Unconventional Rise of Brighton's Winger Kaoru Mitoma

Brighton & Hove Albion's Japanese winger, Kaoru Mitoma, has taken the Premier League by storm, leaving fans in awe of his ability on the pitch.

He honed his skills at the University of Tsukuba in Japan, where he also completed a degree in physical education.

What is Dribble?

Dribble refers to the act of moving a ball by repeatedly bouncing or tapping it with the hands or feet while maintaining control of it. It is a technique commonly used in sports such as basketball, football, and hockey to advance the ball or puck towards the goal.

Dribbling requires a combination of skill, coordination, and quick reflexes to outmanoeuvre opponents and create scoring opportunities.

However, what stands out the most is Mitoma's unique approach to studying dribbling, which involved strapping a camera to his head to analyse training footage. His former coach, Masaaki Koido, praised the player's dedication to learning and how it has translated to his success on the field.

Stop him if you can ? @kaoru_mitoma | @OfficialBHAFC pic.twitter.com/84uYpPbMEb

— Premier League India (@PLforIndia) February 8, 2023

Mitoma's Journey In Football

Mitoma's journey to the Premier League is not a traditional one. In Japan, it is common for footballers to go to university before turning professionals.

Mitoma was in the youth system of the J-League side Kawasaki, but he worried he would not see much first-team action if he turned professional straight out of high school. Instead, he enrolled at Tsukuba, studying for his degree while playing in a university league.

Koido's first impression of Mitoma was of a "good but weak" player with a "very light" physique. He had good technical skills but did not give the impression that he was going to create or score a lot of goals.

Kaoru Mitoma In Action v Tottenham Hotspur

Despite this, Mitoma's desire to learn was apparent, and he embarked on a project to study dribbling that would eventually become the subject of his graduation thesis.

Mitoma's study involved getting together 10 players recognised as good dribblers and 10 who were not. He studied which direction the players were looking when they received the ball and found that the better players would already be casting a glance at the defenders and planning their next move. Although there were "limits" to how much the findings could be put into practice, Koido praised Mitoma's desire to learn.

Mitoma vs Bajcetic

After graduating from university, Mitoma signed with Kawasaki and later took the J-League by storm before being signed by Brighton.

His impact in the Premier League has been exceptional, terrorising defences and helping his team to sixth in the league. Koido is not surprised by Mitoma's success, saying that he saw the effort that the player put in on and off the pitch to get to where he is today.

Mitoma has always been ambitious, as evidenced by a report he wrote in 2017, where he analysed his own abilities and set out his goals for the future.

He wrote that he wanted to be playing for Japan at 22 and appear in the Champions League two or three years later. Although Koido initially thought that these ambitions were more of a dream than a realistic expectation, Mitoma achieved the first goal at 24 and has scored five times in 13 appearances for his country.

Mitoma's ascent in the Premier League has been unusual, as he only turned professional in 2020 after completing his degree at Tsukuba.

Nevertheless, he has proven to be an electrifying player, scoring four times in his last six league games and conjuring up an exquisite injury-time winner against Liverpool in the FA Cup. His impressive performances have led to links with big-money moves to Liverpool and Arsenal.

Mitoma's story is one of hard work, dedication, and an unorthodox approach to learning. His passion for football and desire to improve have propelled him to the heights of the Premier League, and his former coach Koido has nothing but admiration for the player's journey.