On June 30, US local time, one day after Japan's national team was eliminated by Brazil in the Round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup, Tomiyasu Takehiro, a Japanese national team player, gave an interview to Japanese media at the team's base.

On himself

"I think I still have one or two levels of significant improvement to make. It was positive to return to the FIFA World Cup after a serious injury, but I know I'm not good enough yet."

"After the matches against Iceland and Tunisia, I said I had the fitness to play the full 90 minutes, but in yesterday's match, I even felt like I could have played an additional 120 minutes."

On the defeat

"Ultimately, the pattern of how we lost hasn't changed, and this needs to be carefully examined and completely fixed."

"Football is not an individual sport; everyone must excel in every detail, whether it's a meter, a step, or a second. I also need to constantly look inward and improve every small difference. After this match against Brazil, I'm even more convinced that I need to place myself in a more intensely competitive environment to develop."

On Brazil's decisive goal

"If I were at my peak, I could have handled that defensive situation safely. Looking at just that one moment, I was completely at a disadvantage both mentally and physically. I made that defensive choice myself, and in the end I couldn't stop it, which fundamentally means my own strength wasn't sufficient. That's why I say I still have a long way to go."

"When I'm in good form, I would anticipate, 'He might make a straight pass,' and at the same time block the shot and shift my focus toward the passing lane. It sounds easy, but at the crucial moment of a major tournament, I couldn't fully utilize the football instincts I've developed over many years. The deficiencies accumulated from long-term injuries over the past two years were all exposed at this critical moment."

"If daily training included high-intensity attacking and defensive battles like that, I could have completely handled yesterday's defensive situation. When I was at Arsenal, I was in this environment every day, and I knew deep down that I wouldn't have missed it then. This World Cup has made me truly realize that I still lack the necessary strength and must continue to develop. After overcoming the difficult period when I couldn't play for an extended time and returning to the FIFA World Cup stage, everything now has to start from scratch."

On the future

"The competition that leads in setting overall modern football standards is undoubtedly the Premier League. I have played there and deeply understand the severity of the league. Although I don't know if I'll receive any offers, after this match, I believe the Premier League is the most demanding training environment I can imagine."

On his reflection

"In the previous World Cup, I was always thinking about my teammates and trying to adapt to the entire team, so I couldn't fully implement my own football ideas, and after the match, I didn't even know how to feel. Although this time we didn't get the result we wanted, I don't want to say I gave everything, but throughout the match, I followed my heart and fought with all my strength, while also clearly recognizing my deficiencies in fundamental technical skills."

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