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NEWS

NEWS

2024.9.23[TEAM]

[WE ARE GAMBA OSAKA] MF14 Yuya FUKUDA

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.

My competitive nature has always been what has kept me going.
"I don't want to lose because I believe I have devoted myself to soccer more than anyone else, both on and off the pitch."
In recent years, he has had a series of seasons plagued by injuries, which has exacerbated the situation, and he is so thorough with his physical training and diet that he leaves no room for error.
"I'm not obsessed with the idea that I have to do it, I just do it because I like to challenge myself to do different things to improve myself. I can feel myself growing from it, and being able to think that I've come this far gives me confidence and pride. But it's not good to be so fixated on one thing that you lose sight of what's around you. If you feel that it's not right for you, I think it's important to stop and move on to the next thing, and I also think that you shouldn't forget to listen to the opinions and words of people around you that you can trust. I've had many experiences where that has helped me and pushed me to grow."
I still remember the words that Takashi USAMI in 2019, my second year as a professional. The advice I received from someone I admired during practice led to a major realization.
"At the time, I often played as a wingback in a 3-5-2 system, but to be honest, when Usami-kun joined us, I started to feel a bit stuck in an unfamiliar position. Then, in a red-white game, Usami-kun, who played on the same team, said to me, "Yuya can dribble, but as a wingback, you win if you cross the ball." I myself thought it was better to dribble past the defense and then cross the ball, but I thought, "Oh, I see. Maybe I should just cross the ball without thinking too much about using my strengths," and it made things a lot easier. I remember that as a result, I was able to find more scope in my play, and in fact, the number of scenes where I was able to use my strengths increased."
Perhaps because of that successful experience, he still listens sincerely to the advice of those around him. He says that he often makes new discoveries, especially in the area of ​​mindset.
"There's so much I can learn from the words of experienced players like Aki (Kurata) and Usami. Recently, when I was having tea with Usami, he told me, "Every day, the amount of food you eat and the contents of your training are different, so it's only natural that your body is different every day. Instead of playing with the feeling of the day before, you should think about how you're feeling today," which was a real eye-opener. Recently, even with a single touch of the ball, I often feel that my touch is different from before my injury. I often wondered, "Why is that?" But once I started to think, "It's only natural that I'm different from how I was yesterday," things started to go well. By finding my best self according to the conditions of the day and playing, I was able to play with an amazing feeling."
While maintaining a strong sense of pride, he always maintains an open and flexible heart, pursuing his ideal play to the fullest.


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Text by Takamura Misa

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