Africa tournament, the 2014 Brazil tournament, and the 2018 Russia tournament. He participated in the three major performances with Nagatomo, who is still a member of the national team. After retiring from the national team, they had no opportunity to play together, but with Hasebe becoming the national team coach, they were reunited despite their positions.

“I feel that Nagatomo is truly a huge presence for the Japanese national team every day. However, I think he probably feels that he is the only one who can say strictly to him, but every time I say harsh words to him for training camp, and of course I check his play in the J.League, and if there were a lot of backpasses then, I've also said things like, 'There's too many backpasses, I have to play forward.'”

Among the national teams, Nagatomo, who is in a legendary position, can be conveyed only because he is close. “Of course I think it's my role to point out anything that's no different from other players, and that I point out exactly what I'm saying,” he nods.

He also expressed his respect, saying, “He's a really important player for the Japanese national team,” he said, “However, he also competes with other players. So I think he has to do more and more to join the World Cup, and that's on the pitch. I tell him that every time.”[Sato Naru]

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