After the J.League All-Star DAZN Cup held at MUFG Stadium on the 13th, Ryoma Watanabe spoke about his impressions of participating and the goal he scored in the third-place playoff.

[Ryoma Watanabe]
(The equalizing goal in the third-place match seemed difficult to score with a volley, didn't it?)
"I've not often seen a drop shot like that come in that situation, so I was surprised that he dropped it for me, but it was a really good play."

(How did you feel after scoring a goal in such a festive Trial?)
"I was playing as a defensive midfielder, but I was aiming for goals. We were losing, and when I came on as a substitute, manager Toru Oniki told me to 'go on the attack,' so I'm glad that's what happened."

(What were you looking forward to most about the J.League All-Star DAZN Cup?)
"It's not often you get to play with players you usually consider rivals and dislike, and as was the case in yesterday's training, they're incredibly skilled, so it was fun and a great source of motivation."

(Does it look like it's going to be a good off-season?)
"I want to do a lot of preparation for next season, so first I'd like to rest."

(How were these past two days, training and Trial with various players from different teams, from yesterday's practice until today?)
"It was fun, and although I don't know if there will be another opportunity, I want to continue to become the kind of player who gets selected for events like this."

(Playing alongside players you normally compete against must have made it difficult to showcase your own style of play. How do you feel about scoring a goal in that situation?)
"Of course, we talked about tactical matters to some extent, but personally, I was able to reaffirm that we can achieve this much with our individual skills, and I hope to be able to give back to Urawa Reds in a positive way."

(The stadium had a different atmosphere than usual, with fans and supporters from various teams mixed together. What were your impressions?)
"I think the supporters were divided between the East and the West, but it was really fun to be able to play at the National Stadium, which was a very lively place."

(The J.League All-Star Game is being held for the first time in 17 years. I imagine you were just a spectator back then. How do you feel about participating in such a tournament?)
"Many children watch, and there are many players who want to become soccer players or aspire to become them. Being able to play as a J1 player has been a huge plus for me, and I want to continue to be a player who can do that in the future."

(With the 100-Year Vision League and the J.League All-Star game now over, it marks a turning point. How do you reflect on this season in which you served as captain?)
"Both as a team and individually, we haven't been able to achieve very good results, so I want to evolve again and focus on myself."

(Although it was only a short two days, what kind of experiences and insights did you gain?)
"In that short time, I had the opportunity to talk with various players about their mentality in football, their thoughts on the club, and many other things. I feel I learned a great deal. I want to bring that back to the team and give it back to them."

(From a viewer's perspective, it was fun to watch the dream team members, but was it fun for you to play as well?)
"It was fun. There were players who had achieved so much more than me, and it was exciting to see how much I could do in that environment. It was also a huge plus for me to be able to work with great managers like Oniki and Ricardo (Rodriguez). Not only was yesterday's training fun, but they also gave me solid guidance, which I was very grateful for, and it made me want to grow even more."

(Was it the first time in a while that he played with Yoshio Koizumi, a classmate from Maebashi Ikuei High School and also a teammate at the Reds?)
"Although we couldn't play in Trial together, we were able to train together yesterday and kick the ball around a bit, so that alone was good."

[Urawa Reds Official Media (URD:OM)]