A devastating blow has hit Kaoru Mitoma. On May 9, during Brighton’s home match against already-relegated bottom side Wolverhampton Wanderers, the Japanese international midfielder suffered a hamstring injury in what should have been an easy win. The sight of him clutching his left hamstring and collapsing to the pitch, combined with manager Fabian Hürzeler’s grim assessment that “it doesn’t look good,” suggests this is not a quick recovery. With the World Cup only a month away and the Japan squad set to be announced on May 15 local time, the question looms: will Mitoma be included?
Mitoma had started the game brightly, sparking the opening goal within 30 seconds. Receiving a pass from Danny Welbeck just outside the final third, he drove into the danger area, shrugging off a heavy shoulder challenge from Wolves midfielder Joao Gomes before threading the ball to Maxim De Cuyper on the left flank. The Belgian defender’s cross found Jack Hinshelwood, who headed home to give Brighton a 1-0 lead. It was clearly Mitoma’s moment – despite the near-foul, he created the chance that broke the deadlock.
Four minutes later, Brighton doubled their lead from a corner won by Mitoma’s play, with captain Lewis Dunk heading in from a set piece. The Seagulls had effectively sealed a win that boosted their European hopes within the first five minutes. Wolves manager Rob Edwards lamented after the match, calling it “humiliating” and suggesting some players “are no longer needed.”
The tragedy struck just after the 55th minute.
Chasing a long ball from Dunk, Mitoma controlled it with his right shoulder. With no contact from any opponent, he suddenly stumbled, planted his left foot, and immediately grabbed his left hamstring. He raised his right hand to signal substitution, then collapsed to the turf, covering his face with both hands – a telltale sign that he knew it was serious. A fan-recorded video captured the moment, along with a whisper: “That might be it for the season. Maybe even the World Cup.”
Physios treated him, stretching his left leg, and Mitoma managed to walk off the pitch. Every Japanese fan held their breath, hoping for a minor strain. Mitoma is irreplaceable for Japan – the one player who can make a difference against world-class opposition.
The hamstring has become a notorious injury in modern football. Like the metatarsal – famously popularized after David Beckham’s fracture in 2002 – the term is now common among fans. Today’s players build muscle like armor through intense weight training, but this comes at a cost. The hamstring, notoriously difficult to strengthen, often gives way under the strain of explosive movements. Older generations, like my friend Graham, recall that in the 1960s and ’70s, injuries were mainly fractures or sprains. “I’d never even heard of a hamstring,” he says.
This is the cruel paradox of modern football: athletes are pushed to their physical limits, yet the very preparation that enables high performance also makes them vulnerable. Why did it have to strike Mitoma now?