Japan’s thoughts after the Iran match: “I couldn’t feel enough passion from us on the pitch” – Takehiro Tomiyasu

Wataru Endo / Liverpool

Couldn’t Japan change the course of the game, especially in the second half?

“I thought it was a chance for us because they pushed us, but when the ball came to me and I turned forward, there were not many options. It was the same for Mori (Morita) too. The opponents were trying to crush Ayase (Ueda) and the wingers, so I felt stuck.”

What did you think of the result, leaving at last eight?

“I think we have a chance to win the tournament, but it’s still difficult to win a competition like this. We were reminded that it’s not easy to win any major tournament, whether it is in Japan, Germany or Brazil. But I don’t think it means we don’t have the ability. I think we are becoming a good team, in terms of individual quality too. All we need is a good result. We don’t need to change our goal of winning the World Cup (in 2026). We just have to consider the Asian Cup as a passing point for Japan to win the World Cup.”

Takehiro Tomiyasu / Arsenal

It was a frustrating result.

“We simply didn’t deserve to win the game. In the second half, I told the attackers to go for the second goal, but we failed to score with several chances, and the defence had to hold on, but we couldn’t do that either. It was a kind of typical bad Japan game. I don’t know how many players tried to change that and to be honest, I couldn’t feel enough passion (from the team) on the pitch.”

What do you think was the reason?

“I don’t know, but we didn’t have enough determination to win. If you were the defenders, you should have won the ball fiercely. Or if you were the attackers, you could have dribbled. These things could change the atmosphere. But this team doesn’t have them all.”

You had the same kind of comments after the World Cup.

“It’s a different feeling from after the World Cup. We played five games in this tournament and we didn’t play the game we wanted to. Some people can see that we were inferior to the Middle Eastern countries like Iraq and Iran in terms of enthusiasm and determination. Maybe that’s why we lost. I mean myself too. I go back to my club to improve little by little. My position changes when I play for Arsenal as I need to improve myself due to tough competitions for the starting eleven in the club.”

When things go wrong at Arsenal, who could change them and how?

“Arsenal is a young team and we have those games too. We just don’t give up until the end. There are many games with a last-minute goal. In that sense, Arsenal have an obsession with winning. I just feel like that’s the norm.”

Ritsu Doan / Freiburg

How do you feel about the disappointing defeat?

“Well, I feel that I haven’t achieved anything for the national team since the last Asian Cup, the Olympics, the World Cup and now this Asian Cup. I’m just not good enough.”

How did you try to break the deadlock in the second half?

“We could have passed the ball forward, but we dropped back and let them push us into long balls. You knew they had the height advantage over us, but we kicked the ball and they picked up the second ball. While we were trying to concentrate on the second ball, they took most of it away from us. I think it was a game we deserved to lose.”

The Asian Cup ended in the quarter-finals.

“The first half was definitely at our pace, but in the second half, we couldn’t bounce back against a team that came with power. Most of the Japanese players have played in Europe and should be used to that power, but I feel we were completely dominated by their force.”

Ko Itakura / Borussia Mönchengladbach

At the scene you fouled in the box, Tomiyasu looked to call out to you.

“Of course, I heard his voice, but I didn’t know what was going on behind me, so I chose to go for the ball. I couldn’t touch it there. I didn’t see the opponent coming from behind.”

Did you have any concerns after the yellow card?

“As long as you are in the game, you have to do what you can do. I think that is the responsibility of playing for Japan. I think the players around me fought hard today, but I think it was clear that we lost because of my mistakes. I want to take it back to Germany and do well again.”

Kaoru Mitoma / Brighton & Hove Albion

Did the team become passive in the face of Iran’s pressure?

“We should have pressed harder to the opponents who kicked long balls, and we were too conscious of the second ball, and pulled back. We let them use their strengths, which they were aiming for, so I think we had to perform differently.”

How did you try to turn the tide when your teammates were tired?

“I had an intention of going forward when I had the ball, but I didn’t receive it very often. Even when I did, I couldn’t make a difference. I needed to do it more.”