Dean Mouhtaropoulos via Getty Images
元サッカー日本代表でドイツ一部リーグのシャルケに所属する内田篤人が、9月23日、ブレーメン戦にフル出場。ワールドカップ・ブラジル大会の最終戦、コロンビア戦以来およそ3カ月ぶりにピッチに立った。試合は3−0でシャルケが勝利した。
ワールドカップ後の内田篤人
SV Werder Bremen v FC Schalke 04 - Bundesliga(01 of15)
BREMEN, GERMANY - SEPTEMBER 23: Atsuto Uchida of Schalke in action during the Bundesliga match between SV Werder Bremen and FC Schalke 04 held at Weserstadion on September 23, 2014 in Bremen, Germany. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Bongarts/Getty Images) (credit:Dean Mouhtaropoulos via Getty Images)
SV Werder Bremen v FC Schalke 04 - Bundesliga(02 of15)
BREMEN, GERMANY - SEPTEMBER 23: Atsuto Uchida of Schalke in action during the Bundesliga match between SV Werder Bremen and FC Schalke 04 held at Weserstadion on September 23, 2014 in Bremen, Germany. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Bongarts/Getty Images) (credit:Dean Mouhtaropoulos via Getty Images)
SV Werder Bremen v FC Schalke 04 - Bundesliga(03 of15)
BREMEN, GERMANY - SEPTEMBER 23: Atsuto Uchida of Schalke in action during the Bundesliga match between SV Werder Bremen and FC Schalke 04 held at Weserstadion on September 23, 2014 in Bremen, Germany. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Bongarts/Getty Images) (credit:Dean Mouhtaropoulos via Getty Images)
SV Werder Bremen v FC Schalke 04 - Bundesliga(04 of15)
BREMEN, GERMANY - SEPTEMBER 23: Atsuto Uchida of Schalke in action during the Bundesliga match between SV Werder Bremen and FC Schalke 04 held at Weserstadion on September 23, 2014 in Bremen, Germany. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Bongarts/Getty Images) (credit:Dean Mouhtaropoulos via Getty Images)
SV Werder Bremen v FC Schalke 04 - Bundesliga(05 of15)
BREMEN, GERMANY - SEPTEMBER 23: Atsuto Uchida of Schalke in action during the Bundesliga match between SV Werder Bremen and FC Schalke 04 held at Weserstadion on September 23, 2014 in Bremen, Germany. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Bongarts/Getty Images) (credit:Dean Mouhtaropoulos via Getty Images)
SV Werder Bremen v FC Schalke 04 - Bundesliga(06 of15)
BREMEN, GERMANY - SEPTEMBER 23: Atsuto Uchida of Schalke celebrates with team mate Christian Fuchs after victory in the Bundesliga match between SV Werder Bremen and FC Schalke 04 held at Weserstadion on September 23, 2014 in Bremen, Germany. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Bongarts/Getty Images) (credit:Dean Mouhtaropoulos via Getty Images)
SV Werder Bremen v FC Schalke 04 - Bundesliga(07 of15)
BREMEN, GERMANY - SEPTEMBER 23: Atsuto Uchida of Schalke celebrates with team mate Christian Fuchs after victory in the Bundesliga match between SV Werder Bremen and FC Schalke 04 held at Weserstadion on September 23, 2014 in Bremen, Germany. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Bongarts/Getty Images) (credit:Dean Mouhtaropoulos via Getty Images)
SV Werder Bremen v FC Schalke 04 - Bundesliga(08 of15)
BREMEN, GERMANY - SEPTEMBER 23: Atsuto Uchida of Schalke looks on during the Bundesliga match between SV Werder Bremen and FC Schalke 04 held at Weserstadion on September 23, 2014 in Bremen, Germany. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Bongarts/Getty Images) (credit:Dean Mouhtaropoulos via Getty Images)
SV Werder Bremen v FC Schalke 04 - Bundesliga(09 of15)
BREMEN, GERMANY - SEPTEMBER 23: Atsuto Uchida of Schalke speaks to a team mate during the Bundesliga match between SV Werder Bremen and FC Schalke 04 held at Weserstadion on September 23, 2014 in Bremen, Germany. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Bongarts/Getty Images) (credit:Dean Mouhtaropoulos via Getty Images)
SV Werder Bremen v FC Schalke 04 - Bundesliga(10 of15)
BREMEN, GERMANY - SEPTEMBER 23: Atsuto Uchida of Schalke looks on during the Bundesliga match between SV Werder Bremen and FC Schalke 04 held at Weserstadion on September 23, 2014 in Bremen, Germany. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Bongarts/Getty Images) (credit:Dean Mouhtaropoulos via Getty Images)
SV Werder Bremen v FC Schalke 04 - Bundesliga(11 of15)
BREMEN, GERMANY - SEPTEMBER 23: Atsuto Uchida of Schalke looks on during the Bundesliga match between SV Werder Bremen and FC Schalke 04 held at Weserstadion on September 23, 2014 in Bremen, Germany. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Bongarts/Getty Images) (credit:Dean Mouhtaropoulos via Getty Images)
SV Werder Bremen v FC Schalke 04 - Bundesliga(12 of15)
BREMEN, GERMANY - SEPTEMBER 23: Atsuto Uchida of Schalke in action during the Bundesliga match between SV Werder Bremen and FC Schalke 04 held at Weserstadion on September 23, 2014 in Bremen, Germany. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Bongarts/Getty Images) (credit:Dean Mouhtaropoulos via Getty Images)
Schalke 04 - Volkswagen Car Handover(13 of15)
RHEINBERG, GERMANY - AUGUST 12: Atsuto Uchida of Schalke poses in a Lamborghini during a test drive at driving safety centre Rheinberg on August 12, 2014 in Rheinberg, Germany. (Photo by Christof Koepsel/Bongarts/Getty Images) (credit:Christof Koepsel via Getty Images)
FC Schalke 04 - Team Presentation(14 of15)
GELSENKIRCHEN, GERMANY - JULY 17: Atsuto Uchida poses during FC Schalke 04 team presentation at Veltins-Arena on July 17, 2014 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. (Photo by Sascha Steinbach/Bongarts/Getty Images) (credit:Sascha Steinbach via Getty Images)
FBL-WC-2014-JPN(15 of15)
Japan national football team defender Atsuto Uchida (C) and his teammates arrive at Narita Airport on June 27, 2014. Japan\'s World Cup squad returned home after a winless campaign in Brazil. AFP PHOTO / KAZUHIRO NOGI (Photo credit should read KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:KAZUHIRO NOGI via Getty Images)
内田は2月、太ももを負傷。チームからは手術が必要と診断されたが、ワールドカップに間に合わせるために手術を回避。なんとか間に合わせグループリーグ3試合に出場し、堂々としたプレーを見せた。
無理をしたこともあり、ワールドカップ後に怪我が悪化。クラブでの復帰が遅れていた。試合後、内田は「反動はやっぱり大きかった。これからは恩返し。シャルケと契約している選手としてちゃんとプレーしなきゃいけない」と語ったという。
【内田篤人関連の記事】
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