Takumi Minamino has been named the French Ligue 1 Player of the Month.
The French professional soccer players’ association (UNFP) announced the French Ligue 1 Player of the Month for August on its official website. The winner is Japanese midfielder Takumi Minamino of AS Monaco.
Minamino competed with Manuel Ugarte (PSG) and Moussa Al-Tamari (Montpellier) to make the final three. Minamino was recognized for his performance after being named AS Monaco’s August MVP.
Minamino became known to fans in Korea when he teamed up with Hwang Hee-chan at Red Bull Salzburg. His performances at Salzburg earned him a move to Liverpool midway through the 2019/20 season.
However, he ultimately failed to adapt to the Premier League (PL). He opted to go on loan to Southampton for the 2020/21 season to explore his options, but nothing much happened.
Last season, he moved to AS Monaco, where he had one of his worst performances. He was named in ESPN’s combined worst 11 of the Bundesliga, Serie A, and Ligue 1.
It seemed like he was on a downward spiral, but this season he has rebounded perfectly. Since the start of the French league, he has started all three games in August, scoring three goals and providing two assists. Thanks to Minamino’s performance, AS Monaco is currently in first place in the league.
There has been talk of a return to the Japanese national team. Minamino’s last cap came in the round of 16 at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. He missed the penalty shootout. He hasn’t been called up to the national team since. 스포츠토토
On Aug. 31, the Japan Football Association announced the roster for the September matches against Germany and Tunisia on its official website. Many players who are currently playing in Europe, such as Wataru Endo, Junya Ito, Daichi Kamada, Ritsu Doan, and Takefusa Kubo, were selected.
However, Minamino was not on the list. Japan coach Moriyasu said, “I can confirm that they are playing well. We have made a comprehensive decision to think about the future, including this A match and the World Cup Asia Second Qualifier.”
While Minamino failed to return to the Japanese national team, she was recognized in France. For Minamino, the award boosted his stock.
