KASHIMA, Ibaraki Pref. -- Japan manager Philippe Troussier said Sunday that AS Roma midfielder Hidetoshi Nakata will play in Japan's semifinal Confederations Cup match, although the Italian team wants to have Nakata back in its squad for what could be the title-clinching game against Napoli on Sunday.
Nakata played in Japan's two tournament victories. The 24-year-old star was initially made available by his Italian club for the first three matches in the tournament only. However, according to FIFA regulations, the national team manager has the final say as to how long he can keep his players during FIFA international tournaments.
"I understand Capello's request," said Troussier, who noted that he recently had talks with Roma manager Fabio Capello over the phone. "But the most important thing is a player's motivation. "It is important for a young player like Nakata to experience a big game like the title-clinching match. They experience that and can bring it back to the national team. But Nakata is now focusing on the semifinals," Troussier said.