Reo Hatate has expressed his frustration after being overlooked by Japan during his recent international call-up. The Celtic midfielder, while disappointed, doesn’t see the trip as a waste, despite traveling over 5,000 miles to his home country only to be left out of the squad for both matches against China and Bahrain. Japan’s manager, Hajime Moriyasu, selected 27 players for the World Cup qualifiers but could only name 23 for each matchday squad.
Hatate missed out both times, prompting criticism from some Celtic fans about the unnecessary journey, especially with the start of the Premiership and the Champions League looming. However, Hatate disagrees, saying the experience has only motivated him further to improve for the Scottish champions. Writing for *Sportiva*, he admitted, “I won’t deny having regrets about the recent Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.”
“As a human, frustration sometimes shows on my face. But after being part of Japan’s squad for the AFC Asian Cup 2024, I’m more determined than ever to stay involved with the national team. Whether or not I play, my desire to contribute has grown,” he wrote. Hatate also added that he is eager to continue working on his goals and assists at Celtic to earn his place back in Japan’s squad.
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