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?

In 2014, Masaaki HIGASHIGUCHI returned to Gamba Osaka, the club where he spent his junior youth days. With great determination, he took to the pitch from the opening match, and the three titles he won there significantly changed his football career.
"We struggled in the first half of the season, but after the World Cup break, we got off to a five-game winning streak, and then rode that momentum with a seven-game winning streak. From there, we gained momentum from our comeback victory in the J.LEAGUE YBC Levain CUP, which boosted both the team's and my own confidence, leading us to the league EMPEROR'S CUP , and finally to the top in the Emperor's Cup. That experience was truly a turning point in my career. The 'treble' helped many people remember my name. Including my return to the Japanese national team (in November of the same year), it was a season that really elevated my career to the next level."
He said he felt a significant change in himself when he was on the pitch.
It's like I've developed a "winner's mentality," or rather, even when we're at a disadvantage, I have the confidence that "if we can hold on here, we can push back," or even if we concede the first goal, "it's okay, we can definitely get it back." So I don't panic during play, and instead I can approach the game with composure. To put it another way, it's like a GK version of Yatto-san's ( Yasuhito ENDO, the coach) relaxed penalty kicks (laughs)? I've become more relaxed and can play calmly, and strangely enough, my play has been getting better and better. I feel like I've become able to play much more easily, in a good way.
At the same time, the desire to experience the thrilling competition for titles further fueled his growth. In addition, his experience of being in a higher-level world through his activities with the Japanese national team also propelled him to greater heights.
"I'm turning 40 this year, but the reason I'm still able to play professionally is undoubtedly because of my 14 years of experience. Experiencing the joy of winning and the excitement of competing for titles fueled my desire to improve and become stronger, and the thought of wanting to relive those moments has always motivated me."
Unfortunately, since 2014, he hasn't been able to experience the joy of winning a title since his "consecutive Emperor's EMPEROR'S CUP victories" in 2015, but the desire in his heart to "one day see that view again" has not faded at all. Moreover, he feels that this season's team has the potential to make that happen.
"Considering it's been over 10 years since we last won a title, to be honest, I can't really say that the confidence I gained back then is still a valuable asset, but the desire to get better is still at the core of me. No matter how much experience I gain, there are so many things that make me think, 'Goalkeeping is so profound,' and that in turn fuels my desire to grow. In that sense, I feel that this year's team has a similar atmosphere to 2014. The sense of camaraderie among the players and staff, the atmosphere of everyone working together to build the team, and the atmosphere of players demanding things from each other during practice all feel similar to back then. In order to solidify this atmosphere even further, we absolutely want to go after the AFC Champions League 2 and the J1 J.LEAGUE 100 YEAR VISION LEAGUE."
To fulfill that role, Higashiguchi aims to project a sense of "solidity." He wants to embody the same atmosphere that Yasuhito ENDO, Yasuyuki KONNO Tomokazu MYOJIN, who were key players on the team back in 2014, exuded at all times, now that he is the oldest member of the team.
"Young players should play freely, mid-career players should play boldly, and veterans should play steadily. A team that has that balance is strong."
That determination will surely shine on the 15th, in the ACL2 semi-final second leg.

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Text by Misa Takamura

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