mitoma thesis on the art of dribbling

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How Kaoru Mitoma got his university thesis in dribbling

By grey whitebloom | jun 7, 2023, 11:16 pm gmt+1.

40 Premier League players have attempted more dribbles than Brighton's Kaoru Mitoma this season. 21 have completed more. Yet, no one in England's top tier can claim to have spent more time agonising over the intricate details of the devilish art of dribbling.

The raw totals of Mitoma's take-ons can be misleading given his gradual introduction into Brighton's first team. Among individuals with more than a smattering of minutes, only two Premier League players average more successful dribbles per 90 than Brighton's chief weaver.

Chelsea 's Trevoh Chalobah, Arsenal 's Ben White and Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold are just some on the ever-growing list of defenders to have been bamboozled by Mitoma's fancy footwork which he honed in university study halls. Here's everything you need to know about a graduation thesis the Premier League's full backs may fancy glancing at.

Table Of Contents

Where did kaoru mitoma get his university thesis, what were the findings from kaoru mitoma's thesis, how has kaoru mitoma put his thesis into practice, kaoru mitoma's 2022/23 season so far.

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Aged 19, Mitoma turned down a professional contract from J1 League side Kawasaki Frontale after eight years in the club’s academy. Mitoma deemed that he “wasn’t ready physically” and so enrolled at the University of Tsukuba, an hour and a half south, to learn even more about his own body with a degree in physical education.

While playing for the university side - which is a higher standard in Japan compared to its equivalent in much of Europe - Mitoma set about analysing his dribbling and what made a good dribbler.

“It was the easiest subject for me to choose because I love football and dribbling is what I love to do,” he explained to The Athletic . “I put cameras on the heads of my teammates to study where and what they were looking at and how their opponents were looking at them.”

In his continuing search for improvement, Mitoma pulled upon all of the expertise he could find. According to the Japanese outlet NumberWeb , Mitoma was fascinated by diet practices and even sought out Tsukuba’s associate professor Satoru Tanigawa, a 110m hurdler for Japan at the Sydney and Athens Olympics, to give him tips on his running style.

“I learned that the good players weren’t looking at the ball," Mitoma revealed. "They would look ahead, trap the ball without looking down at their feet. That was the difference. I was one of the better dribblers at that time, but not exceptional.”

Putting aside the limited sample size of his study, Mitoma went on to explain: “I am conscious of shifting the opponent's centre of gravity. If I can move the opponent's body, I win."

By the end of his research, Mitoma concluded: “The power of my characteristic dribbling has doubled."

In his first season after leaving university, Mitoma rattled in 13 goals for his boyhood side Kawasaki Frontale. This was a significant shock for all involved considering that Mitoma had mustered just seven goals in the Kanto University Division 1 League the previous year. The then-22-year-old became just the fifth rookie to hit double digits in J-League history - on top of a league-high 12 assists.

18 months after handing in his thesis, Mitoma penned a contract with Brighton for just €3m.

Mitoma isn’t mentally parsing through his findings amid the fury of a Premier League match. As he explained after finding the net against Everton in January following a weaving run: “It was instinct, rather than a thought process.”

However, after all that study, Mitoma's instinct is influenced by his thesis - much to the detriment of the Premier League's defenders.

Mitoma's profile grew thanks to some super sub appearances at the winter World Cup as Japan pulled off upsets against Spain and Germany.

He has enjoyed a much more prominent role in Roberto De Zerbi's starting XI since the Premier League's resumption, scoring against both Arsenal and Everton before running the show in Brighton's 3-0 victory over Liverpool.

Mitoma then scored a belter from distance against Leicester before netting the winner in the FA Cup clash with Liverpool.

It just gets better every time you watch it 😮‍💨 @OfficialBHAFC #EmiratesFACup 3 pic.twitter.com/QYyDc2OiVu — Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) January 29, 2023

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Professor Mitoma

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Kaoru Mitoma has burst onto the scene this season. With the ball sticking his feet like he has glue on his feet, he has left defenders befuddled and tumbling over their own legs as he whizzes past them effortlessly. How did a player who not many saw flourishing to this extent take the Premier League by storm? The answer lies in Kaoru Mitoma’s thesis.

Yes, the Japanese, who is now the apple of the eye of Brighton fans and should soon be in demand, improved his game after studying the art of dribbling deeply as a part of his university thesis. Kaoru Mitoma’s thesis made sure he literally is a student of the game!

Here’s a look at the now iconic Kaoru Mitoma’s thesis story, and how it is helping him fly past dizzy defenders.

Kaoru Mitoma thesis- The background story

How many footballers get offered a professional deal by a club but reject it because they deem themselves to be physically not ready?

Kaoru Mitoma did. When offered a deal by J1 side Kawasaki Frontale, a 19-year-old Mitoma rejected it. Instead, he enrolled at the University of Tsukuba. He quickly realised that what he lacked in brawn at that age had to be overcome by training the brain. And what a training it was.

Insights of Kaoru Mitoma’s thesis on dribbling (from Japanese article/interview) pic.twitter.com/0ZldvFBnGI — ⚖️🇶🇦 (@WholeLottaEM) January 18, 2023

A pure footballer at heart, he quickly dove into the subject of dribbling headfirst. He turned out for his university’s football team and used that education to analyse his dribbling style. He studied what made a good dribbler through new and creative techniques.

In an interview with The Athletic , Mitoma explained,

“I put cameras on the heads of my teammates to study where and what they were looking at and how their opponents were looking at them.”

Not content with visual footage, he analysed all aspects of what made one a good dribbler. Close control is foremost, but running style also makes an efficient dribbler. He sought out the advice of Satoru Tanigawa, an associate professor at his university and a 110m Olympic hurdler on optimum running styles.

Findings of the Kaoru Mitoma Thesis

Such deep and analytical work was not going to go to waste. His main finding came through his technique of putting cameras on his teammates’ foreheads. In the same interview with the Athletic, he opened up on this finding-

“I learned that the good players weren’t looking at the ball. They would look ahead, trap the ball without looking down at their feet. That was the difference. I am conscious of shifting the opponent’s centre of gravity. If I can move the opponent’s body, I win.”

Mitoma concluded his thesis with a message that, with the benefit of hindsight, is ominous reading for defenders who were about to face him. He wrote-

“The power of my characteristic dribbling has doubled.”

Effects on his game

Needless to say, Mitoma has exploded at every level since his thesis. After finishing his course at the university, he felt he was ready to take on the challenge of the Japanese league.

Signed by the same club whose advances he rebuffed earlier, Kawasaki Frontale, Mitoma took the J1 League by storm.

He struck 13 goals and laid on 12 assists in the season in his debut season, breaking numerous records in the process. That one season was enough to convince Brighton that Mitoma was a diamond in the rough who could be carved into something special. However, Mitoma spent another season in J1 League after which he was finally signed by Brighton, who loaned him to Union Saint-Gilloise .

Kaoru Mitoma's dribbling creates CHANCES 😬 #EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/SuNelrDHwf — Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) April 23, 2023

Mitoma mania was by now up and running. His slick dribbling skills and ability to know when to release the ball blew away opponents. He had nine goal contributions in just 1,187 minutes of football, a very good figure for a player playing his first season in Europe.

Deemed ready for the rigours of the Premier League after the loan, the rest is history. As the Japanese superstar continues making defenders look silly, Kaoru Mitoma’s thesis on dribbling has achieved cult status.

*This article is sponsored by Fastrack , which brings you the best sports watches in funky, trendy, and cool designs.

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What Kaoru Mitoma Really Thinks About His Now-Famous Thesis on Dribbling

By: Author Vishal Singh

Posted on April 20, 2023

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is making waves in Italy by leaving Serie A defenders on the floor regularly. But he’s not the only breakout dribbler this season to stun European football. In the Premier League, Kaoru Mitoma is the talk of the town, not just because of his silky feet, but also for the way he learned the trick of the trade.

Brighton and Hove Albion signed the Japanese winger from Kawasaki Frontale in 2021 after being impressed with his pace and dribbling in the J1 League. But before the rookie became the star of the league, he turned down Frontale’s initial contract offer at 19.

It is understood that after eight years in the club’s academy, Mitoma decided to reject their professional contract and instead enrolled at the University of Tsukuba.

Why did Mitoma go to University?

Recalling his thought process at the team, Mitoma told Optus Sport : “At that time, I felt that my body wasn’t fully developed yet to match up properly against the professionals. I also felt that it was important to go to university for my own career in the long term.

“Universities in Japan are of a very good standard, and I wanted to still play whilst studying, and try to be a professional footballer after graduating. My family has always stood by my career path as well. I felt that I should be the one making these decisions, so I made sure to take responsibility of career.”

A translation of Mitoma’s thesis on information processing of the attacking side in 1v1 football situations pic.twitter.com/wXY5wy5bQQ — Eric Njiru (@EricNjiiru) February 4, 2023

But such was the youngster’s genius that while playing for the university side and studying physical education he wrote his thesis on the process of dribbling.

Talking about his research that is mentioned on Twitter every time he gets past a defender, the 25-year-old said: “Yes, and I feel that the media love to talk about this a lot too. I had to write a thesis in order to graduate university, and I knew dribbling would be something I could write about.

“I wanted to study the differences between people and who could dribble well and those that could not. In reality, I don’t think the thesis has contributed that much to how I play in the Premier League!”

Mitoma’s friendship with Tomiyasu

Mitoma isn’t the only Japanese international doing well in England’s top flight. Takehiro Tomiyasu has been a solid defensive option for Premier League leaders Arsenal . His presence in the same league has helped Mitoma adjust to a new country more comfortably.

“Having him in London is a nice reassurance even if I can’t see him much because of busy schedules. But we get along well as teammates for Japan and we both strive to play at higher levels,” the Brighton star said .

Arsenal tried to sign a marquee left-winger during the January transfer window and came close to securing Mykhailo Mudryk’s signature before Chelsea made their move. They instead signed Brighton’s Leandro Trossard. But if Arteta decides to persist with the signing of an elite left-winger in the summer, the North London giants should certainly monitor Mitoma and perhaps try to reunite him with his national teammate Tomiyasu.

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Kaoru Mitoma at Brighton: From the university dribbling thesis to brilliance in Belgium and finishing like Thierry Henry

How Kaoru Mitoma, the dribbling master who ‘finishes like Thierry Henry’, has his own colleagues laughing at his rare talent. Adam Bate speaks to Mitoma’s former team-mate to find out more about what makes the Brighton winger so special…

Comment and Analysis @ghostgoal

Monday 30 January 2023 10:12, UK

As recently as October of 2021, Kaoru Mitoma had yet to start a game since moving to Europe. He was on loan and on the bench for Union Saint-Gilloise in Belgium. But with his team two goals and one man down to Seraing, they needed something different.

Mitoma came on at half-time. By full-time, he had inspired an extraordinary comeback, scoring an improbable hat-trick in a 4-2 win. "It was the Kaoru Mitoma show," Christian Burgess, Union's English defender, tells Sky Sports . "He just destroyed them."

It was a glimpse of what is becoming an increasingly frequent sight for Premier League audiences. Since breaking into the Brighton starting line-up in the thrashing of Chelsea, Mitoma has been a revelation, emerging as one of the most exciting players around.

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His opening goal against Leicester last Saturday was his best yet, finding the top corner of Danny Ward's net from outside the penalty box. Leandro Trossard has left for Arsenal but Brighton supporters are already convinced that his replacement can be even better.

Mitoma inspired the comeback at Wolves, scored home and away against Arsenal, began the recent rout of Everton and shone again in beating Liverpool. A dribbler who can glide beyond defenders and an unusually calm finisher, the sight of him in full flow is a joy.

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Burgess had predicted this impact, whether it was tipping off a Brighton fan to stick him in his fantasy team or mentioning to their goalkeeper Jason Steele during a pre-season game that Mitoma was the real deal. It had not taken Burgess long to be convinced.

"I remember one of his first training sessions," he says.

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"He was just electric. Those first few steps are so fast that he was destroying my friend Jonas Bager. Thankfully, he was on my team so me and this other Danish guy Casper Nielsen were just laughing at Jonas. He went past him three times with ease.

"Jonas is not someone you want to wind up by doing that to him. He was like, 'Watch this.' The next time he just took Kaoru out. We were just laughing because it was the only way to stop him. Jonas, bless him, is not the quickest, but nobody really had a chance.

"That was my first memory of him. You could just see he was very good. He had the technical ability and he obviously had the physical attributes. But he also had this coldness on the ball that made him a standout player who could make the transition."

His opening goal at Goodison Park was perhaps the clearest example yet of this particular quality. He touched the ball only three times - one to evade Nathan Patterson, another to skip beyond Conor Coady and the last to stroke the ball beyond Jordan Pickford.

As with his goal against Arsenal just days earlier, Mitoma passed it into the far corner. There have been only a handful of examples of it just yet, but there have been enough of them to prompt an eye-opening comparison from his former team-mate in Belgium.

"He finishes like Thierry Henry," says Burgess. "He is just so nonchalant at finishing into the far corner, whether it is in training and or in games. It is a strange one because most people panic but he seems to have so much time on the ball in those situations."

Mitoma's game is about more than goals. He is the only player in the Premier League to rank among the top 10 for goals scored from open play and expected assists from open play per 90 minutes. In other words, nobody is scoring and creating as regularly as he does.

It is his skill in one-on-one situations that has allowed him to find those positions, ranking third for completed dribbles per 90 minutes this season. His old team-mate at Union might have been the first to be twisted inside-out on European soil but he was not the last.

Maybe it helps that Mitoma is a student of the game, quite literally. He chose to attend the University of Tsukuba rather than enter the professional game at 18 and it has since attracted considerable media attention that he wrote his thesis on the art of dribbling.

Curiously, it means that he had something in common with Burgess, who was studying history at the University of Birmingham when he was offered a contract at Middlesbrough. Not that the two men were aware of their similar routes into the game at the time.

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"I found out on social media, it is an amazing story. Kaoru did not speak much English so you could not find out much about him. All we knew is that he had come from Japan, signed with Brighton, and now he was with us. We knew absolutely nothing about him.

"But he was a really good lad, very humble and quiet. He just smiled all the time and laughed at the jokes even if he did not understand but I think he understood more than he could say. At least he led us to believe that. But to get stuff out of him was harder.

"It must have been so tough for him because he barely spoke any English so you did not hear much from him. Imagine not being able to communicate. But his English did improve during his time at Union because it is mainly an English-speaking club."

Indeed, it is not the only thing that improved. Perhaps that is to be expected given that Mitoma has made only 23 starts in league football since moving to Europe. At 25, his university background might mean that he is a late developer. There is more to come.

"It is funny because he did not start every game for us. He used to come on when the opposition were a little bit tired and his pace would blow them out of the water. It was only as the season went on that he really got into it and started playing 90 minutes.

"A different side to him began to come out in the play-offs. You saw him fighting a lot more. Against Club Brugge, he was really putting his body about. Add that winner's attitude that he had to his quality on the ball and you have a special player on your hands."

A similar process is happening at Brighton. Mitoma completed a whole Premier League game only once prior to the World Cup but has now done so in four of their last five matches. It underlines his growing importance, the sense that this could be his time.

"To see him playing at the World Cup was the icing on the cake, really. I was proud to have played with him. There was no ego with him so it is really nice to see him doing so well at Brighton and he is still young so he is going to develop. He is just a top player."

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Mitoma's dribbling thesis leaves Wolves in pieces: Moment of the Weekend

• Anirudh Menon

14 minutes into the game, the score reads 0-0. Wolverhampton Wanderers , fresh off utterly dominating Manchester United (even if they lost that one ) are keeping Brighton & Hove Albion at arm's length; and comfortably so. Which is when Pervis Estupinan gently prods the ball forward to Kaoru Mitoma .

Mitoma isn't your regular footballer. At 18, instead of turning professional, he went to college -- the University of Tsukuba -- to major in physical education and settle into senior football via their amateur college league. To get the degree, though, he needed to submit a thesis. The topic he chose for it? Dribbling.

A translation of Mitoma's thesis on information processing of the attacking side in 1v1 football situations pic.twitter.com/wXY5wy5bQQ - Eric Njiru (@EricNjiiru) February 4, 2023

Eyes up, frame upright, he receives the ball down the left touchline just past the halfway line, heels kissing the white paint. In front of him is Nelson Semedo , who's coming off a brilliant display against Alejandro Garnacho (and later Jadon Sancho ) at Old Trafford. He's confident and he's got his body position exactly the way they teach in fullback defense 101: split stance, body open towards the touchline, showing the winger down the outside. Take me on down the line, it suggests, go on then... perfect for a defender as rapid as Semedo is. Well, almost perfect.

Speaking to ESPN last season, Mitoma had explained his thought process when it comes to dribbling: "First, I look at the opponent's centre of gravity, posture, body movement, then I think about my options."

Brighton's Kaoru Mitoma says his evolution into a star winger in the Premier League has nothing to do with his university project.

Semedo's posture is just a bit too overcommitted to showing him down the line, the centre of gravity not quite where it should be. After the initial couple of touches to assess Semedo's body movement, Mitoma jags sharply inside. That's enough to throw the fullback off-balance, and by the time he recovers, Mitoma's past him.

An attempted shoulder pullback from Semedo makes Mitoma lean back a touch, but momentum is the Japanese forward's friend now. He screams forward, racing toward the Wolves box. Semedo chases, but quick as he is, he has no chance now. The pursuing Joao Gomes , even less so.

Craig Dawson is ahead of Mitoma, but he's caught in two minds - to cover the left flank, where in the space Semedo should have occupied, now lurks Brighton's Julio Encisco - or to step back into the middle and cut off Mitoma. By the time he realises Mitoma's going for goal, it's too late. He knows it too, and shouts furiously at the pacier Max Kilman to cover.

In that same ESPN interview, Mitoma had said that the whole thesis-in-dribbling bit had been way too exaggerated. "I can say that the thesis has almost nothing to do with my current play style. I chose the theme because it would be easy to write about. I simply wanted to finish my degree." Which is fair enough, but it's hard not to get carried away by the quick feet and the even quicker decision making Mitoma displays on occasion. Like this one.

Kilman reads the situation and closes down the straight route. Mitoma, fast as he's going, has seen this, and already recalibrated. One touch of his right boot, and ball and man are going past Kilman like he isn't even there.

Desperate, he pulls Mitoma back, tugging on that right shoulder again, making Mitoma lean back again... but this time he uses that to his advantage. Already leaning back, he 'Thierry Henrys' one into the bottom far corner. Just the way he loves doing it.

An old teammate of his from Union Saint-Gilloise, Christian Burgess, told Sky Sports last season that "he finishes like Thierry Henry. He is just so nonchalant at finishing into the far corner, whether it is in training and or in games. It is a strange one because most people panic but he seems to have so much time on the ball in those situations."

From first touch to last, the whole thing had lasted seven seconds. By the time he had got in front of the goalkeeper, Jose Sa , he ought to have been out of breath, his touch ought to have been just that bit less assured, but no. Head up, body upright, Mitoma knew just what to do.

He will repeat that his thesis and his dribbling have nothing to do with each other; but the more we see of Mitoma at the highest level, the more evident it's becoming that he's a devout student of the art. You can see it in how he varies his dribbling - small, quick touches when assessing the situation. Much longer, much fewer touches when he's shifted into high gear. He took five touches of the ball before getting past Semedo with his sixth. He took just five more to cover the remaining two-thirds of the distance.

There's no banking on deflections, or luck, or pure pace and power here... every touch is measured, taken for a reason, every change in direction executed with one clear aim in mind. In an era of pass-pass-pass with a hint of push-it-forward-and-sprint, it's a throwback and then some.

And so, this display of technical excellence - performed so well by this student of dribbling - is ESPN India's moment of the weekend.

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When Mitoma joined Kawasaki Frontale's U-18 team, the club offered him the first contract of his professional life, but the young Japanese took the riskier decision to go to university first . In his case, physical education at the University of Tsukuba.

I love soccer and what I like most is dribbling.

Kaoru Mitoma

Mitoma 's love of soccer and dribbling led him to write a university thesis on the subject. He had the brilliant idea of attaching cameras to the heads of his fellow students to see where and what the attackers were watching and how the defenders were watching them .

All good research starts with observation. Mitoma

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Mitoma's dribbling thesis leaves Wolves in pieces: Moment of the Weekend

• Anirudh Menon

14 minutes into the game, the score reads 0-0. Wolverhampton Wanderers , fresh off utterly dominating Manchester United (even if they lost that one ) are keeping Brighton & Hove Albion at arm's length; and comfortably so. Which is when Pervis Estupinan gently prods the ball forward to Kaoru Mitoma .

Mitoma isn't your regular footballer. At 18, instead of turning professional, he went to college -- the University of Tsukuba -- to major in physical education and settle into senior football via their amateur college league. To get the degree, though, he needed to submit a thesis. The topic he chose for it? Dribbling.

A translation of Mitoma's thesis on information processing of the attacking side in 1v1 football situations pic.twitter.com/wXY5wy5bQQ - Eric Njiru (@EricNjiiru) February 4, 2023

Eyes up, frame upright, he receives the ball down the left touchline just past the halfway line, heels kissing the white paint. In front of him is Nelson Semedo , who's coming off a brilliant display against Alejandro Garnacho (and later Jadon Sancho ) at Old Trafford. He's confident and he's got his body position exactly the way they teach in fullback defense 101: split stance, body open towards the touchline, showing the winger down the outside. Take me on down the line, it suggests, go on then... perfect for a defender as rapid as Semedo is. Well, almost perfect.

Speaking to ESPN last season, Mitoma had explained his thought process when it comes to dribbling: "First, I look at the opponent's centre of gravity, posture, body movement, then I think about my options."

Brighton's Kaoru Mitoma says his evolution into a star winger in the Premier League has nothing to do with his university project.

Semedo's posture is just a bit too overcommitted to showing him down the line, the centre of gravity not quite where it should be. After the initial couple of touches to assess Semedo's body movement, Mitoma jags sharply inside. That's enough to throw the fullback off-balance, and by the time he recovers, Mitoma's past him.

An attempted shoulder pullback from Semedo makes Mitoma lean back a touch, but momentum is the Japanese forward's friend now. He screams forward, racing toward the Wolves box. Semedo chases, but quick as he is, he has no chance now. The pursuing Joao Gomes , even less so.

Craig Dawson is ahead of Mitoma, but he's caught in two minds - to cover the left flank, where in the space Semedo should have occupied, now lurks Brighton's Julio Encisco - or to step back into the middle and cut off Mitoma. By the time he realises Mitoma's going for goal, it's too late. He knows it too, and shouts furiously at the pacier Max Kilman to cover.

In that same ESPN interview, Mitoma had said that the whole thesis-in-dribbling bit had been way too exaggerated. "I can say that the thesis has almost nothing to do with my current play style. I chose the theme because it would be easy to write about. I simply wanted to finish my degree." Which is fair enough, but it's hard not to get carried away by the quick feet and the even quicker decision making Mitoma displays on occasion. Like this one.

Kilman reads the situation and closes down the straight route. Mitoma, fast as he's going, has seen this, and already recalibrated. One touch of his right boot, and ball and man are going past Kilman like he isn't even there.

Desperate, he pulls Mitoma back, tugging on that right shoulder again, making Mitoma lean back again... but this time he uses that to his advantage. Already leaning back, he 'Thierry Henrys' one into the bottom far corner. Just the way he loves doing it.

An old teammate of his from Union Saint-Gilloise, Christian Burgess, told Sky Sports last season that "he finishes like Thierry Henry. He is just so nonchalant at finishing into the far corner, whether it is in training and or in games. It is a strange one because most people panic but he seems to have so much time on the ball in those situations."

From first touch to last, the whole thing had lasted seven seconds. By the time he had got in front of the goalkeeper, Jose Sa , he ought to have been out of breath, his touch ought to have been just that bit less assured, but no. Head up, body upright, Mitoma knew just what to do.

He will repeat that his thesis and his dribbling have nothing to do with each other; but the more we see of Mitoma at the highest level, the more evident it's becoming that he's a devout student of the art. You can see it in how he varies his dribbling - small, quick touches when assessing the situation. Much longer, much fewer touches when he's shifted into high gear. He took five touches of the ball before getting past Semedo with his sixth. He took just five more to cover the remaining two-thirds of the distance.

There's no banking on deflections, or luck, or pure pace and power here... every touch is measured, taken for a reason, every change in direction executed with one clear aim in mind. In an era of pass-pass-pass with a hint of push-it-forward-and-sprint, it's a throwback and then some.

And so, this display of technical excellence - performed so well by this student of dribbling - is ESPN India's moment of the weekend.

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Jan 30, 2023 | 12:00 PM EST

Brighton and Hove Albion v Liverpool FA Cup 29/01/2023. Fourth Round Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Kaoru Mitoma 22 during the FA Cup 4th round match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Liverpool at the American Express Community Stadium, Brighton and Hove, England on 29 January 2023. Editorial use only PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxUK , Copyright: xIanxStephenx PSI-16803-0116

The Premier League season started after the FIFA World Cup break. Teams like Liverpool and Chelsea are still struggling for results. However, some teams are improving every passing day, and Brighton and Hove Albion are one of them. They knocked out Liverpool from the fourth round of the FA Cup on Sunday, and a Japanese soccer player is making the news after scoring the winner in the game. 

Kaoru Mitoma, who plays as a winger for Brighton, is in scintillating form for the seagulls. His recent performances have caught the eyes of fans. He is proving to be a menace to defenders with his dribbling skills. But do you know, he went to university to learn to dribble?

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Japanese soccer star wrote a thesis on dribbling at University

Mitoma, at the age of 19, left the Japanese club Kawasaki Frontale to learn to take a degree in physical education. He deemed himself not ready to play in the league and went for further studies. He started analyzing dribbling skills during his studies and ended up researching and writing a thesis on the same. 

Kaoru Mitoma has four goals and an assist in his last six games. Hard to believe Brighton paid just over $3M for him from Kawasaki Frontale in 2021 ✨ pic.twitter.com/MavWCsvTnL — B/R Football (@brfootball) January 29, 2023

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Speaking to The Athletic, the Japanese winger said ,  “It was the easiest subject for me to choose because I love football, and dribbling is what I love to do. I put cameras on the heads of my teammates to study where and what they were looking at and how their opponents were looking at them.”

Mitoma thinks great dribblers don’t look at the ball but trap the ball at their feet and dribble. He found out that if the dribbler can move the body of the defender, the chances of a successful dribble increase. The 25-year-old feels his instinct has increased based on the thesis, and it’s not great news for the Premier League defenders. His brilliant finish against Liverpool on Sunday was a good example of it. 

Mitoma is in form great form after the World Cup break

Brighton signed the Japanese left winger for just over from J1 side Kawasaki Frontale for just over 3 million USD. He has netted three goals in five appearances so far in the Premier League. But above all, he can go past the top defenders with his dribbling, which makes him more lethal. 

Read More:  VIDEO: Fuming Fan Throws a Bottle at Chelsea Superstar After Time-Wasting Efforts in Recent Premier League Win

He also has a goal and an assist in two FA Cup games this month, and his winner against Liverpool is making rounds. Brighton is currently sixth in the table and will hope Mitoma continues his form. They will face AFC Bournemouth next on Saturday and are waiting to know their FA Cup opponents for the next round.

Watch This Story:   Ferrari  Favorite Charles Leclerc Spotted With French Soccer Bombshell Paul Pogba

Do you think the research at University on dribbling is really helping Mitoma? Let us know in the comments your thoughts on his recent performances.

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Mitoma masters the art of dribbling to lead Brighton charge

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Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge

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Rohith reports on soccer, tennis, cricket, MotoGP and many more sports. He previously worked at Sportskeeda and has been a sports journalist for more than a decade.

'Harbin' brings out fans of Korean stars in Toronto

Scores of movie fans waited for hours outside the Toronto premier of "Harbin" on Sunday, hoping to catch a glimpse of Lee Dong-Wook and Hyun Bin, the Korean stars paired for the first time in this historical drama.

Comeonin !!! ~ Far East Trendy News !

Kaoru Mitoma’s Graduation Thesis: Immerse yourself in Dribbling Research!

– “Secret research stories” from a professor at the University of Tsukuba-

“FOOTBALL ZONE”:

Immerse yourself in dribbling research, graduation thesis episode

We asked “Manager Masaaki Koido, who coached the Tsukuba University Football Club for four years.”

British newspaper “Daily Mail”:

Graduation thesis written at Tsukuba University.

The theme was specialized in Dolbul.

Graduation thesis topic:

“Study on Information Processing of Attacker in One-on-One Soccer Scene”

What is the difference between a good dribbling group, including yourself, and a group that is not?

Wearing a small camera “GoPro” on your head and running with a ball, you analyze the actual footage taken.

I devoted myself to researching “Where is the other person’s gaze and how do they react?”

Director Koido, University of Tsukuba:

ーThe situation at the time when Mitoma presented her graduation thesisー

Coach Koido said, “I felt the desire to master dribbling and to think more deeply.”

He showed a strong enthusiasm for dribbling research. The image of Mitoma is still clearly visible in my mind.

Graduation theme setting:

In the laboratory, the theme of the graduation thesis can be set freely. Research based on it.

Choose an experimental theme:

Game analysis is often chosen as a theme by students.

Game analysis system: If you watch the game and get the statistical data out, you will inevitably get results, so there are few mistakes.

Choosing an experimental theme: It is an “extremely rare case” to choose an experimental theme like Mitoma.

“What kind of difference is there in conducting experiments and collecting data?” Hypothesis-testing research is difficult.

I was flooded with inquiries from students at other universities who wanted to use it for reference papers.

Director Koido’s evaluation:

-Director Koido’s evaluation is flawless-

The task of deciphering the raised themes was indeed a difficult one.

How to use weapons effectively?

in a purposeful and purposeful way, The research results that came out during the progress, I did some statistical analysis. Favorite dribbling:

We tested and considered whether there was a significant difference between skilled and semi-skilled workers.

“Knowing that research can fail,” he worked.

Research results:

“When receiving the ball, it was found that there is a difference in what other players are looking at.”

-Professionals have a good distance with their opponents-

“It’s all about understanding space,” he says.

There was a difference in “the point of dribbling with a straight line of sight”.

– Many reactions to this paper –

This paper generated a lot of reactions.

Inquiries from both domestic and foreign media, as well as students from other universities who wanted to use it for reference papers, flooded in.

Coach Koido said, “I don’t know how much he contributed to the football world.”

The culmination of Mitoma:

Mitoma trained his mind and body in the university soccer club, and as a culmination of his efforts, he left behind a difficult experimental thesis.

The quintessence of Santoma is that you can logically solve problems toward your goals and change yourself.

This paper contains a “strong determination to become a world-class player.”

(FOOTBALL ZONE)-Yahoo! News

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/4647c403147cca591e4fc9bd442d763315047529

Objective：This study investigates where in the field of vision attacking players perceive opposing players in one-on-one football situations, by level of proficiency.

The purpose of this study is to clarify the relationship between football players’ athletic ability and visual information processing,

to improve my own athletic ability, and to contribute to theoretical football training and coaching.

Methods A total of 21 offensive players belonging to the University of Tsukuba football club,

10 skilled group (top 20% of the club) and 11 semi-skilled group (bottom 20% of the club), were the subjects.

The subjects performed one-on-one attacks on a football field, receiving a ball from 3 meters away and dribbling it towards a defender.

A GoPro camera was attached to the attacker’s forehead to record the view, which maintain a upright posture while dribbling and was divided into 3×3 segments.

The defender’s body and surrounding positions were also numbered for analysis.

The visual field of the attackers was analyzed at two points in time: during trapping and during dribbling.

The location of the defender’s body in the divided field of view at each timing was examined by one-way ANOVA using SPSS.

A questionnaire was also administered to the subjects after the play to obtain subjective information on where they were looking at their opponents.

Mann-Whitney’s U test, a non-parametric method, was used to compare the results of the questionnaire.

Results GoPro image analysis revealed a clear and significant difference

between the skilled and semi-skilled groups in the degree to which the defenders were captured in the upper center field of view during trapping.

At the moment of trapping, the skilled players followed the ball with their eyes, but kept their attention on the opposing player at the edge of their sight.

During the dribbling stage after trapping, there was a difference between the skilled and semi-skilled players, although with a weaker correlation.

The skilled players looked at the defender more centrally in the horizontal direction and downward within their field of vision.

The results of the questionnaire indicated that the skilled players reported focusing on the higher part of their opponents’ bodies, which was consistent with the results of the objective image data analysis.

Conclusions Compared to the semi-skilled group,

the skilled group was able to keep the opponent in the upper center of the field of vision and to recognize the surrounding position and situation even before actually touching and trapping the ball.

In addition, the skilled group tended to maintain a upright posture while dribbling and to keep their opponents lower in their field of vision.

While bringing their opponents into perspective and being aware of one’s surroundings are suggested as factors that contribute to successful dribbling,

the possibility that proficiency in ball handling itself facilitates the maintenance of a high posture needs to be considered.

Further research is needed to conclude whether consciously keeping one’s gaze high can improve football skills.

https://note.com/yuki_alliswell/n/n9a79dcec8442

Thèse de fin d’études de Kaoru Mitoma : plongez dans la recherche sur le dribble ! 　

– “Histoires de recherche secrètes” d’un professeur de l’Université de Tsukuba-

“ZONE FOOTBALL”:

Plongez dans la recherche de dribbles, épisode de thèse de fin d’études

Nous avons demandé “le manager Masaaki Koido, qui a entraîné le club de football de l’université de Tsukuba pendant quatre ans”.

Journal britannique “Daily Mail”:

Thèse de fin d’études rédigée à l’Université de Tsukuba.

Le thème était spécialisé dans Dolbul.

Sujet de mémoire de fin d’études :

“Étude sur le traitement de l’information d’un attaquant dans une scène de football en tête-à-tête”

Quelle est la différence entre un bon groupe de dribbles, y compris vous-même, et un groupe qui ne l’est pas ?

Portant une petite caméra “GoPro” sur la tête et courant avec un ballon, vous analysez les images réelles prises.

Je me suis consacré à la recherche “Où est le regard de l’autre et comment réagit-il?”

Directeur Koido, Université de Tsukuba :

ーLa situation au moment où Mitoma a présenté sa thèse de fin d’étudesー

L’entraîneur Koido a déclaré: “J’ai ressenti le désir de maîtriser le dribble et de réfléchir plus profondément.”

Il a montré un fort enthousiasme pour la recherche de dribble. L’image de Mitoma est encore bien visible dans mon esprit.

Réglage du thème de la remise des diplômes :

Au laboratoire, le thème du mémoire de fin d’études peut être défini librement. Recherche basée sur celle-ci.

Choisissez un thème expérimental :

L’analyse de jeu est souvent choisie comme thème par les élèves.

Système d’analyse de jeu : Si vous regardez le jeu et obtenez les données statistiques, vous obtiendrez inévitablement des résultats, il y a donc peu d’erreurs.

Choisir un thème expérimental : C’est un “cas extrêmement rare” de choisir un thème expérimental comme Mitoma.

“Quelle sorte de différence y a-t-il dans la conduite d’expériences et la collecte de données?” La recherche pour tester des hypothèses est difficile.

J’ai été inondé de demandes d’étudiants d’autres universités qui voulaient l’utiliser pour des documents de référence.

Évaluation du réalisateur Koido :

-L’évaluation du réalisateur Koido est sans faille-

La tâche de décrypter les thèmes soulevés était en effet difficile.

Comment utiliser efficacement les armes ?

d’une manière délibérée et utile, Les résultats de recherche qui sont sortis au cours du progrès, J’ai fait quelques analyses statistiques. Dribble préféré :

Nous avons testé et examiné s’il existait une différence significative entre les travailleurs qualifiés et semi-qualifiés.

« Sachant que la recherche peut échouer », il y travaillait.

Résultats de recherche:

“Lors de la réception du ballon, il a été constaté qu’il y avait une différence dans ce que les autres joueurs regardaient.”

-Les professionnels ont une bonne distance avec leurs adversaires-

“Il s’agit de comprendre l’espace”, dit-il.

Il y avait une différence dans “le point de dribbler avec une ligne de mire droite”.

– De nombreuses réactions à cet article –

Cet article a suscité de nombreuses réactions.

Les demandes des médias nationaux et étrangers, ainsi que des étudiants d’autres universités qui souhaitaient l’utiliser pour des documents de référence, ont afflué.

L’entraîneur Koido a déclaré: “Je ne sais pas à quel point il a contribué au monde du football.”

L’aboutissement de Mitoma :

Mitoma a formé son esprit et son corps dans le club de football universitaire et, comme point culminant de ses efforts, il a laissé derrière lui une thèse expérimentale difficile.

La quintessence de Santoma est que vous pouvez logiquement résoudre des problèmes vers vos objectifs et vous changer.

Ce document contient une “forte détermination à devenir un acteur de classe mondiale”.

(ZONE DE FOOTBALL) – Nouvelles de Yahoo!

Kaoru Mitomas Abschlussarbeit: Tauchen Sie ein in die Dribbling-Forschung! 　

– „Geheime Forschungsgeschichten“ von einem Professor der Universität Tsukuba-

“FUßBALLZONE”:

Tauchen Sie ein in die Dribbelforschung, Abschlussarbeitsfolge

Wir fragten „Manager Masaaki Koido, der vier Jahre lang den Tsukuba University Football Club trainierte“.

Britische Zeitung “Daily Mail”:

Abschlussarbeit an der Tsukuba University.

Das Thema war auf Dolbul spezialisiert.

Thema der Abschlussarbeit:

„Studie zur Informationsverarbeitung von Angreifern in der Eins-gegen-Eins-Fußballszene“

Was ist der Unterschied zwischen einer guten Dribbling-Gruppe, zu der auch Sie gehören, und einer Gruppe, die es nicht ist?

Sie tragen eine kleine Kamera „GoPro“ auf dem Kopf und laufen mit einem Ball, um die tatsächlich aufgenommenen Aufnahmen zu analysieren.

Ich widmete mich der Recherche “Wo ist der Blick des anderen und wie reagiert er?”

Direktor Koido, Universität Tsukuba:

ーDie Situation zu der Zeit, als Mitoma ihre Abschlussarbeit präsentierteー

Trainer Koido sagte: “Ich hatte den Wunsch, das Dribbling zu meistern und tiefer zu denken.”

Er zeigte eine starke Begeisterung für die Dribbling-Forschung. Das Bild von Mitoma ist immer noch deutlich in meinem Kopf sichtbar.

Abschlussthemaeinstellung:

Im Labor kann das Thema der Abschlussarbeit frei gesetzt werden. Darauf basierende Forschung.

Wähle ein experimentelles Thema:

Spielanalyse wird oft als Thema von Studenten gewählt.

Spielanalysesystem: Wenn Sie sich das Spiel ansehen und die statistischen Daten abrufen, erhalten Sie unweigerlich Ergebnisse, daher gibt es nur wenige Fehler.

Auswahl eines experimentellen Themas: Es sei ein “äußerst seltener Fall”, ein experimentelles Thema wie Mitoma zu wählen.

„Welchen Unterschied gibt es zwischen der Durchführung von Experimenten und der Erhebung von Daten?“ Forschung, die Hypothesen testet, ist schwierig.

Ich wurde mit Anfragen von Studenten anderer Universitäten überflutet, die es für Referenzarbeiten verwenden wollten.

Die Einschätzung von Regisseur Koido:

-Die Bewertung von Regisseur Koido ist einwandfrei-

Die Aufgabe, die aufgeworfenen Themen zu entschlüsseln, war in der Tat schwierig.

Wie setzt man Waffen effektiv ein?

gezielt und zielgerichtet, Die Forschungsergebnisse, die während des Fortschritts herauskamen, Ich habe einige statistische Analysen durchgeführt. Lieblingsdribbling:

Wir haben getestet und überlegt, ob es einen signifikanten Unterschied zwischen Facharbeitern und Angelernten gibt.

“Im Wissen, dass die Forschung scheitern könnte”, arbeitete er daran.

Forschungsergebnisse:

“Bei der Ballannahme wurde festgestellt, dass es einen Unterschied gibt, was andere Spieler sehen.”

-Profis haben einen guten Abstand zu ihren Gegnern-

„Es geht darum, den Raum zu verstehen“, sagt er.

Es gab einen Unterschied im „Punkt des Dribblings mit gerader Sichtlinie“.

– Viele Reaktionen auf dieses Papier –

Dieses Papier löste viele Reaktionen aus.

Anfragen von in- und ausländischen Medien sowie von Studierenden anderer Hochschulen, die es für Referenzarbeiten nutzen wollten, gingen ein.

Trainer Koido sagte: “Ich weiß nicht, wie viel er zur Fußballwelt beigetragen hat.”

Der Höhepunkt von Mitoma:

Mitoma trainierte seinen Geist und Körper im Fußballverein der Universität, und als Höhepunkt seiner Bemühungen hinterließ er eine schwierige experimentelle Arbeit.

Die Quintessenz von Santoma ist, dass Sie Probleme logisch lösen können, um Ihre Ziele zu erreichen und sich selbst zu verändern.

Dieses Papier enthält eine “starke Entschlossenheit, ein Weltklasse-Spieler zu werden”.

(FOOTBALL ZONE) – Yahoo!-Nachrichten

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• English News

Mitoma, who wrote a thesis on dribbling, wins hearts as Brighton knock Liverpool out of FA Cup

Fans have taken to social media to praise Brighton's Kaoru Mitoma following his late winner against Liverpool in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Brighton's forward Kaoru Mitoma is winning the hearts of several football enthusiasts worldwide. The 23-year-old Japanese sensation scored a spectacular late goal against Liverpool in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Sunday to knock the defending champions out, leaving fans of the Reds in utter dismay.

In the 92nd minute of the clash at Falmer Stadium, Mitoma produced a magical moment for Roberto De Zerbi's team by deftly handling the ball and blasting it past Alisson from close range.

Fans have taken note of Mitoma's spectacular finish after his fifth goal in his six outings in all competitions for the Seagulls. Supporters have stated that Mitoma, who wrote a thesis on dribbling in university, is the kind of player who deserves a 100 million euros deal.

"Think I should keep this as a draft tweet…. MITOMA IS MAGIC!!!" wrote broadcaster Jules Breach, who is a Brighton supporter. Another fan noted, "Now Mitoma is the kind of player you pay €100M for."

The victory on Sunday is Brighton's second win over Jurgen Klopp's men in as many weeks, and some have argued that the reputation of Trent Alexander-Arnold has taken a hit.

"Mitoma has done serious damage to Trent's reputation over the last two weeks man," tweeted a third fan of Brighton.

Mitoma took a touch to remove the ball from Joe Gomez's path before releasing his shot. "That second touch from Mitoma is DISGUSTING," said another fan.

At the halfway point, Harvey Elliott gave Liverpool the advantage. Before Mitoma's late winning strike, Brighton came back and scored an equaliser through Lewis Dunk.

Here's a look at how fans reacted to Mitoma's sensational goal against Liverpool in the 4th round of the FA Cup:

• Kaoru Mitoma
• Premier League

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Fact check: Is it true that Mitoma wrote a thesis on the art of dribbling?

Some tweets and articles claiming that "Mitoma wrote his thesis on the art of dribbling" have been circulating.

First, the story is true: according to the database of the Japan Association of Universities of Education , he submitted a thesis entitled "A Study of Information Processing by Attackers in 1v1 Situations in Football Games"(サッカーの1対1場面における攻撃側の情報処理に関する研究).

According to another magazine article , in that project he fixed GoPro to his own and his teammates' heads and analyzed where and when they looked. This revealed where they were looking when dribbling successfully and established a base for better decision-making. According to the author of the article, the tips were carefully written and described.

Can I read the thesis?

Generally, the undergraduates' thesis in Japan is not made public for reasons of administrative burden. However, the bound paper itself is kept in the laboratory, and the aforementioned reporter also read it and wrote his opinion on the thesis. It is certainly possible to read it by making an appointment and visiting the laboratory. It is written in Japanese and would need a good translator.

Thesis for the bachelor's degree

The terms 'thesis' and 'dissertation' have opposite meanings in the U.S. and the U.K., and Mitoma's 'thesis' refers American meaning: a project for a bachelor's degree. Usually, Google Translate follows the American usage.

United Kingdom in the United Kingdom, the term thesis is usually associated with PhD/ EngD (doctoral) and research master's degrees, while dissertation is the more common term for a substantial project submitted as part of a taught master's degree or an undergraduate degree. United States At most universities, dissertation is the term for the required submission for the doctorate, and thesis refers only to the master's degree requirement. Thesis is also used to describe a cumulative project for a bachelor's degree and is more common at selective colleges and universities, or for those seeking admittance to graduate school or to obtain an honors academic designation.

An undergraduate project is very different in quality from the research for submission for the doctorate. When students' understanding and the supervisor's education is matched, the thesis will have enough quality for publication after external review, but such cases are not common.

University of Tsukuba

The University of Tsukuba is a general university with its origins in the normal school (teacher training college). It is a relatively highly regarded university in Japan. The faculty that Mitoma entered is similar to the Moray House School of Education and Sport , which is part of the University of Edinburgh.

While many athletes in American collegiate sports can be considered semi-professional, Tsukuba University does not admit such students, and Mitoma's admission was based on academic merit.

The university is one of the centers of sports science in Japan, and he cites scientific physical training and the study of foot movement for maximum speed as things he gained at the university.

Why did he turn down an offer from a proffesional team to go to university?

When he was offered a contract by Kawasaki Frontale, he thought his own physicality was immature . In fact, he recalls several times that at age 20 he had several absences due to lack of fitness and considered it a goal to be improved upon. Of course, he also felt the need to improve in the mental and technical areas .

His thesis is not at the level of a PhD, but it is a serious project done at a high-level university.

The following thread (in Spanish) is a good quality digest of several articles, including this one.

De priorizar sus estudios universitarios por sobre un inmediato debut profesional a ser la gran irrupción de la Premier League. En el medio, una tesis que se ha vuelto famosa por analizar el regate en el fútbol. Acá, la historia de Kaoru Mitoma. pic.twitter.com/ECn6uo9mIN — IPEstadisticas (@Isidro_____) January 23, 2023

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Mitoma's dribbling thesis leaves Wolves in pieces: Moment of the Weekend

• Anirudh Menon

14 minutes into the game, the score reads 0-0. Wolverhampton Wanderers , fresh off utterly dominating Manchester United (even if they lost that one ) are keeping Brighton & Hove Albion at arm's length; and comfortably so. Which is when Pervis Estupinan gently prods the ball forward to Kaoru Mitoma .

Mitoma isn't your regular footballer. At 18, instead of turning professional, he went to college -- the University of Tsukuba -- to major in physical education and settle into senior football via their amateur college league. To get the degree, though, he needed to submit a thesis. The topic he chose for it? Dribbling.

A translation of Mitoma's thesis on information processing of the attacking side in 1v1 football situations pic.twitter.com/wXY5wy5bQQ - Eric Njiru (@EricNjiiru) February 4, 2023

Eyes up, frame upright, he receives the ball down the left touchline just past the halfway line, heels kissing the white paint. In front of him is Nelson Semedo , who's coming off a brilliant display against Alejandro Garnacho (and later Jadon Sancho ) at Old Trafford. He's confident and he's got his body position exactly the way they teach in fullback defense 101: split stance, body open towards the touchline, showing the winger down the outside. Take me on down the line, it suggests, go on then... perfect for a defender as rapid as Semedo is. Well, almost perfect.

Speaking to ESPN last season, Mitoma had explained his thought process when it comes to dribbling: "First, I look at the opponent's centre of gravity, posture, body movement, then I think about my options."

Brighton's Kaoru Mitoma says his evolution into a star winger in the Premier League has nothing to do with his university project.

Semedo's posture is just a bit too overcommitted to showing him down the line, the centre of gravity not quite where it should be. After the initial couple of touches to assess Semedo's body movement, Mitoma jags sharply inside. That's enough to throw the fullback off-balance, and by the time he recovers, Mitoma's past him.

An attempted shoulder pullback from Semedo makes Mitoma lean back a touch, but momentum is the Japanese forward's friend now. He screams forward, racing toward the Wolves box. Semedo chases, but quick as he is, he has no chance now. The pursuing Joao Gomes , even less so.

Craig Dawson is ahead of Mitoma, but he's caught in two minds - to cover the left flank, where in the space Semedo should have occupied, now lurks Brighton's Julio Encisco - or to step back into the middle and cut off Mitoma. By the time he realises Mitoma's going for goal, it's too late. He knows it too, and shouts furiously at the pacier Max Kilman to cover.

In that same ESPN interview, Mitoma had said that the whole thesis-in-dribbling bit had been way too exaggerated. "I can say that the thesis has almost nothing to do with my current play style. I chose the theme because it would be easy to write about. I simply wanted to finish my degree." Which is fair enough, but it's hard not to get carried away by the quick feet and the even quicker decision making Mitoma displays on occasion. Like this one.

Kilman reads the situation and closes down the straight route. Mitoma, fast as he's going, has seen this, and already recalibrated. One touch of his right boot, and ball and man are going past Kilman like he isn't even there.

Desperate, he pulls Mitoma back, tugging on that right shoulder again, making Mitoma lean back again... but this time he uses that to his advantage. Already leaning back, he 'Thierry Henrys' one into the bottom far corner. Just the way he loves doing it.

An old teammate of his from Union Saint-Gilloise, Christian Burgess, told Sky Sports last season that "he finishes like Thierry Henry. He is just so nonchalant at finishing into the far corner, whether it is in training and or in games. It is a strange one because most people panic but he seems to have so much time on the ball in those situations."

From first touch to last, the whole thing had lasted seven seconds. By the time he had got in front of the goalkeeper, Jose Sa , he ought to have been out of breath, his touch ought to have been just that bit less assured, but no. Head up, body upright, Mitoma knew just what to do.

He will repeat that his thesis and his dribbling have nothing to do with each other; but the more we see of Mitoma at the highest level, the more evident it's becoming that he's a devout student of the art. You can see it in how he varies his dribbling - small, quick touches when assessing the situation. Much longer, much fewer touches when he's shifted into high gear. He took five touches of the ball before getting past Semedo with his sixth. He took just five more to cover the remaining two-thirds of the distance.

There's no banking on deflections, or luck, or pure pace and power here... every touch is measured, taken for a reason, every change in direction executed with one clear aim in mind. In an era of pass-pass-pass with a hint of push-it-forward-and-sprint, it's a throwback and then some.

And so, this display of technical excellence - performed so well by this student of dribbling - is ESPN India's moment of the weekend.

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Kaoru Mitoma turned down professional contract at 16 to go to university, his thesis was incredible

Brighton forward kaoru mitoma attended the university of tsukuba between 2016 and 2019 after rejecting a professional contract..

Jack Kenmare

Kaoru Mitoma turned down the chance to go professional at 16 to attend university – and he wrote a fascinating graduation thesis on dribbling that involved fixing a GoPro to his head.

The 25-year-old Japan international, who continues to impress for Brighton in his debut season, has taken a somewhat unconventional route to the top.

When he was 18, the talented Mitoma was offered a professional contract by local J1 League outfit Kawasaki Frontale.

But instead of taking it with both hands, like most teenagers would, the Kanagawa-born forward rejected the proposal as he felt he was not prepared for the challenges of pro football.

In the coming weeks, he would accept an offer to study physical education at the University of Tsukuba.

"I thought it would be better to go to university in order to make it as a professional footballer,” Mitoma said in a recent interview with Eurosport . "So I studied lots of things – coaching, sports and nutrition. I learned lots of things.”

As well as attending lectures, Mitoma would develop as a footballer, representing Japan at a number of university tournaments.

But at the same time, he was absolutely engrossed in his studies. In fact, the highly-rated forward decided to go above and beyond when writing his graduation thesis on the process of dribbling.

His research involved fixing a GoPro camera to his head to record his movements, examining which ones enabled him to get past opponents.

If you watch Mitoma dribble, he tends to keeps an eye on the opponent and the space in front of him rather than look down. "I am conscious of shifting the opponent's center of gravity," he said in his thesis. "If I can move the opponent's body, I win."

The thesis also describes the mechanism of the dribble and, according to reports, the piece of work sits pride of place in one of the University of Tsukuba classrooms.

"It's been passed down to his juniors as useful information," one report states. "But it seems that he left something more valuable than the contents."

Mitoma's teacher Masaaki Koido, who helped coach his graduation thesis at the university, remembers how determined the Brighton forward was.

“He was very serious," Koido told Bunshun . "He even decided on his own theme and brought it with him."

His former coach was also complimentary about his playing style. "The defenders knows what Mitoma will do next, but they somehow can’t stop him," he told the JFA .

"Even when the defenders thought they had the advantage, they always seemed to be caught flat footed. When he started dribbling near the penalty area on the left side, he was unstoppable.

"I think they call it the “Mitoma zone” at Kawasaki Frontale, but the groundwork was laid at University of Tsukuba."

After picking up valuable experience in the university setting, Mitoma agreed to sign for Kawasaki Frontale.

He made his debut on the opening week of the 2020/21 campaign and soon established himself in the Frontale first-team, becoming the first rookie to reach double digits in goals since Yoshinori Muto in 2014.

Mitoma, who would go on to score 30 goals in 64 games for soon-to-be J1 League champions, was wanted by a number of clubs in 2021, including Brighton and Hove Albion.

The Premier League side would eventually snap him up on a four-year deal before shipping him out on a season-long loan to Belgian outfit Royal Union Saint-Gilloise – a move that would help him become accustomed to European football.

"I’d been thinking about transferring to Europe since I was a child,” Mitoma told Eurosport .

"I wanted to play in a league at the highest professional level. So when I played in the J-League for a year and a half and was approached by Brighton, I felt I had to go there.”

Since coming back from his loan spell in Belgium, the 25-year-old has played a key role for Brighton this season, featuring in 12 Premier League games so far.

He continued his impressive form on Tuesday against Everton, netting for the second straight game in an emphatic 4-1 win.

Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi recently said Mitoma has "big potential" and has "so much quality" to show. We're certainly looking forward to seeing him flourish in the coming weeks, months and years.

Topics:  Brighton And Hove Albion , Premier League , Japan

Jack Kenmare is a writer at SPORTbible. He has interviewed some of the biggest names in sport, including Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Pele, Carles Puyol and Tim Henman. He was once hit in the head by a wayward strike from Nicky Butt and lived to tell the tale.

@ jackkenmare_

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Brighton star Kaoru Mitoma is a master in the art of dribbling who is reaping the rewards of a brave decision to delay his football career to finish his PE degree… he will inevitably be chased by the big boys

• Kaoru Mitoma struck late again for Brighton to earn the hosts three points
• The Japanese winger headed in Jeremy Sarmiento's cross in the final minutes
• He now has five goals in seven games and is doing it all with an infectious smile 

By Kieran Gill for the Daily Mail

Published: 22:30 BST, 5 February 2023 | Updated: 22:49 BST, 5 February 2023

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Very few players could torment a full back and then write a detailed essay on how he did it. But Brighton ’s Kaoru Mitoma could, because the Japan international is a former student of the University of Tsukuba where he wrote his thesis on the art of dribbling.

Mitoma continued his surge as one of English football’s newest stars on Saturday, with Brighton’s £2.5million signing — yes, £2.5m, they have done it again — scoring for the third successive outing.

Brighton signed Mitoma from Kawasaki Frontale. The story goes he initially put off joining the Japanese side feeling he was not ready to be a footballer. Instead, he opted to study physical education in Tsukuba.

With a GoPro camera fixed to his head while running with the ball, he researched how his opponent reacted. How a shimmy could earn him space. How a change of speed could deceive. How to beat his man, essentially.

Perhaps it should come as no surprise that a player with a degree in dribbling is now ripping through the Premier League, Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold being one of his recent victims.

Kaoru Mitoma continued his surge as one of English football’s newest stars on Saturday

Mitoma scored with a looping header in the dying minutes to earn victory for the hosts

Yet after taking that brave decision to defer his entry into professional football, 25-year-old Mitoma is now putting all that he learned into practice, as shown at the Amex Stadium on Saturday.

There was one moment during this match that Mitoma was up against Adam Smith. Bournemouth’s right back did not know which way to go and so simply sunk to his knees inside the box, as if surrendering. Mitoma skipped around him and came close to creating the opening goal.

When Brighton’s winner finally arrived in the 87th minute, it was not the result of a mazy run that defeated Bournemouth but rather a looping header. Not his forte, heading, but Mitoma took a chance, made the run, met the cross, and reaped the rewards.

He now has five goals in seven games and is doing it all with an infectious smile that suggests he is embracing every minute.

As is always the case, he will inevitably be chased by football’s big boys, as Ben White, Leandro Trossard and Moises Caicedo were before him. Yet until then, Brighton hope Mitoma can lead their charge towards Europe after Saturday’s winner left them sixth in the Premier League.

Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi said: ‘He can become a great, great player and for the moment, for us, he is already a very important player. It’s an honour for me to be a coach of these players. Mitoma is like Moises Caicedo, Alexis Mac Allister, Adam Lallana or Lewis Dunk — he is very easy to work with.’

Asked if Brighton will be able to keep hold of their star men this summer, De Zerbi said: ‘I don’t know. I can’t think about the next season. We will see.’

When Brighton signed Mitoma from Kawasaki, they immediately loaned him to Union Saint-Gilloise in Belgium — the side also owned by Brighton chief Tony Bloom — and he was able to get to grips with European football.

 The result stretched Brighton's unbeaten run in all competitions to five matches

Moises Caicedo came on as a second half substitute on his return to the Brighton squad

Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi called for supporters to back Caicedo after the transfer saga

Speaking of Europe, what would that mean to Brighton? ‘You have to ask this question to Tony Bloom,’ said De Zerbi. ‘For sure we would like to try to arrive in the Europa League. The politics of the club, I can’t decide. I can decide the way in terms of quality of play, of style of play.

‘If you ask me if I am happy — yes, I am happy with the results, the performances, the relationships with my players, my club, my fans, but we have to finish the season and then we can talk about the result.’

There was a wholesome moment on Saturday when Caicedo came off the bench for his first appearance since the January transfer saga. Brighton’s fans showed all is forgiven as they sang his name. Yet that will not be the end of the matter. Clubs will come back this summer. For Caicedo. For Mac Allister. And, at this rate, for Mitoma, too.

MATCH FACTS 

Brighton (4-2-3-1): Sanchez 6.5; Lamptey 7 (Enciso 75min, 6), Dunk 7, Veltman 6, Estupinan 7; Gilmour 6 (Caicedo 57, 6), Gross 6; March 6.5 (Webster 89), Undav 6 (Buonanotte 75, 6), Mitoma 7.5; Welbeck 6 (Sarmiento 57, 6.5). Scorer: Mitoma 87. Booked: Veltman, Dunk, Caicedo. Manager: Roberto De Zerbi 7.

Bournemouth (4-4-1-1): Neto 5; Smith 6, Mepham 6, Senesi 6, Zemura 6; Ouattara 6, Lerma 6, Billing 6 (Rothwell 66, 6), Anthony 6.5 (Vina 81); Traore 6.5 (Christie 61, 6); Semenyo 6. Booked: Smith. Manager: Gary O’Neil.

Referee: Craig Pawson 5.

Attendance : 31,600.

Bournemouth remain 19th in the Premier League after the late defeat at the Amex Stadium

Share or comment on this article: Brighton star Kaoru Mitoma is a master in art of dribbling… he will inevitably be chased by big boys

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I’m a Premier League star who wrote a thesis on dribbling and wore GoPro on my head to study rivals’ weaknesses

• Joshua Hall
• Published : 8:28, 26 Aug 2023
• Updated : 9:37, 26 Aug 2023

KAORU MITOMA wrote a university thesis on how to be good at football... and now he's putting his words into practice.

The Brighton star, 26, has been nothing short of sensational since signing for the Seagulls - and has even been tipped for a Manchester United transfer .

But his impressive talents haven't come through luck and are a result of intense research and hard work.

Mitoma only turned professional aged 23 in 2020 after turning down a pro contract aged 19 in favour of going to university.

And it was during his studies that the tricky winger honed his craft and examined his rivals to get to the highest level possible.

He attended the University of Tsukuba where he studied Physical Education.

He was clearly a cut above the usual university footballer level and was picked to represent  Japan  at the 2017 and 2019 Universiade tournaments, as well as the 2018 Asian Games and the 2019 Toulon Tournament with the U23 national team.

Dribbling degree

During his final year at University, Mitoma had to complete a thesis and for him there was only one topic to write it on.

The Japanese international decided he would focus on dribbling and more importantly how to beat his man with the ball at his feet.

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Speaking to The Athletic , he explained: "It was the easiest subject for me to choose because I love football and dribbling is what I love to do.

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“There were no rules on how much to write, but I progressed with it by analysing my team-mates that were good and not-so-good dribblers and trying to find out why that was.

“I put cameras on the heads of my team-mates to study where and what they were looking at and how their opponents were looking at them.

“I learned that the good players weren’t looking at the ball. They would look ahead, trap the ball without looking down at their feet. That was the difference.

“I was one of  the better dribblers  at that time, but not exceptional.”

The 26-year-old also attached a Go-Pro to his own head to examine his own ability and figure out the best way to beat his man.

He discovered that putting his opponent off balance was the best way to do it and reckons that he is now twice the dribbler he was before.

He said: "I am conscious of shifting the opponent's centre of gravity. If I can move the opponent's body, I win.

“The power of my characteristic dribbling has doubled."

High praise

Mitoma later made it pro signing for J-League outfit Kawasaki Frontale before making his £3million move to Brighton in 2021.

He immediately went out on loan to Union SG in the Belgian first division before returning to the Premier League to make his debut last year.

Since then he has scored eight goals and registered a further eight assists for Brighton in just 35 Premier League appearances.

As a result he's been attracting interest from massive clubs like Manchester City , Arsenal and Liverpool.

And it's not just scouts and managers that are impressed with his ability, but he has come in to some high praise from former pros too.

After Mitoma's stunning solo goal against Wolves at the weekend Alan Shearer joked that he wished he could've seen the the goal from a GoPro point of view.

Speaking on the Rest is Football podcast, he said: "I wish he had a GoPro on him on Saturday because the way he went past those three or four defenders was sublime.

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"The balance and technique was just incredible - what a goal!"

Now one of Brighton's most important players, his £3million price tag is looking like an absolute bargain in a market full of £100million transfers.

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