Pride. Literally, pride, self-esteem.
Although every professional soccer player has this in their heart,
Each player's approach and mindset is very different.
This season's WE ARE GAMBA OSAKA is,
Deep in the hearts of the players,
Revealing each person's pride.

No matter what situation you find yourself in, you face it head on and always aim higher. Yusei EGAWA says that the mindset that supports you in this way is pride.

"There are not always good times in this job, but I was able to keep fighting without losing spirit because of the sense of responsibility I have as a professional soccer player. I think that it is because of this responsibility that I feel the need to produce results at all times and that I feel the urge to aim higher."

The serious injury he suffered in his first year as a professional, a second tear of his right anterior cruciate ligament, also served to strengthen his pride.

"I suffered the same injury two years in a row, in my third year of high school and in my first year as a pro, and it was a tough time, but because of that experience I was able to look at myself and think about what I needed to do going forward. Last year, I had surgery for damaged cartilage in my right knee and was forced to take a long break again, but that experience also helped me not to become negative. Instead, I honestly accepted the fact that "I got injured because there were areas I was lacking," and thought I would use the time to improve myself."

During his rehabilitation he often trained at the gym, and witnessing the "battles" of various athletes there was apparently very helpful in preparing his physique for his return.

"I was able to see from a different perspective which players come to the gym on which days of the week and how they prepare, and how a certain player gets in shape before a match, and it was very informative. Thanks to that, I was able to reassess how I spend my time leading up to a match, such as "I'll do muscle training at this time, and on this day I'll rest and adjust my body," and I feel like this little routine helps me to calm both my body and mind and prepare for the match."

In fact, when he was given the chance to start in the 21st Sec. of the J1 League against FC Machida Zelvia, he was able to approach the game with a relaxed attitude, in a good way.

"My return match in the Levain Cup against FC Ryukyu in April was my first official match in over six months, and it made me realize that I still have a lot to regain. But at the same time, I felt like my condition had improved dramatically after playing the full 90 minutes. In fact, since joining the team training, I had been feeling like I couldn't take that extra step, but after the Ryukyu match, I was able to take that extra step more often in training, so I think that's why I was able to stay calm in the Machida match. It was also a positive thing for me to get the feeling that I could move my feet in tough situations during a match."

I felt inspired once again to be able to experience this at home, Panasonic Stadium.

"The longer I spend at Gamba, the more I feel that I should never take for granted the happiness of playing as a member of this historic club. Even when I was watching the games from the stands, I felt happy to have the support of the fans, but the cheers I felt when I stepped onto the pitch for the first time in a while against Machida were very encouraging in a different way, and it made me want to get even stronger and play games here with the support of the fans."

That pride will surely lead Egawa to even greater heights in the future.


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Text by Takamura Misa

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