[Special Feature: Supporting the Japan National Team] Keito Nakamura: The Thoughts of the “Too-Handsome Key Player”—”The World Cup Has Been My Source of Strength”

“We broke them down well and created chances. There was a moment where I really wanted to finish it off, but I hesitated between shooting and passing, and ended up with a half-hearted shot… I still have a long way to go in terms of finishing quality. However, rather than being in peak form right now, I just want to be at my best for the actual tournament.”

After a 1-0 victory over Iceland in the final friendly match before the World Cup, Keito Nakamura (25), who started at left wing-back, spoke about the challenges he faces and the positive signs he saw.

The North and Central America tournament will be Nakamura’s first World Cup. He said he found out he’d made the squad during the live stream of the press conference on May 15. Although he’s been consistently called up since making his senior national team debut after the last World Cup in Qatar, he still recalls, “I was watching the stream with my heart pounding.”

“I was confident in what I’d achieved up to that point, but you never know what might happen until you’re actually selected. The reaction on social media and elsewhere when I made the squad was on a completely different level compared to my previous national team experiences.”

The World Cup has been a special stage for him since childhood. Watching the 2006 World Cup in Germany while in his final year of kindergarten shaped the course of his life.

“I really liked Ronaldinho. Back then, Brazil had a star-studded squad with players like Kaká, Robinho, Ronaldo, and ‘Robinho.’ It was fun to watch. I got completely hooked on soccer and started attending the Kashiwa Reysol soccer school in third grade.”

He watched the previous World Cup in Qatar, which he reached at age 22, on TV.

“I watched it as a fan. They beat Germany and Spain in dramatic fashion, and I thought, ‘Wow, that’s amazing’ (laughs).”

This time, Nakamura heads into the CONCACAF tournament as a key player for the Japanese national team. The high expectations for Nakamura are partly due to the team’s situation on the left flank.

Takumi Minamino (31) is out after suffering a severe injury—a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee—last December. Kaoru Mitoma (29) also had to withdraw from the World Cup after injuring his left hamstring in a league match in early May.

In the first half of the match against Iceland, he partnered with Junya Ito (33), who played as the left shadow striker. The two previously played together at Stade de Reims.

“I played with Junya-kun at Reims, so I think our chemistry was really good. There were a few times we broke down the defense in a good way, and I think we can bring that to the actual tournament. If we keep practicing, it should get even better.”

Nakamura has delivered results against top-tier nations. His goal against Brazil and his assist in the final at Wembley—behind those moments lay a lesser-known struggle.

“In the 2025–26 season, Stade de Reims was in France’s second division. I don’t really want to talk about this, but I wasn’t satisfied with being in the second division. I also had a desire to prove that. I believed that to qualify for the World Cup, I needed to prove myself against powerhouses like Brazil and England.”

Last summer, when Stade de Reims was relegated to Ligue 2, Nakamura wanted to leave. However, negotiations fell through, and he ended up spending the crucial season leading up to the World Cup in Ligue 2.

“The team wasn’t getting results, and I got a lot of criticism from supporters and fans, which was frustrating. That year felt incredibly long.”

Despite that, he racked up goals toward the end of the season, finishing with 14. Although the team missed out on promotion to the top flight, he managed to score in double digits for the second consecutive year.

“Honestly, it’s true that I struggled to stay motivated. But what kept me going was the motivation that ‘the World Cup is coming after the season.’”

In the “FRIDAY June 26 & July 3 Combined Issue” released on June 12 and the paid version “FRIDAY GOLD,” he candidly discusses what he gained from playing in the second division, his surprising pre-match routines, and “what he needs to do” at the World Cup.

From the June 26–July 3, 2026, combined issue of *FRIDAY*