<figure id="attachment_277250" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-277250" style="width: 900px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="5e7e6070"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/11/aflo_204559582.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-277250" class="wp-caption-text">The moment of the come-from-behind victory over Germany. Kamata hugged Kaoru Mitoma, Wataru Endo, and others and exploded with joy (Photo: AFLO)</figcaption></figure>
<p> In the past six months, Daichi Kamata has quickly risen to become the ace of the Japanese national team. With his club Frankfurt, he scored 7 goals and 5 assists in 13 Bundesliga games, and scored 3 goals in 6 European CL games. The impression he had last year that he could play well for his club, but was somehow lacking for the national team, is no longer the case. Kamata has all kinds of possibilities, from forward to volleyball, and there are no calls for him to be left out of the starting lineup.</p>
<div data-friday-ad-slot="AD_inArticle"></div>
<p> It is interesting to note that Kamata, with no expression on his face, makes bullish statements without hesitation, though his tone may be angry. For example, here is what he had to say about his inclusion in the World Cup squad. The press conference was held at 5:00 a.m. in Portugal, where Kamata was staying at the time for the European CL match against Sporting. When asked if he watched the press conference, he replied.</p>
<p><strong> I didn&#8217;t see it at all. I only noticed when everyone congratulated me. I didn&#8217;t think I wouldn&#8217;t get in.</strong></p>
<p> That may be true, given his performance so far, but it should still be of interest to those who are interested. In fact, there were players who had been watching since early in the morning. But Kamata also said, &#8220;I&#8217;ve been saying this for a long time.</p>
<p><strong> I&#8217;ve been saying this for a long time, but it&#8217;s the World Cup season, and I&#8217;m not playing for the World Cup at all. I think the World Cup is an extension of what I am doing in Frankfurt. I am in good condition, and I have achieved good numbers, so I have a certain amount of confidence. I think that because I focused on playing for the team, I was able to successfully make the transition to the national team.</strong></p>
<p> Because of the way he talks, it is sometimes said that Kamata&#8217;s priority is not the national team, but rather to play well for his club, to finish high in the European Champions League, or to transfer to a big club. However, his national team play has proven that this is not the case.</p>
<div data-friday-ad-slot="AD_inArticle"></div>
<p> In addition, recently in Germany, Kamata has been the subject of transfer talk. Kamata&#8217;s contract with Frankfurt will expire next summer. Therefore, in order to stay with the club after next season, or in order to transfer after incurring a transfer fee, an early contract renewal is necessary, but no such talk has been heard. This has naturally led to reports that the club will make a move in the winter transfer window. The most recent destination reported is Dortmund in Germany.</p>
<p><strong> I am &#8230;&#8230; more than you think,&#8221; Kamata said with a wry smile.</strong></p>
<p> Kamata began with a wry smile, chose his words carefully, and continued, &#8220;I want to choose the club I want to go to.</p>
<p><strong> I want to choose the club I want to go to, and I&#8217;m talking to bigger clubs as well. I&#8217;ve been talking about it constantly since about two years ago, not just this year. What I can say now is that I will stay here for this season. In fact, there have been a lot of talks this winter, but I am not interested even a little bit. I am a Frankfurt player now, and I have decided that this year I will play with my current coach and my current teammates. For now, I feel that it is a done deal that I will stay.</strong></p>
<p> It is not easy to say publicly that you are talking to a bigger club than you think,&#8221; he said. In other words, he is talking to a bigger club than Dortmund. He leaves a tasty comment, intentionally or unintentionally, with a blank expression and a brusque tone. The reason he is able to make such bold statements is because of the results that Kamata has produced, especially this season. He is persuasive and easily accepted by his listeners.</p>
<div data-friday-nextpage-lead=" We have changed the way the world looks at us."></div>
<div class="expapp-yahoo-paragraph-break"></div>
<figure id="attachment_277251" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-277251" style="width: 600px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="a15d9609"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/11/aflo_197927563.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-277251" class="wp-caption-text">He has an imposing appearance as a central player in his Frankfurt club (Photo: Afro).</figcaption></figure>
<p> On the other hand, if you look at the pitch, this is another player who seems to be plodding along and contributing in common with his &#8220;expressionless but strong comments&#8221;.</p>
<div data-friday-ad-slot="AD_inArticle"></div>
<p> He may not wear them in Qatar, but in Germany, where he plays regularly, he often wears long-sleeved innerwear under his uniform, and the way he plays with his thumb through the thumbhole (a hole near the cuff where you bet your thumb) of the innerwear is just like the moe sleeves of a girl. In this state of moe-sleeves, he is able to play in awkward positions, make and receive passes, and sometimes even get in front of the goal himself.</p>
<p> He used to rate himself as &#8220;not fast enough and not physical enough,&#8221; but no one would say that anymore after seeing Kamata&#8217;s recent performances. He looks back on his play from the summer to the winter.</p>
<p><strong> I think I was able to prove that I can play even if I have to move back one position. I think that we were able to prove that we had one of the positions back. Well, I think I have become a better player than before.</strong></p>
<div data-friday-ad-slot="AD_inArticle"></div>
<p> Before the start of the World Cup, Germany, where Kamata usually plays, was the favorite to win the tournament, while no one would be surprised if Japan was eliminated from the first round. Kamata was in the top half of the field in the first half, and when players were introduced one after another in the middle of the second half, he dropped down a row and played a role of balancing the offense and defense as a volante, contributing greatly to the historic 2-1 come-from-behind victory over Germany.</p>
<p><strong> I think Japan needs to raise its value in this tournament. Winning against a good team, a team that is a favorite to win the tournament, can change the way people look at us at once. If we can beat Germany, the way we are viewed will change drastically.</strong></p>
<p> Before the World Cup began, Kamata had stated that he saw the matches against Germany and Spain, the favorites to win the tournament, as a chance to &#8220;raise Japan&#8217;s value. This can be said only with the confidence that Kamata has scored half of his goals in the German league and in the world&#8217;s top European CL this season. The Japanese national team, which has done what it said it would do and has truly &#8220;changed the way the world looks at it&#8221; by beating Germany, will continue to aim higher, buoyed by Kamata&#8217;s bold statement.</p>


 Born in Saitama Prefecture in 1975. Started covering soccer in 2001, and became a writer in 2003 when she covered the World Youth Cup (now U-20 World Cup) in the UAE. Currently resides in Düsseldorf, Germany, where he has lived since March 11, 2011.

 Miko Ryokai

 In the past six months, Daichi Kamata has quickly risen to become the ace of the Japanese national team. He has scored seven goals and assisted five in 13 Bundesliga games for Frankfurt, and scored three goals in six European CL games. Until last year, he was "not active at the club," but now he is a member of the national team.

Why Daichi Kamata Makes a Series of Bold Statements: “We Need to Raise Japan’s Value

Access Ranking