Kaito Nakamura’s World Cup breakthrough puts Premier League clubs on alert

Japan won hearts again at this World Cup, but their campaign ended painfully early after defeat by Brazil. Players stood on the pitch in tears as they thanked the Japanese supporters, while an emotional speech by manager Hajime Moriyasu attracted widespread attention on social media.

Japan did not deserve to return home so soon, but the pre-determined draw was unforgiving. The Netherlands were paired with Morocco and Japan faced Brazil, forcing both sides out of the competition in the round of 32 in the United States.

When Japan met the Netherlands in the group stage, one player stood out above the rest: Kaito Nakamura. The winger surprised goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen with a shot at the near post and, helped by Nakamura’s goal, the match finished 2-2.

That finish offered a clear illustration of his playing style. Nakamura dribbles from the left, cuts inside, shifts the ball on to his right foot and strikes with power. His technique has been refined through relentless training since childhood, as footage shown by Japanese broadcaster NHK NEWS Ohayo Nippon demonstrated.

One moving family video showed Nakamura’s mother repeatedly throwing table tennis balls at him. The young player’s task was to catch them out of the air, over and over again.

“Honestly, it turned out to be a really good exercise for striking the ball at the perfect point,” Nakamura said of the drill. “Honestly, I noticed that my volleys improved enormously as a result.”

His parents did everything they could to support his ambition to become a professional footballer. When he was about seven, he complained repeatedly until they agreed to take him to Brazil.

“When I was a child, I wanted to go to Brazil so badly that I begged my parents, and they took me there,” he told TV Asahi.

The reason was clear.

“I was a huge fan of Ronaldinho, and I was fascinated by Brazilian football. I wanted to experience it at its source and play with local children.”

That is exactly what he did, playing “Joga Bonito” on the streets of Brazil.

“Most days I was not playing alone. There was always someone for me to play with. I wanted to experience the Brazilian dribbling style, that universal way of playing football.”

Nakamura also recalled how football followed him everywhere, including on the journey home.

“I really believed that everyone in Brazil lived for football. On the way home, at the airport, I had the ball with me and started juggling it. Security guards and staff immediately gathered around, saying: ‘Hey, can we join in?’ Before I realised what was happening, five or six of us were juggling the ball together.”

“Looking back, I realise how strange that was. They move instinctively and do what feels natural at that moment. As a child, I learned a lot from that style of play,” he said.

Being eliminated by Brazil, of all teams, brought those memories into sharp focus. Nakamura was overcome with emotion as he and his team-mates left the World Cup, but he departed the tournament with a goal, an assist and several highly impressive performances that confirmed his quality.

At 26, however, Nakamura remains in France’s second tier with Stade de Reims. That is an unusual position for a player of his ability.

He has begun preparations for his fourth season with the club and his second consecutive campaign in Ligue 2, although reports suggest he could leave within the next month. It is difficult to imagine him remaining there for long.

Nakamura began his career in the youth academy of Mitsubishi Yowa SC before joining Gamba Osaka at the age of 17. He made his first-team debut soon afterwards, underlining his status as one of Japan’s brightest young talents. That reputation was strengthened when he scored four goals at the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

Short spells with FC Twente in the Netherlands and Belgian club Sint-Truiden showed that he still needed time to adapt to a very different footballing environment. He found his path at his third European club, LASK Linz.

In the Austrian league and the UEFA Europa Conference League, Nakamura scored 23 goals and provided five assists in only 59 appearances. That form earned him a move to France, where he joined Stade de Reims while the club were still competing in Ligue 1.

Across three seasons, he established himself as a key player. During the 2024-25 campaign, when Reims were relegated, the Japan international was the club’s main source of inspiration. His 11 goals and assists accounted for more than a third of Reims’ 33 league goals.

Despite Nakamura’s efforts, Reims lost their play-off against Metz and were relegated to Ligue 2 at the end of the 2024-25 season. He again proved decisive in the second tier, contributing to 14 goals and three assists from the club’s overall total of 53 goals.

His performances have inevitably attracted interest from stronger leagues. Olympique de Marseille are among the clubs pursuing the elegant winger, while Everton, Bournemouth and Fulham are also monitoring his situation, particularly after his World Cup displays.

Brighton winger Kaoru Mitoma, one of Japan’s most gifted attackers, missed the tournament through injury. Nakamura stepped into his place and performed the role superbly.

Now, the Premier League could potentially see both Japanese forwards making an impact next season.