Veteran full-back Yuto Nagatomo, who played for Inter Milan and holds Japan's record for appearing in five World Cups, has decided to continue his professional career with FC Tokyo in Japan's top-flight J.League. The information was confirmed by a source close to the player on Saturday.
Nagatomo, 39, returned to FC Tokyo in 2021 after a long spell in Europe. He played for Inter Milan from 2011 to 2018 before moving to Galatasaray and Marseille. By staying with the Tokyo-based club, Nagatomo will enter his sixth consecutive season with his current team.
At the national team level, Nagatomo is one of the most experienced players in Japanese football history. He not only holds the record for appearing in five consecutive World Cups (2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, and 2026) but has also been a key figure in the Samurai Blue defense for over a decade.
Nagatomo's decision to continue playing comes as FC Tokyo looks to rejuvenate its squad, but the former Inter defender's vast experience is highly valued by the coaching staff, especially in mentoring young defenders.
