The keyword for the new Gamba team under Head Coach JENS WISSING is "forward."
All the players and staff members have taken these words to heart,
He is approaching football with a stronger forward-looking mindset in his playing, thinking, and even in his way of life as a footballer.
This season's WE ARE GAMBA OSAKA is a group of men who are moving forward.
The program will highlight breakthrough moments, such as experiences or encounters that had a major impact on one's career.
What kind of world did they find beyond that?

When he was a third-year student at Ryutsu Keizai University , after failing to make the top team from Sanfrecce Hiroshima Youth, he met CHO Kwi Jae ( currently the Head Coach of Kyoto Sanga FC), who was appointed coach of the soccer club, and this encounter not only changed his playing style but also his way of thinking about soccer.
"Until about my second year of university, I played as a FW, right at the front, but in March 2020, just before my third year, Cho-san became my coach, and I started playing in a position similar to a winger, like a right wing midfielder. He told me things like, 'Of course scoring goals is important, but if you focus too much on that and neglect playing for the team, you won't get the pass at a good moment,' so it was like I was converted, or rather, my range of play broadened. Through that experience, I started working hard both in attack and defense, and naturally the ball came to me more often, and I started scoring goals. The previous year we were relegated, and that season we were forced to play in the Kanto University Soccer League Division 2, so I think the fact that the league level had dropped a little helped, though. Thanks to that experience, I was able to think about 'running for the team' and 'how I can utilize myself within the team style.'"
In fact, Mitsuda failed to score a goal in the first division league during his second year at university, but in 2020 he scored 13 goals, placing third in the second division league, and contributed to the team's victory in the second division and promotion to the first division. His performance also likely helped the team win their first championship at the Aminovital Cup 2020, the 9th Kanto University Soccer Tournament. His performance caught the eye of a scout from his former club, Sanfrecce Hiroshima, and at the end of his third year he secured a contract to join the team in 2022.
"Back then, unlike today, there were almost no players who went pro midway through college. I myself thought that even if I hadn't made a significant impact in my second year of college, if I worked hard in the remaining two years, I might be able to follow in the footsteps of my seniors and become a pro, so I didn't feel that I had any hope of achieving my goals. However, I still had no clear idea of ​​how I would improve in those two years or how I would get closer to becoming a pro. Meeting Mr. Cho, listening to his stories, and receiving inspiration from him in the way I thought about soccer, as I mentioned earlier, was a major turning point for me. Up until then, I wasn't particularly good at communicating with coaches...I didn't often approach them myself (wry smile). But Mr. Cho was patient enough to talk to me, even though I was like that. He communicated with me, and by working with each player, not just me, he brought the team together. Through that process, I was able to hone my own game and gain a firsthand understanding of what it takes to win as a team, and this has become an asset that has helped me to become who I am today."
Mitsuda broke through the huge wall that stood in front of him when he graduated from high school and began his long-awaited professional career in 2022. He has made his presence known by linking his hard work and powerful play towards the goal with "results."
That attitude hasn't changed since he started playing for Gamba. He fights for the team, runs, and enjoys being utilized by his teammates, and today he continues to aim for the goal.

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Text by Takamura Misa