The keyword for the revamped Gamba Osaka under Head Coach JENS WISSING is "forward."
Every player and staff member keeps those words in mind.
He is approaching football with a stronger forward-looking mindset, encompassing his playing style, his thinking, and even his life as a footballer.
This season's WE ARE GAMBA OSAKA is about men who keep pushing forward,
This book shines a spotlight on "breakthrough" moments—experiences and encounters that significantly changed one's career.
What kind of world did they discover beyond that point?

The approximately six months he spent abroad for the first time, at Sheffield Wednesday FC (EFL Championship) from February of last year, gave Ryo HATSUSE, who was approaching his late twenties, a new perspective on football and broadened his career horizons.
"The fact that I was able to contribute to winning titles, such as winning the J.League twice with Vissel Kobe, was a major turning point for me, and that experience and confidence led me to take on the challenge of going abroad. However, in England, it was mostly rainy or cloudy every day, and the challenge of playing in an environment so different from Japan, including pitch conditions, food, and language, was by no means easy. But there was joy and loneliness that I could only experience by being there, and even so, the belief that "continuing to challenge myself leads to growth" gave me confidence to keep fighting."
Above all, the fighting spirit instilled in him by his first experience of "football" continues to motivate him to this day.
"Every single play, including challenges for the ball, was a fierce battle, and every match and every play was truly a 'war.' Because the EFL doesn't use VAR, there were a lot of struggles and tugs that weren't visible, but fouls weren't easily called, and offense and defense would often switch in an instant with a loose ball. It's a strange way to put it, but it felt like we were playing a different sport even though it was the same football. But by keeping up with that intensity, we gained strength, and that strength, which we built up through daily training, is now proving very useful in playing Jens (Visking's Head Coach) high-intensity football."
However, he admits that he still hasn't figured out what those six months meant to his life. He honestly feels that there are many things he left undone, including the fact that he had to leave after only six months due to the club's financial situation. He also says that he is facing "the present" in order to make those things meaningful.
"The Wednesday Head Coach once told me, 'Ryo, it looks like you're not enjoying football right now. Are you overthinking things and making your play smaller? Enjoy football more.' I was surprised because I thought I was enjoying it, but I could see where he was going with it. In recent years, including my time at Kobe, I've been trying too hard to make plays that would lead to results, and I might have lost some of my decisiveness. But that would be a waste. At this age, my technique won't improve dramatically, but I believe I can grow one or two more steps by changing my mindset. That's why, while being mindful of the tasks assigned by the team, I want to play in my own style and with decisiveness. I'm looking forward to the growth that I can discover at this age, and I intend to transform the happiness of being able to return to a club that is special to me into a sense of responsibility, and fight to accomplish everything I left unfinished overseas at Gamba."
Perhaps because he's made up his mind, Hatsuse seems to be "really enjoying soccer" right now. He's resilient, saying that even with the tough series of matches, "his heart is filled with the joy of being able to play."
"Once I started thinking, 'I'm going to give it my all,' I strangely stopped getting nervous before matches. Plus, I have such supportive fans here who are always on my side. There's nothing happier than being able to play while listening to their cheers and being encouraged by the chants I've grown up with!"
So today, I'll charge ahead recklessly. Without fear or hesitation, I'll run along the side.

―
Text by Misa Takamura

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