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‘Proud of you’: Barcelona’s academy sends message to Arsenal star after what he’s done at the World Cup
Arsenal d⭕efender Takehiro Tomiyasu spent some time on trial with Barcelona when he was coming through the ranks.
They wanted to take him on but the move to Spaiౠn was too tough for a youngster and therefore it did not materialise.
He has of course made the grade elsewhere now and is at Arse😼nal, flying high 🌠at the top of the Premier League and now at the World Cup with Japan.
Japan have cau𓃲s🍒ed one of the biggest shocks of the tournament so far, coming from behind to beat 2014 champions Germany 2014.

Barcelona message to Tomiyasu
That was a great moment on the wo🔯rld stage for the Arsenal defender, who has struggled with fitness issues this season and has found it hard to get in the Gunners team.
That is something that Arsenal fans will be pleased one of their players is experiencing and the defender is an underrated player who doeꦯs not sometimes get the credit he deserves.
But Barca wanted to get in on the act, congratulating the defender on the win like he is one of their own academy pr💖oducts.
Proud of you, Takehiro!!
— Barça Academy (@BarcaAcademy)
Jose Mourinho has said Japan’s win did not surprise him:
“It is a fa♛ntastic achievement but t🔜o be honest it was not a crazy surprise. Japan is a good team, with good players.
“It is getting an accumulation of experience at these event𒊎s. The majority of players play in Europe where they develop faster and they understand better the high level game.
“I think the me🌺ntaltiy of t💦he players and the team can also make a difference. In European football there is a big focus on the individual and egos.
“W♒hen I look to (Japan) 🦩as people and a country; I never coached Japanese players but I coached Asian players. In my case I was lucky because I coached the best Asian player.
“The mentality is really special. The team is t💎he most important thing, they play for the team, not themselves.”