Freiburg's Yuito Suzuki dazzles with a matchday hat‑trick, awakens Japan

Yuito Suzuki, the Japanese striker of Sport-Club Freiburg, opened the Bundesliga season with an impressive Matchday‑1 hat‑trick against Werder Bremen, instantly making fans in Japan celebrate. His quick goal set a tone for the team and showed that the preparation in the training camp was bearing fruit.

What does the success mean for Freiburg?

Suzuki explained that in the three games before the season start he had neither a goal nor an assist. “So I told myself it was time to get in front of the goal, and then I immediately scored a hat‑trick,” he said in the interview. He emphasized that the hard work beforehand is now being rewarded straight away. He stressed that the early result strengthens the confidence of the entire squad.

When asked what Freiburg is aiming for this season, Suzuki replied: “I want to finish the season with a title or at least be as high as possible in the table.” He added that the focus is initially on the next two games before the international break. “How we start after the break will determine the rest of the season,” he emphasized. The team wants to always uphold the principle of fair play.

The club does not have the huge financial resources of big clubs, Suzuki emphasized. “We stay true to our own style of play and continue to develop, which now shows results both at the European level and in the Bundesliga,” he said. He highlighted that humility and hard work are the most important success factors. This principle has been part of the club’s philosophy for years.

Japanese Fans and the Growing Interest

Besides Suzuki, there are currently two Japanese teammates at Freiburg: Rihito Yamamoto and Keisuke Gotō. “Freiburg is known in Japan as the club for which Ritsu Dōan played for three years,” he explained. He said that continuous good performances would further increase the interest of Japanese fans. The presence of the Japanese players also boosts the club’s brand awareness in Asia.

When asked about the popularity of the German Bundesliga in Japan, Suzuki replied that the interest is hard to quantify. “For football fans in Japan the Bundesliga is definitely a league to keep an eye on,” he said. He recalled that he himself used to follow the games on television. With the increasing media presence, he expects more Japanese talents to find their way to Germany.

Although Mio Backhaus speaks Japanese, Suzuki communicates with the team mainly in English. “I don’t need an interpreter, but he helps us when ordering in German,” he explained. The report by Joeran STEINSIEK summarizes the statements and provides a compact summary. Thus Freiburg remains an attractive destination for players with a Japanese background.