[Summary] Gamba Osaka’s Brazilian Patric is considering applying for
Japanese citizenship because he wants to play for Japan at the 2018 World
Cup finals in Russia. The 28-year-old Patric joined Gamba in July 2014 and
played a pivotal role in helping them win a domestic treble. If he stays in
Japan for two more years, he can apply for Japanese citizenship. In taking
Japanese citizenship, Patric would follow in the footsteps of such
Brazilian-born players as Marcus Tulio Tanaka, Alessandro Santos, Wagner
Lopes and Ruy Ramos. He was racially abused by an Urawa supporter on
Twitter in November.
[My opinion] Soccer is my favorite sport. Therefore this article interested
me very much. Some people are against allowing foreign player to join in
Japanese national team. I think there is some truth in what they say.
Japanese rugby national team has many foreign players. When I saw the team
in TV, I was surprised by a number of foreigners. Is it really “Japanese”
team? But this is common knowledge in the fields of sport. To strengthen
the team, we need help from foreign players. So far we have taken such a
way. For example, at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Marcus Tulio Tanaka
played a pivotal role in helping Japanese national team. I’m for allowing
foreign player to join in Japanese national team. However I don’t know
Patric will be elected by manager of Japanese national team.