“Arigatō” Hidemasa Morita | OneFootball

Hidemasa Morita in action for Sporting against Arsenal in this season’s Champions League quarter-final. (Photo: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

‘Saudade’ is the Portuguese word that cannot be translated, but ask any Sportinguista, and they’ll tell you that it’s what they’ll feel towards Hidemasa Morita.

The word describes a profound feeling of longing or yearning. The Japanese midfielder has it tattooed on his arm, and it seems appropriate as he departs the Estádio José Alvalade.

Sporting Clube de Portugal secured second place and Champions League football against Gil Vicente with Morita as one of the main protagonists, coming into a rich vein of form in this latter stage of the league campaign.

The 31-year-old midfielder contributed to this ferocious strike from Luis Javier Suárez with an exquisite touch of class.

PortuGOAL honours Hidemasa Morita as its Figure of the Week in his final Liga Portugal appearance after five years in the division. Kevin Fernandes reports.

From Osaka to Lisbon via the Azores

Born in the prefecture of Osaka, Morita’s hometown of Takasuki witnessed the talent of Hidemasa before reaching university football (similarly to the United States, highly respected and revered).

His efforts at Ryutsu Keizai warranted a move to the top level of Japanese football for J-League juggernauts Kawasaki Frontale. From humble beginnings to the prestige and pride of Japan.

Morita made his debut in the 2018 Japanese Super Cup, a competition he would win a year later along with the League Cup. As a rookie, he would cement himself in the first-team fold, making 26 appearances on the way to his first J-League title. He repeated the feat in 2020, where he would depart as he arrived, with the bonuses of being named in the Best XI of Japan’s First Division and the conquest of the 2020 edition of the Emperor’s Cup.

Morita would then embark on the well-trodden Japan to Europe path taken by more and more promising Nipponic talents, as Azorean giants Santa Clara brought the midfielder to the archipelago.

Imagine the Estádio de São Miguel filled with Santa Clara fans, anxious to finally see their new signing in action, and that very same player scores an 89th-minute winner to clinch a 2-1 victory against Rio Ave in what can only be considered a dream debut for any outfield player.

Hidemasa Morita introduced himself to Portuguese football in emphatic fashion: A 6th-place finish, the highest in the club’s history and Europa Conference League football, as well as securing seventh in the following season.

Santa Clara parted ways with Morita in exchange for a mere €3.45 million – a fee that would prove to be an absolute bargain from Sporting’s perspective.

Ruben Amorim’s saviour

As Matheus Nunes left for Manchester City in 2022 (and in somewhat abrupt fashion before an important Clássico with FC Porto), Morita stepped up to replace the Portuguese international, stabilising the Sporting midfield with signature class. Since then, Morita has made the No8 position his own.

Former Manchester United head coach Amorim once said in a press conference: “I think every manager should train at least one Japanese player. A player who is always ready to help the team, apologises one thousand times a day, is very respectful, will play anywhere and just wants to learn. I only have good things to say about Hidemasa Morita.”

Hidemasa’s efforts often go unnoticed due to his understated style both on and off the pitch. No outstanding individual qualities steal headlines, but an elegant well-roundedness brings balance to proceedings.

165 (166 including the upcoming Portuguese Cup final) appearances and 3 trophies (2 Liga Portugal titles and one Taça de Portugal, possibly two) later, Morita will be remembered as a cult hero and the personification of reliability, and understated elegance.

Sporting will certainly be offering a heartfelt Arigatō to the latest PortuGOAL Figure of the Week, and if you’re ever in Japan, be sure to visit to eat a Pastel de Nata at the store he intends to open in the future.