After Coventry FC's Tatsuhiro Sakamoto scored his first Premier League goal in Matchweek 9, he was selected for the Team of the Week. The league's official X account made the announcement, which has drawn reactions from Japanese fans.
Coventry's 30-year-old midfielder Tatsuhiro Sakamoto (坂元 達裕) scored his long-awaited first goal in the Matchweek 9 game against Sunderland. In the 17th minute of the first half, he collected a loose ball from an opponent's clearance and fired a decisive left-footed shot. He was reported to have made a major contribution to the club's victory.
Following this performance, Sakamoto was reportedly selected for the Team of the Week chosen by former England international Alan Shearer, alongside Declan Rice and Jan Paul van Hecke.
The Premier League's official X account announced the selection in a post on 4 November Japan time, drawing reactions from Japanese fans. Following Zion Suzuki's previous selection, another Japanese player has been included in the team.
While this achievement has attracted the attention of Japanese football fans, focus is also turning to the future performances of Japanese players and developments regarding national-team call-ups.