On the facebook page of Japan Sports Information, a heartwarming news caught the attention of the crowd. Recently, the Japanese national team staged a touching and humane scene during a group photo. As the camera focused on the entire staff and players, 60-year-old veteran chef Yoshitaka Nishi was made to sit next to leader Hiromichi Mori, while captain Asa Yoshida personally honored him, a veteran of the national team, for his outstanding contributions over the years by placing the captain's armband on him.
Nishi Yoshitake has played in over 200 matches with the Japanese national team since 2004, and now works as the head chef at J-Village in Fukushima Prefecture. In an official interview, he said that he is in his retirement years and that this World Cup in Qatar could be the end of his career. However, the JFA has made it clear that it wants Yoshitaka Nishi to continue cooking healthy and tasty food for the national team.
As the competition approaches, the coaching team will send someone to collect information about the opponents and make strategic deployments. As the national team's logistical support, even if Xifangzhao is experienced, he also needs to personally "step on the field". In September this year, before he returned from Europe, he personally flew to Qatar, not only visited the relevant facilities, but also meticulously confirmed the location of cooking, equipment and food transportation routes. More importantly, he communicated fully with the hotel staff responsible for hosting the Japanese national team to ensure that everything was in order.
It is this meticulousness and dedication that has earned Nishi Yoshitake the respect of successive generations of national team staff and players. In a recent group photo, he received special attention. During Japan's success in securing a spot in the World Cup final week away to Australia in March this year, the Japan Football Association (JFA) presented Yoshitaka Nishi with a special chef's outfit bearing the JFA logo, in high recognition of his hard work.
