The AFC U17 Asia Cup Thailand 2023, which opened on June 15th. A heated battle was fought for the qualification for the U-17 World Cup, which will take place four months later. In this tournament, three players from Tokyo, Ryunosuke SATO, Wataru GOTO, and Shuto NAGANO, who belong to FC Tokyo U-18, were selected and won the Asia Cup.
Ryunosuke SATO, wearing the number 10 for Japan, directly scored a free kick in the semifinal match against Iran, showcasing his strengths in the midfield and contributing greatly to Japan's advancement to the final. Wataru GOTO, from the backline, tightened the team's defense and received the tournament's Best Goalkeeper award. In the single-elimination tournament where one loss would mean the end, he repeatedly prevented dangerous situations with his shot-stopping abilities. Shuto NAGANO, with his accurate long passes, played a crucial role in creating scoring opportunities in the semifinal match against Australia, showcasing his attacking contributions despite being a defensive player. These three players, who played to their strengths and led Japan to victory, returned to Japan on July 4th and joined FC Tokyo U-18's training on the 6th. After the tournament, the three players who returned to the Kodaira Ground have sent comments to the fans and supporters who cheered them on.
<Ryunosuke SATO's Comment>
"It was a tough schedule to play a total of 6 games in 2 days, but thanks to the support of all 23 players and staff, I was able to spend about a month in good condition. And above all, I am grateful for the wonderful experience of ending with a great result of winning. I want to work hard in practice from today so that I can return this experience to the upcoming game this weekend. Thank you again for all the support. This tournament was also broadcasted on DAZN, so I think many people were able to watch the game. It also motivated me and I played with the desire to show good play to as many people as possible. I will continue to do my best to play on a stage where everyone can watch. Thank you for your support."
＜Comment from Wataru GOTO＞
"I am relieved to have finished this tournament with a victory, but personally, I had a lot of plays that were supported by the defense, and I also found many areas for improvement. Playing in the next Club World Cup is definitely one of my goals, but first, I want to contribute to the victory of the U-18 team and continue to work hard on what I need to do. Also, I received a lot of supportive comments. I believe that it shows the attention given to the U-17 Japan national team. I want to continue to grow as a player who can receive your support. Thank you for your support."
<Shuto NAGANO Player Comment>
"My goal was to conquer Asia, so I trained in Japan and then went to Thailand. As an individual, there were some tough games and we even had one draw, but we were able to secure the victory. Winning was a huge achievement for me. In this tournament, I was able to see where I succeeded and where I still have room for improvement. I will organize my experiences and challenges and continue to grow as a member of Tokyo. I received many messages of support from various people and was encouraged by everyone's support during the tournament. I was able to truly feel like a U-17 Japan national team player. I will continue to work hard to achieve results in the Premier League and hopefully be able to compete with the world as a member of the World Cup team."
FC Tokyo U-18 Match Schedule here
