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?

Riku HANDA , who grew up in the Montedio Yamagata Academy and was promoted to the top team in 2019, was fortunate enough to have a turning point in his career in May 2021. The style of football of PETER CKLAMOVSKI, who took over as the new manager midway through the season, became the catalyst for him to open up new horizons as a full-back.

"Peter (Kramovski, the Head Coach) asked me to play forward, in a similar way to how Jens (Visching, the Head Coach) plays now. As a right-back, I sometimes took on a fluid, winger-like position, and I often got involved in the attack freely with overlapping and under-running runs. Learning these modern ways of playing as a full-back, and how to exploit space, through regular training and by watching videos, helped me establish the playing style that I still use today."

He also said that he learned the skills needed to survive as a professional soccer player from Kenta KAWAI (current Head Coach of Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo ), who became his coach.

"When we lost a match and I wasn't able to play my own style, Kenta-san told me, 'Even if the team can't play the game the way we want, don't let your own performance get affected by it. That will definitely lead to your own growth.' I usually let advice I receive from others fade away once I've processed it, but I still vividly remember those words and, 'Don't make a pained face, especially towards the end of the match or during tough times. That only gives the opponent an opening to take advantage of.'"

Indeed, looking back at Handa's play since joining Gamba in 2023, it's clear that those two words are still etched in his heart. In 2023, when the team was embroiled in a relegation battle, and in 2025, when he achieved his first ever full season in the J1 League, he displayed consistent offensive and defensive play without being swayed by the team's ups and downs. This season, he has appeared in 15 of the 17 official matches played so far, and while sometimes switching positions to left back or center back, he has shown an undiminished presence. Even during tough matches, his intensity has hardly diminished at all.

"Basically, I feel that my body moves better when I'm playing matches continuously, and I can recover, practice for a day or two, and then play another match. This creates a good cycle for me. The more matches I play, the more I feel like my performance level increases, and I gain a lot from fighting through those matches. Also, it's about the importance of continuing. It's easy to stop or give up on something, but I enjoy discovering the kind of perspective that only comes from continuing. I feel like that's what supports my growth."

Now in his fourth year with the team, the affection and feelings he has for Gamba that have grown during that time are also part of his motivation to "keep going."

"Honestly, when I first came to Gamba, I strongly felt that I wanted to use this time as a stepping stone towards a move overseas, but that's not the case anymore. While at this club, I've experienced all sorts of emotions—the relegation battle, injuries, red cards, the EMPEROR'S CUP final, ACL 2, and so on—and my affection for Gamba and the city of Osaka has deepened. I've grown to love my teammates, the staff, and everyone who works here. That's why now, in order to firmly leave my mark here, I want to find a way to contribute to tangible results."

To win. To claim the title.

―
Text by Misa Takamura

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