If there’s something first-class, I want to experience it myself.

MatsudaI’d like to ask you about your shoes. What kind of soccer shoes do you use now?

FujitaI’ve always used Adidas’s Copa Mundial. It’s a model that came out for the 1982 Spain World Cup, and I’ve stuck with it exclusively since high school.

MatsudaIs that so? Many players wear the latest models, so why have you been using that one for so long?

FujitaWhen I started wearing them in high school, I chose them because they were Adidas’s top-of-the-line model. But they’re ready-made, and I don’t particularly have any strong preferences now. Rather, having worn them for so long, it’s become a habit, a preference in itself. It’s true that few other players stick with the same shoes for so long. But strangely, things that are timeless tend to be re-evaluated positively after a generation or so passes.

MatsudaIn your personal life, you also wear John Lobb shoes, don’t you?

FujitaYes, I have over ten pairs. The first pair I bought was the Lopez loafer. I think it was around my second year as a J.League player.

MatsudaWhy did you decide on John Lobb?

FujitaI’ve always thought of John Lobb as the shoes for a mature man, so they were something I aspired to. If there’s something first-class, I want to experience it myself. I always aim for that. Even when talking about it to others, you can’t really say if something is good or bad unless you’ve experienced it yourself, can you? This applies not just to things, but to soccer as well. There are various training methods, but you won’t know until you try them. As you try different things, you stop wasting effort. Though, I admit I’ve wasted a lot of money on shopping (laughs).

Lately, I’ve started wearing red.

MatsudaWhat kind of clothing styles do you like?

FujitaFor me, I like a style that’s casual yet neat. My standard is something like a checked shirt, a navy sweater, jeans, and leather shoes. But things have changed a bit since I moved to Nagoya. I used to think my color was ‘blue,’ but after moving to Nagoya, I tried incorporating the team color, red. At first, I just changed my watch strap to red. Then I started using red in sweaters and shirts. And interestingly, I’ve gradually come to like red, which I used to dislike.

MatsudaIt’s good to challenge yourself like that. Do you ever buy things to commemorate something?

FujitaI do like buying things as mementos for myself. When we win championships or I get MVP, I tend to buy something to mark the occasion (laughs).

MatsudaWhat kind of things do you buy?

FujitaMostly things I can wear, like watches.

MatsudaWhat about giving gifts to others?

FujitaI like giving gifts too. Basically, I enjoy making people happy, so I often buy small souvenirs even if there isn’t a major event. Nowadays, whenever I meet someone, I always bring them some Kishimen noodles (laughs).

MatsudaWhat about gifts for your wife?

FujitaThe most impactful gift was probably the phone bill when I first called her from England (laughs). I didn’t realize then how expensive international calls from hotels were, so when I settled the bill at checkout after a normal conversation, it came to several hundred thousand yen. I was truly shocked (laughs). But overall, I do like giving gifts. The desire to become the kind of man who can give such things also motivates me.

Toshiya Fujita Official Website | http://www.toshiya.tv/

J.League Players Association Chairman Interview | http://j-leaguers.net/special/special/file023.html

Special Page for Fundraising for Player Gagnaha's Doping Case Arbitration | http://j-leaguers.net/ganaha/index.html