Japanese Football Star Leaves Club, Former Player Says It Is a Big Loss
Listen to the story
A former player has expressed sadness over a Japanese footballer's departure from his old club, saying the team has lost an important player.
According to a Japanese football website, the departing player has even been compared to Hidetoshi Nakata, a legendary Japanese footballer from the past.
The former player commented, 'We lost an important part of our squad. It is not easy to find a player at the same level.'
The article, published by a site covering Japanese footballers abroad, also gave short updates on other Japanese players in England.
At Aston Villa, goalkeeper Zion Suzuki was named on the bench but did not play in the match.
At Liverpool, midfielder Wataru Endo was also on the bench and did not get any playing time.
Meanwhile, at Brighton, winger Kaoru Mitoma was left out of the matchday squad completely.
Many Japanese players currently play for top clubs in Europe's biggest leagues.
Their performances are closely followed by fans and media back in Japan.
This report focused on players in the Premier League, England's top division.
It shows both the successes and challenges Japanese footballers face when trying to secure regular playing time abroad.
Vocabulary10 words
- former
- someone who used to have a role, but not now
- departure
- when someone leaves a place or team
- legendary
- very famous and admired for a long time
- squad
- the full group of players on a team
- goalkeeper
- the player who stops the ball from entering the goal
- bench
- where players sit if they are not playing
- matchday squad
- the list of players chosen for one specific game
- winger
- a player who plays near the side of the field
- division
- a level or group within a sports league
- transfer
- the move of a player from one club to another
Quiz
Answer key
1. The club lost an important player and his level is hard to replace 2. Aston Villa 3. False
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
A former player has expressed _____ over a Japanese footballer's departure from his old club.
The departing player has even been compared to Hidetoshi _____, a legendary Japanese footballer.
The former player commented, 'We lost an important part of our _____.'
It is not easy to find a player at the same _____, he added.
At Aston Villa, goalkeeper Zion Suzuki was named on the _____ but did not play.
At Liverpool, midfielder Wataru Endo was also on the bench and did not get any _____ time.
At Brighton, winger Kaoru Mitoma was left out of the matchday _____ completely.
Many Japanese players currently play for top clubs in Europe's biggest _____.
This report focused on players in the Premier League, England's top _____.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think comparisons to legendary players like Hidetoshi Nakata are meaningful in football journalism?
- What challenges might Japanese players face when adapting to teams in a new country?
- Do you think being on the bench without playing is a normal part of a footballer's career? Why?
- How important is media coverage in a player's home country for their career and reputation?