It may not have been that long ago to call it a journey down memory lane. However, at the Japan National Stadium, where the joy of victory was celebrated for the first time in 9 matches against Gamba Osaka, a memory lane of Diego OLIVEIRA unfolded.
The legend, who is also the club's all-time top scorer in the J1 League, has returned as the club ambassador for the red and blue team after about five months. He visited Kodaira Ground, where he used to go every day until just a few months ago, and also stepped into Japan National Stadium and Ajinomoto Stadium, where he fought with everything he had. After returning to his homeland Brazil, he is said to be spending peaceful days with his beloved family. He is currently building a new home and smiles as he says, "What I do is help with the house, take the kids to and from school, do strength training, and have churrasco."
"Now I spend more time with my family. For me, it’s a new life different from before. I returned after five months, and I’m really happy to have reunited with so many friends in Japan. In the recent match, I was able to cheer together at the Japan National Stadium, and above all, I’m very happy that the team won there."
The team has gone eight league matches without a win, and he was watching the game from the officials' seats, worried and thinking, "What’s going on? Are they okay?" The 'Victory God Diego' was relieved by the win that blew away those anxieties.
"I knew the team was struggling a lot. It was a tough match, but I'm glad we were able to secure the long-awaited victory and 3 points. I was really happy too."
The players who played a key role were also memorable for Diego. Takahiro KO, who changed the flow of the game as a substitute and scored the second goal, was the player whom Diego waited for after their first match to speak to him.
For Takai, it became a memorable moment. On April 29, 2023, in the match against Albirex Niigata, Tokyo won 2-1 with Diego's winning goal. After the match, when Takai, who was a Niigata player, finished changing and left the locker room, the ace of the opposing team he had just faced in the match was standing right in front of him. When he heard that the ace had been waiting for him, he was surprised and asked, "Why?" From there, he was bombarded with rapid-fire questions. In the end, he was invited with "Come join us," and Takai looked back on that time saying, "I was really happy."
On that day, Diego smiled with narrowed eyes as the man whose ability he recognized wore the red and blue captain's armband and led the team he loved.
"We have faced each other before, and last season we played together. Yan (Takao's nickname) is an outstanding player, that goes without saying. But he is also a wonderful person as a human being. On the pitch, he is very dedicated, runs a lot, and is a hard-working player. In the recent match, I was happy to see him wearing the captain's armband, representing Tokyo on the field, and thriving as a captain. Even when playing together, I always felt his respect towards me, and I truly sent my respect back to him. He is a player worthy of respect and a role model. I am glad to have fought alongside him, and it was a great experience for me as well."
Furthermore, another player who took center stage was Kota TAWARATSUMIDA, whose play drew exclamations of admiration. It wasn’t just the opening goal showcasing his individual skills, but the third goal play that delighted Diego. Since his active days, he has said, "Tawara is not aiming to be just a dribbler. He can become a player who can score goals. It’s about whether you can believe that he will lead this team to victory with his own goals." He explained the reason for this once again.
"He is still a young player, but he truly has both quality and strength. Everyone knows about his abilities. Without me having to say it, he possesses something wonderful. When we played together, I talked to him about various things. It might have been just a little experience, but I shared advice on what might be better. Honestly, there were times I felt stressed because he wouldn't pass the ball during matches. However, it wasn't that he was trying to take all the good opportunities for himself; I believe there were situations where passing was the right choice.
I told him as well, of course his one-on-one strength is very good. I want him to continue having that while also becoming stronger and honing it as his own characteristic and weapon. However, soccer is also a team sport. Sometimes three or four opponents mark him. It's difficult to break through them alone. On the contrary, to bring out his further strength, using his teammates around him to receive return passes leads to better play from him. I believed that would make the team even better.
It's unfortunate that I won't be playing with him anymore, and perhaps he didn't fully accept what I talked about during my active years. However, I want him to continue thriving as an even more outstanding player, and if we can bring out those qualities, he should be able to level up and move on to the next stage. I want to keep supporting him from now on.
In the final moments of the match against G Osaka, Tawara Tsukida quickly passed the ball to Taka with one touch, then slipped into the crowded area among opponents and teammates to draw a return pass. As a result, his shot caused an own goal. This play using a teammate is exactly the kind of play Diego wanted to see.
"I don't know how much my words reached him, but if he is playing with that mindset, I am very happy. I want him to grow even more, and I also wish for that. In the previous match against G Osaka, without me having to say it, he broke through a difficult situation and scored the opening goal with truly wonderful effort. It's no exaggeration to say that he decided the match. Three more goals were scored after that. I think it was an excellent goal that he accomplished through his individual skill.
If he can interact with those around him and use his teammates as he did in the third goal, his abilities will be brought out even more than before. Everyone will surely want to continue seeing Tawara's wonderful play, and we hope he keeps showcasing his individual skills. As he gains more and more experience, he will see various new perspectives and feel many different things. I truly believe he will become an outstanding player in the future.”
He was deeply moved by the unchanged appearance of his same-age amigo. His partner, Keigo HIGASHI, had been someone he was drawn to since their active playing days. When they reunited after a long time, the first thing he said was, "You need to change into your training clothes quickly," and Diego didn't seem to mind at all.
"All my teammates are important players and precious amigos, but among them, Keigo HIGASHI and Mori (Masato MORISHIGE) are special to me to the extent that I can say they are unique. From the very first day I joined Tokyo until today, Keigo has helped me in many ways and respected me. I also love him very much and think he is an excellent player and a wonderful person. To me, he is an ideal player and human being.
I am truly happy that Keigo said he wants to play together with me. If the team says they need me once again, I really do want to come back. I also want to play together, and I am truly full of gratitude towards Keigo.」
When the final whistle blew, I felt relieved to see my beloved club emerge from a long tunnel. The bond deepened here in Japan, far from my homeland Brazil, will remain unchanged from now on.
"Since joining this team, I have received various gifts from my teammates and everyone involved with the club. The reason I have been able to succeed as a player is precisely because of all these gifts. I want to express my gratitude once again for that. I will never forget this feeling going forward, and from now on, I hope to do various things for the team in return. Right now, I am in the middle of thinking about several projects. It's not at a stage where I can talk about them specifically yet, but I want to consider more things and make these new projects successful."
At the end of the first interview in several months, I tried to uncover the secret behind his arms, which had become more muscular than during his active career, and asked, "Did you do strength training to prepare for a comeback?" Then, Diego shook his head slightly and answered.
"Until now, I had been training as a player, but after retiring and stopping practice, my body weakened and my physique changed, so I was doing strength training for my own health. Of course, if the team says they need me, I’m willing to prepare properly and come back here again (laughs)."
The closing was the usual "Obrigado Diego," but I secretly included the sentiment "We are always waiting for you."
(Honorifics omitted in the text)
Text by Tadashi BABA (Freelance Writer)
