From Japan to San Siro, just like the cartoons we grew up with. Only this time, it was real.

For many who grew up in the 1990s, Japanese football had one face: Holly and Benji. Endless pitches, impossible shots and Oliver Hutton dreaming of Europe.

Years later, a Japanese player really did make it to San Siro: Yuto Nagatomo.

In January 2011, he arrived from Cesena. Just under 1.70 metres tall, with endless energy and a rare ability: to keep running when others had already run out of gas.

He was not the typical product of a major academy: until the age of 20, he had played at school. Perhaps that was why he was unpredictable, generous and always ready to appear where you least expected him.

At Marassi, he scored a header despite often being the shortest player on the pitch. In Turin, he set up Palacio for the goal that sealed the historic win over Juventus. Against Pordenone in the Coppa Italia, he
took the decisive penalty to the chants of San Siro: “Yuto, Yuto, Yuto”.

Over 200 appearances for Inter, becoming the first and, to date, only Japanese player in our history.

Today, Yuto Nagatomo turns 40.

From Japan to San Siro, just like the cartoons we grew up with. Only this time, it was real.

👉https://bit.ly/3SYj4mW

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