A center back representing Japan and a young soccer boy. Over more than a decade, the two became teammates. Both players, who have very similar careers and playing styles, reflect on how they view their reunion in blue and red since their first encounter. Looking back on past memories, they discussed the theory of playing center back.
──First, please tell us about how the two of you met.
Masato MORISHIGE Here it comes, that story. I remember it.
Hayato INAMURA It seems it was at the Komazawa Track and Field Stadium during the National High School Soccer Championship. I was too little to remember it (laughs). My older brother apparently took a photo with you.
Morishige I remember going to Komazawa to watch a match of my alma mater (Hiroshima Minami High School) and taking a photo with someone.
── It's amazing that those two became teammates more than ten years later.
Morishige It really is amazing.
Inamura Mr. Morishige is amazing. I just can't understand it.
Morishige It was the end of 2013, so almost 12 years ago, I guess.
Inamura I also had my photo taken at Ajinomoto Stadium when I was in junior high. I went to watch a match of FC Tokyo U-15 Fukagawa, and after the game, in the parking lot, I was with Kouta Tokiwa, Takumi Kumakura, Soma ANZAI, Keisuke Sato, and everyone else. I remember that. I also had my photo taken with Kento HASHIMOTO, so that was about 8 years ago.
──When unraveling the careers of the two, there are many common points. First, both missed promotion to the youth team and ended up playing in the high school athletic federation. How have you utilized that rebellious spirit?
MORISHIGE At Sanfrecce Hiroshima Junior Youth, there was a presence named Tomoaki MAKINO on the same team, and when I entered high school, Yosuke KASHIWAGI was in the youth team. Since there were players nearby who were both rivals and friends, I was frustrated that I couldn’t get promoted while they did, and I chased after them with a strong desire to prove myself. I think my soccer life was often in such a position, but I believe that became a great source of energy in building my career.
Inamura I couldn’t play in any matches at FC Tokyo U-15 Fukagawa, but somehow I always had this feeling deep down that I would definitely become a professional. After entering Maebashi Ikuei High School, there was a period when my motivation for soccer waned a bit due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but I always had a sense that I could become a pro.
Morishige How old were you during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Inamura I was in my third year of high school. The high school championship was also held without spectators. After entering Toyo University, I realized that "I have to get serious or it’s going to be bad," and that was the trigger. I think I always had the feeling that I wanted to surpass the players who had been promoted to FC Tokyo U-18.
──Both of you were originally players converted from attacking positions to center backs.
Morishige When I was in the third year of junior high, I changed from a forward to a defensive midfielder, and at that time, I was quite resistant, or rather, I strongly felt, "Why?" I talked with the coach about it, but as a result, I was able to bring out my strengths and even made it to the Japan national team for my age group as a defensive midfielder. Because of that success, when I was converted to center back after entering the professional world, I thought, "The coach isn’t just saying something random," and I felt he said it after seeing through various aspects of me, so I took on the challenge positively. Actually trying it was fun, and moving from defensive midfielder to center back felt almost like there was no pressure, so I could play freely. The coach at the time also told me to play as I liked, so I think I was able to steadily refine the style of play I wanted to pursue in my own way.
Inamura Actually, I had no particular strengths or an ideal player image, and I wandered around playing various positions. It wasn’t that I especially wanted to play up front; rather, when I was in middle school, I was often placed up front because I was short. I had a certain level of skill, so I also played as a defensive midfielder, shadow striker, and fullback. At that time, I felt like I didn’t really have a place to belong (laughs). However, in the summer of my second year of high school, Mr. Tsutomu Sakurai, who was the B team coach at the time, told me to play as a center back. Coach Kosuke Yamada came to watch that match, and I was able to move up to the top team right after. I don’t think I would have become a professional if I hadn’t been a center back.
──I heard that TSUNODA was the player INAMURA referred to as a center back role model.
INAMURA Yes. I used to watch him every week when I was in junior high, and when it comes to center backs in Tokyo, it was Mori-kun. Coach Yamada mentioned both Ryotaro TSUNODA, who was a senior at Maebashi Ikuei High School, and said, "For defense, refer to Morishige." I really took him as a reference and have been watching him continuously from my junior high days through my professional career.
──It's quite emotional to see a conversation between a player who became a center back under the guidance of Coach Yamada, who converted the late Naoki Matsuda—who also played for the Japan national team—into a defender, and another player who was once said to resemble Matsuda.
Morishige That's great. Even though we're talking about something from a long time ago, I think, "I'm still playing professionally," (laughs).
──Having built up your careers, how do you each see the other as a center back?
Morishige Regarding left-footed passing, he’s at a level that’s quite rare even among those I’ve seen, and I’d say he might be the best. We share a similar sense, his left foot is very precise and his ball control is clean. Even when watching the Tokyo vs. Niigata match, he kept delivering vertical passes one after another. He’s the kind of center back you want to go watch, a player who excites you just by watching. That’s also the kind of player I’ve aimed to be, so I think Ina, who embodies that, is really fun to watch.
Inamura I'm happy to hear that. Mori-kun is a player who can do that with both feet, and on top of that, I think he is outstanding defensively as well. I tend to be focused on the attack, but in addition to that, I have the image of Mori-kun as a player who can also compete defensively, so there is a lot I can learn from him.
──The other day, you said you wanted to speak directly with Morishige. Were you able to ask him anything?
Morishige No, no, it’s still too early. What day of the camp is this? (laughs)
Inamura That’s something for the future. We’ll have chances to play together from now on, and I want him to tell me what he thinks when he watches me. I also plan to ask him about things I’m curious about myself.
──This might be a bit difficult to talk about, but I would like to ask about the competition for positions. I have watched players who challenged Morishige in the past and were defeated. Now, a new challenger has come to face the player who has overcome such battles.
Morishige That’s a harsh way to put it (wry smile). It’s been like that every year, but I’ve also learned a lot from the new players who come in, and it’s been a great stimulus. Like I mentioned earlier, my football career has been one of growth through frustration. I’ve been with Tokyo for a long time, but just being satisfied there isn’t fun. In recent years, there have been times when I lost my position and then took it back, and experiencing that sense of urgency is really enjoyable. I truly believe it becomes my strength, and I feel really fortunate to be able to experience such battles at this age while playing.
Inamura I think I am a bit different in character from the players who have challenged before, and I believe I have something outstanding. While competing in a different way, I want to steal what I can learn. Since I am aiming for the Japan national team, I have to surpass Mori-kun to get in. I believe taking over a fixed position leads to growth. I hear a lot of things, but honestly, my true feeling is that I want to surpass him.
──There is also a possibility of forming a partnership, and I would like to see the three of us lined up together with Alexander SCHOLZ.
Morishige That would be interesting too.
Inamura In the first half of the 2025 season, we played with a back three, so watching that made me think it would be fun if I joined. The ball would circulate amazingly, and I’ll leave all the defense to you (laughs).
Morishige No, no, no (laughs).
Inamura I thought man-to-man marking at the back would be fine.
Morishige I wish you had come 10 years earlier. I think it would have been interesting if we could have played together a little sooner.
Inamura He is still a junior high school student (wry smile).
── Around the second day of camp, Coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI instructed the center backs to push up and peel off one player, and from there, Morishige increased his ball carrying a bit. What do you think about a senior trying to improve at such a young age?
Morishige I really don’t want that. You think, 'Come on, isn’t that enough already?' (laughs).
Inamura I do wish they would take a break for a bit though (wry smile). When the senior players push that hard, we really feel like we’re not enough. I don’t think it’s something to be taken for granted to get that kind of motivation from them, and knowing they have ambition and a willingness to learn is something young players are grateful for. It makes me feel like I have to do even more. But honestly, I do wish they’d just stop already, even if only a little bit (laughs).
──I believe Inamura has experienced being completely overwhelmed when he went out into the world once. Morishige also couldn't make a second challenge at the World Cup, but in a way, he must be happy that a player he can entrust that to has come alongside him.
Morishige Nowadays, this style of center back must have ball skills as a standard feature, but I think he possesses something outstanding even among that. I'm looking forward to seeing how far he can go using that as his weapon. Including the fact that I myself have never played in Europe, I'm interested in how far a Japanese center back with this style can go, so I hope he goes as far as he can.
Inamura I wanted to join Tokyo because Mori-kun and Scholz are here, and I can’t just end things like this. In that sense, I believe that firmly securing my position, continuing to play in matches, and growing is the mission given to me.
(Honorifics omitted in the text)
Text by Kohei Baba (Freelance Writer)
