The Determination of a Man Who Has Regained His Fierce Spirit
"Get Me in the Groove"
FW 39 Teruhito NAKAGAWA
Introducing all the blue and red warriors taking on the 2026 Meiji Yasuda J1 Century Vision League in 'PLAYERS FILE 2026.' What thoughts do the players hold, and with what resolve are they preparing to face the year ahead, especially with the special half-season tournament approaching?
Teruhito NAKAGAWA spent the season feeling that he contributed to the team, yet was not satisfied with his own statistics. His play receiving the ball in intermediate positions shone, and while he says he has a sense of “getting better,” he has not forgotten his pride as a point scorer. Balancing both, Teruhito NAKAGAWA is filling his heart with a burning determination as he prepares for the new season to electrify the stadium.
In the summer of the 2025 season, FC Tokyo faced the crisis of relegation to the J2 League. As one of the key figures who turned the dire situation around, Teruhito NAKAGAWA’s presence is surely etched deeply in people’s memories. In Sec. 15 of the Meiji Yasuda J1 League, a critical moment in the battle to avoid relegation, the team achieved a convincing victory against Yokohama F. Marinos with a remarkably dynamic style of play, and without a doubt, the dedicated performance of number 39 played a significant role in that success.
Nakahawa, who once made a name for himself as a right-side attacker, primarily played as a shadow or one of the two forwards last season. He focused on plays that would smooth the team’s attack. He said, "I learned how to receive the ball in the shadow position after we switched to a 4-4-2 formation," and by dropping from the front line to the midfield to receive the ball, he functioned as a key player enhancing the fluidity between people and the ball.
"If I drop back to around the defensive midfield position, I can receive the ball. I was conscious of deliberately touching the ball and not just dropping back, but also adding my strength of making runs behind the defense, hoping it would create a good cycle."
The two forwards take positions by swapping back and forth in a “pulley movement.” The high-quality combination displayed by Nakagawa, Motoki Nagakura, and Megumi Sato became important not only in terms of its ripple effect on the entire team trying to receive the ball between the lines but also in establishing their roles as tactical leaders.
However, what we really want from Nakagawa is not just his contributions to the team’s play, but also the kind of joy-bringing goals like the winning goal against the Urawa Reds in Sec. 24. In the 2025 season, he played 1,492 minutes in league matches and scored 2 goals. Of course, he himself is not satisfied with these numbers.
"I might have been too focused on the whole team and ended up being too reserved as a player. I've said many times that numbers are important for forward players, and in the end, that's what it comes down to. Goals like the one against Urawa are crucial, especially during a period when a win was desperately needed. Since we had lost the away game in the same matchup after a comeback, pushing forward with that kind of determination is also important. As I work under Coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI's style of football, this season I want to not only be the team's lubricant but also show a more aggressive attitude toward going for goals than ever before."
When Teru scores a goal, the stadium's energy instantly shifts into a high-spirited momentum. In official matches where Nakagawa has scored for FC Tokyo, the record stands at an impressive 10 wins, 3 draws, and 1 loss. He himself holds the belief, "If I score, we don't lose." That is precisely why this season he is determined to regain his wild, aggressive style of play and strengthen his resolve to relentlessly attack the goal.
"I want you to get me fired up. This season, I'm going all out with fierce determination."
When asked to make a call to the fans and supporters ahead of the season opener, Nakagawa responded like this. The stadium's energy rises, and Teru meets those expectations. That goal further raises the stadium's voltage. This synergy will surely lead Tokyo to the top.
(Honorifics omitted in the text)
Text by Masaru Goto (Freelance Writer)
