With renewed determination, they will face the 2026/27 season, having earned their tenth star in this special season.
To experience once again the joy, excitement, and exhilaration of reaching the pinnacle,
What kind of evolution will the Gamba Warriors undergo to help the team achieve victory?
What kind of strength and resilience will they demonstrate on the pitch, and how will they bring joy to their fans and supporters?
This season's WE ARE GAMBA OSAKA is,
This session explores the "philosophy of evolution" that resides within each individual, revealing their determination for growth.

My professional career, which began in 2014, is now in its 13th year. As I've built my career from my teens to my twenties and then into my thirties, the way I seek "evolution" in myself has changed.
"When I was younger, I was just blindly working hard, practicing a lot, putting in a lot of practice, and trying to find the right answers from among it. I was so focused on gaining all sorts of experience in order to get better and play in matches. My 'basic' approach as a soccer player, which is to face practice 100% every day in order to get better, hasn't changed, both then and now. But as I gain more experience, I feel the wear and tear that comes with age, and I have to maintain my physical condition and play even when I have aches and pains somewhere in my body. Because of that, I think my approach has changed recently. I now prioritize maintaining my physical condition and agility, and then I seek to get better and grow."
Furthermore, I hear that over the past six months, he has consciously sought to improve his play as a "left center back."
"By partnering with Genta (Miura) at center back, I ended up playing left center back more often, so I made it my goal to improve the precision of my left foot and explore how I could handle the ball on the left side."
He said that shutting out a formidable attacking force in the AFC Champions League 2 final against Al Nassr FC, which could be considered the culmination of their efforts, "gave them confidence," but also acknowledged that there were still areas for improvement in the league matches.
"To be honest, the schedule of competing in ACL2 at the same time meant we weren't able to perform at our best in some league matches, and it's true that we often went into extra time without being able to secure a win. We also had issues with conceding goals from broken set pieces and failing to finish off chances. However, the feeling of playing football wasn't bad, and I think that if we can improve the team's offensive and defensive coordination based on that, we can steadily accumulate points this season."
As I take on the role of "captain" once again this season, I personally feel it's necessary to add a new dimension to that role.
"This special season, we players were kind of following the previous Head Coach 's strictness, but if we can create that strictness on the pitch ourselves, it will definitely lead to the team's growth. I want to think about how I should behave in that regard, while also considering the balance with Myo-san ( Head Coach Tomokazu MYOJIN ). However, basically, I'm not the type of captain who scolds those around me and keeps things sharp, but rather the type who wants to work together with everyone to create a good atmosphere. If I try too hard to be someone I'm not, everyone will see right through it, and it will come across as like I'm just trying too hard (laughs). So, I want to keep a good overview of the whole picture and demand the necessary strictness when needed, and I hope that will become a new strength for Gamba."
At the end of this evolution, of course, the goal is a "title." The joy of their ACL2 victory, which is etched in their memories, is also serving as a new source of motivation.
"When I came back from Saudi Arabia (for the ACL2 final), seeing so many people—fans, supporters, and colleagues—rejoicing made me truly realize how wonderful a 'title' is. I want this season to be one where we all chase that moment again."
The reliable leader spoke with conviction.

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Text by Misa Takamura