At the FIFA World Cup 2022, the Japan national team lost to Croatia after a penalty shootout, finishing the tournament in the last 16. Eiji Kawashima, a representative of Japan, answered the interview. Q: How are you feeling right now? Kawashima: I can’t sort it all out. After all, it’s very frustrating, and I feel like I could have done better with this team. I feel like I’ve come this far. Q: Was there anything that left an impression on you when you talked with the players after the match? I think it will lead to the World Cup, so I think everyone should accept this and move forward again. Q: Having experienced the World Cup many times, what kind of team was the Japanese team this time? I think it was a team with a lot of potential, so it’s a pity that the results stopped here, but each and every one of us can still make a big contribution to the future of Japanese football. I don’t think it was. Q: Did you get any kind of feedback that would lead you forward? Kawashima: It’s difficult to put it into words right now, but I’m sure everyone will keep this experience in their hearts as they move forward. However, I believe that Japanese football will definitely continue to grow through this experience. Q: What do you think is necessary to overcome the wall of the best 16? Kawashima: I think it’s always easy to say that something is missing, and of course, with humility within ourselves. We have to keep moving forward, but I think Japanese football definitely has the power to surpass that, and in order to leave that behind with results, we will continue to hit the wall. I have no choice but to keep playing, and I think it’s important to move forward with confidence that you can aim higher than just the top 8. Q: What was the World Cup like for you, Kawashima? Kawashima: For me in 2010, since the match against Paraguay, in a sense, I have devoted everything to overcome this barrier, and 12 years later, I was able to achieve it again. I really regret that I didn’t. Well, really, I never imagined that I would be able to see this scenery, so in that sense, I think it was a really wonderful experience. Q: To all the fans Kawashima: I think a lot of people cheered for us, and I think that their power contributed greatly to the strength of our own team, so from now on, Japanese football will continue to do so. I think it will grow, and I hope that many people, including the people of Japan, will support us.
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