After Japan’s Round of 16 World Cup elimination by Brazil, Japan international Keito Nakamura spoke to Japanese media at the team base the following day.

“I have been replaying the match against Brazil in my mind. I feel full of regret, and even now I keep thinking about how I could have handled situations better.”

“On a personal level, I did contribute. But I completely failed to play to my strengths and did not help the team yesterday.”

“On my side of the pitch, after the opponent cut inside, they were always able to deliver the ball into areas we couldn’t cover defensively before crossing it in. It was extremely difficult to deal with. Their crossing quality was also exceptionally high.”

“There is no point in dwelling on yesterday’s defeat. The result cannot be changed. We can only move forward to the next stage.”

“Players from Brazil and the Netherlands regularly compete in high-intensity, high-pressure tournaments like the UEFA Champions League. As individual players improve, the national team becomes stronger as a whole. This time, I truly felt that improving the overall level of the domestic league is a top priority.”

“I always feel that I could have done more.”

On issues with socks:

“The sock issue did cause me a lot of trouble. At international tournaments, every detail is strictly regulated and required.”

On the next World Cup:

“Earning a consistent place in the national team is never easy. Healthy competition within the squad helps me keep improving. Experiencing this World Cup firsthand has been extremely meaningful for me.”

“Before heading to the tournament, I didn’t fully grasp the scale of the World Cup. I was filled with excitement and anticipation throughout. I truly felt how much effort every player puts into this competition, and I deeply understood how significant a tournament held once every four years is. I have always wanted to stay in the national team, and now that desire has become even stronger than before.”