A day after Japan's 2-1 victory over Venezuela, Japanese international Ko Itakura spoke to Japanese media.

On Ritsu Doan taking on the captaincy this time,

"When I was captain, Ritsu was always by my side. We observed the team together, and Ritsu was always the one speaking about what the team needed. So when I spoke with Mr. Moriyasu about this, I told him: 'I think Ritsu will be fine.'"

"He's always been a leader in the team even before becoming captain, and not only does he lead, but he always thinks about the team's issues alongside me, discussing what's working and what isn't."

"He's a player with a strong sense of responsibility and a powerful desire to do the best for the team, so that naturally creates an atmosphere where everyone follows him."

On the next opponent, Ecuador,

"With young players and new players, these four matches are very important for communication. I hope we can achieve victory in the next match with an even better performance."

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