Maya Yoshida is FC Schalke 04’s new head of defence, and the Japanese veteran already knows the Königsblauen’s arena.

When FC Schalke 04 welcome Borussia Mönchengladbach to the Arena on the second matchday of the Bundesliga season, Maya Yoshida is expected to celebrate his home debut for the Knappen. The 33-year-old centre-back was recently signed from Sampdoria Genoa and is expected to lead S04’s defence in the coming season.

However, it will not be his very first appearance at the Schalke stadium, as the captain of the Japanese national team revealed in an interview with WAZ. That’s because when Yoshida played for VVV-Venlo between 2010 and 2012, his national team colleague and compatriot Atsuto Uchida was under contract with the Revierklub. “I often went to the games, was a guest at his house, we regularly went out for Japanese food in Düsseldorf. It was a good time. That’s why I know the atmosphere in the stadium,” said Yoshida. Uchida ploughed the right side of defence for S04 from 2010 to 2017, was a crowd favourite. “At that time I thought: I would also like to play in the Champions League or in such a big stadium in general. Now the dream has come true. “

Schalke addition Yoshida: That’s why he chose S04

In the interview with WAZ, Yoshida also explained how he reacted when the Knappen came knocking on his door. “I immediately told my advisor that it could be a challenge for me – probably with a much lower salary than before, but I didn’t care about that.” It is true that a move to Japan, Qatar or Turkey was also possible, Yoshida said. “But that was not my desire. I really wanted to stay in one of the best leagues, with beautiful stadiums, excellent fans. And Schalke offers all that.”

Read the whole WAZ interview with Maya Yoshida

here.