In the interview area after the match against Kawasaki Frontale on April 5th, Takuro Kaneko continued speaking with almost no change in the look of frustration he had initially shown on his face.

They took the lead twice, only to suffer a heartbreaking defeat. Needless to say, there were no smiles on their faces.
"Since the team hasn't been winning, I don't feel happy at all. I only feel frustration."
When asked about scoring his first goal of the season, Kaneko responded without showing the slightest hint of relaxation in his expression.

However, Kaneko's behavior immediately after scoring was impressive. As soon as he put the ball in the net, he ran straight to the area behind the goal where the fans and supporters had gathered.
The same thing happened when he found the back of the net less than two minutes into the second half, even though the goal was disallowed after VAR review ruled it offside.
"So many fans and supporters have come all the way here for this one Trial, and I want to win, and I know you all want to win too, and that's why you're cheering us on," he said, spreading his arms wide as he headed towards the goal, sharing his joy with Ado Onaiwu, Hayate Ueki, and the fans and supporters. It was an action that truly reflected Kaneko's feelings.

The atmosphere behind the away goal was at its peak. At that moment, the chant for Kaneko echoed throughout the stadium.

"At that time, I was absolutely determined to win. I couldn't think of anything else, but of course I was happy."
I asked Kaneko, who had just shared his thoughts on hearing the chant, "Do you remember the day that chant was first sung?"

"Of course I remember."

For the first time in the interview area that day, Kaneko's expression softened slightly. However, this softening didn't seem to indicate relief or happiness, but rather a complex expression.

I was born and raised in Saitama Prefecture, and as a primary school student, I attended Urawa Reds Heart-full School. I'll never forget the joy I felt when I first put on a uniform with Urawa Reds Reds emblem on it. I admired Urawa Reds players when I saw them playing at Saitama Stadium. Unlike the clubs I've played for before, I understand that the chants aren't something everyone will sing.

So, the first time he heard the chant, on October 18th last year, during an away match against Yokohama F･Marinos, should have been a special day. However, Kaneko made a mistake, resulting in a red card and a subsequent suspension, making it a memorable Trial in a completely different sense.

After Trial, the J.League Disciplinary Committee ruled that he would be suspended for four Trial and other penalties. He spent his days in reflection, unable to play in Trial.

With a renewed sense of purpose, he has been appointed vice-captain for this season. He has started in every Trial since the opening of MEIJI YASUDA J1 100 YEAR VISION LEAGUE, including consecutive matches, and has shown high performance with his daring attacking style, recording the second-highest total number of dribbles in the league.

And in his ninth Trial, he scored his first goal of the season.

In his first appearance since joining the team, Onaiwu jumped onto Ueki's cross and pounced on the loose ball, poking it in with his left foot. When the team countered, instead of spreading out to his usual position on the right wing, he moved towards the goal, seemingly to receive a pass from Ueki.

"I think it was important to be in that position. I believe that my desire to get into the penalty area led to that goal."

The same thing happened two minutes into the second half. He made a diagonal run into the penalty area to receive a cross from the left side.

The play that was ruled offside by VAR came from a build-up, while the goal was scored on a counter-attack. Although the circumstances were different, it was because he embodied the kind of play that manager Maciej Skorza demands from his wingers and that he himself is conscious of, that he was able to tap in the loose ball and shake the back of the net.

After Kaneko left the game and went to the bench, the team conceded a goal and ultimately lost, but Kaneko turned the blame to himself.

"As a team, we've repeatedly conceded goals in the final stages and suffered come-from-behind defeats. Each and every one of us needs to do more, and we need to change the team more. However, we conceded the equalizer while I was on the pitch, and we should have scored a third goal to seal the victory."

And it strengthens the feelings I've always held.

"I will become the player who leads Urawa Reds to victory."

He wants to hear the chants not only after scoring a goal, but also after securing a victory. He plays with only victory in mind, and only thinking about contributing to that victory. Kaneko will take to the pitch with that strong determination in mind for the match against Tokyo Verdy at Saitama Stadium on the 12th.

(Interview and text by Masanori Kikuchi)