The day after Japan's elimination by Brazil in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16, on June 30 (U.S. time), Japanese international Sano Kaito spoke with Japanese media at the training facility.

"After reviewing the footage, I clearly understood where we went wrong. Now I can only move forward and continue working hard."

"The process was difficult, but this is my usual approach—losing doesn't change that. To be honest, I didn't want to watch that match again."

"In the first half, our defensive system functioned very smoothly. In the second half, Brazil adjusted their tactics, pushing more players to the wings and bringing midfielders forward to press aggressively. This created direct gaps in our center-back defense and left our positioning scattered."

"When opposing wingers broke through, we always had multiple players advance to double-team and cover. In reality, there were several options: either move horizontally as a unit to cover, or allow one-on-one situations while looking for interception opportunities. We need to learn to adjust our defensive strategy in real time based on the field situation and immediate awareness."

"When the field situation deteriorates, top international teams can instantly switch their playing style, and players who performed poorly in the first half can suddenly produce exceptional performances. That's the mark of world-class players."

"There's a gap not just in attack but in midfield too. They have high-level players who can change a match in an instant, but that's what we're lacking."

On His FIFA World Cup Goal

"That goal was meaningless. Ultimately, we couldn't win the match."

"If you can't bring victory to your team, no matter how many goals you score, they have no value. I need to become a player who makes decisive plays and leads the team to victory."

"I want to prove through my future performances on the field that this defeat will ultimately become a catalyst for my growth."

AI翻訳。

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