Itakura Ko (板倉 滉), who was suddenly appointed captain of Japan's North American World Cup squad, looks back on the full story of overcoming the threat of withdrawal ahead of the Brazil match and being substituted against Sweden. After the tournament, he also spoke about his plans for further development and seeking revenge.
Japan's national team advanced from the group stage of the North American tournament in second place, but lost to Brazil in the Round of 32. Itakura Ko (板倉 滉) missed the knockout stage because of accumulated cautions, as in the previous tournament. Endo Wataru (遠藤 航), who had been due to become captain, was forced to withdraw because he was recovering from surgery, prompting head coach Moriyasu Hajime (森保 一) to hastily appoint Itakura Ko (板倉 滉) as captain. Tears fell during his captaincy acceptance remarks, but Itakura Ko (板倉 滉) declared his determination to fulfill his role to the best of his ability.
There were also scenes that strongly demonstrated the team's unity, including Itakura Ko (板倉 滉) rushing to the bench and embracing his teammates in the 44th minute of the second half against Sweden. However, in the 21st minute of the first half, Itakura Ko (板倉 滉) felt discomfort in the back of his left thigh, and the team decided to make a substitution. After the hydration break, he accepted the substitution and the team proceeded with the change at center-back. He was unable to play in the Brazil match four days later, bringing Japan's World Cup campaign to an end.
After the tournament, it was indicated that head coach Moriyasu Hajime (森保 一) would maintain continuity through the start of the Asian Cup, while the team is scheduled to transition to a new setup from March. Itakura Ko (板倉 滉) said he would continue developing toward the World Cup four years from now and vowed to seek revenge at the next tournament, when he will be 33.