Ahead of the match between U-24 Japan National Team and U-24 Argentina National Team at the SAISON CARD CUP 2021 scheduled to take place on Friday 26 March at Tokyo Stadium, the referees in charge shared their aspiration for the match.

Referees in charge

Referee: SATO Ryuji
Assistant referee 1: YAMAUCHI Hiroshi
Assistant referee 2: MIHARA Jun
Fourth official: KIMURA Hiroyuki

Referee’s Comment

SATO Ryuji
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many international competitions to be cancelled or postponed, and I too have stopped working as a FIFA referee since March last year. Right now I am working on the things I can do to prepare myself for the resumption of football activities. There are so many obstacles in holding a friendly match during this pandemic, and this match is made possible through the tireless efforts of so many people. Being able to officiate such match brings not only joy and happiness, but also a great amount of responsibility and tension. As we make our steps back to our normal lives, I believe that this match will reaffirm the beauty of sports and the power of football. As a referee, I will make sure not to be overwhelmed by the situation and keep my cool for the entire 90 minutes to fulfil my duty.