Maya Yoshida: ‘My dad is the most crazy Japanese man. But his gestures inspired me’ Southampton defender reveals how his father’s decision to give his comics to charity helped him to think generously and give back to society

The idea, Maya Yoshida thinks, was fermented a long time ago, when his father, Ari, gave away his entire collection of Dragon Ball Z comics to charity.

As a child growing up in Nagasaki, the Southampton defender, who has just decided to donate one per cent of his salary to the Saints Foundation, was obsessed with the Japanese cartoon and over many years and much pocket money grew quite the catalogue.

“One day, all the comics were gone!” Yoshida tells i. He simply arrived back home and was astonished to discover they were nowhere to be seen. “Where are they?” he asked his dad. “In the charity shop,” Ari replied.

“Why?” Yoshida asked again, his voice rising in pitch at the sheer outrageousness of it all as he recollects the experience now. Little did he know it was part of a lesson that would impact his life, two decades later.

Next, it was his clothes. Every time Yoshida would have a growth spurt and his T-shirts became that little bit tighter, he would look in his wardrobe one day to find they had disappeared, too. “It was still possible to wear them,” he says now. “But it goes to charity every time. He’s a man like this: my dad is the most crazy Japanese man. But I think that kind of gesture inspired me a lot.”

Giving back and inspiring the next generation

One of the factors in Yoshida’s decision to give a portion of his salary to charity was the hope that, just as he was inspired by his dad, Yoshida’s actions would make the Southampton academy players and those young players who reach the first-team consider their own position of fortune, even if only for a moment.

“Immediately they can get big money, at 18 or 19 years old, that changes their life,” Yoshida says. “I can show them this is another option to spend your money on. Hopefully I can inspire them. It was a big decisions for me. I didn’t even tell my wife, so I hope she’s happy! That kind of action can be important for young players.

“This type of gesture people can see it and people can feel it. It’s a totally different way to spend money and time than on Instagram or social networks. People do not see that kind of gesture a lot, it’s going to be good to set an example for them.”

Yoshida has done a lot of small things to help others. He has visited hospitals in Japan during his breaks in the summer. Last year, after one such visit he promised a girl with cancer that he would score at the World Cup for her, and was gutted that he was not able to.

But Yoshida decided he wanted something with more substance, longer-lasting, more sustainable. So he considered his options. After attending a Saints Foundation dinner, he began thinking that perhaps donating to them would be right for him. His friend Shinji Kagawa, the former Manchester United midfielder and Japan team-mate, signed up to Juan Mata’s Common Goal initiative, in which members pledge one per cent of their earnings which goes to a central fund and is allocated accordingly. It has proved popular, with other high-profile players such as Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini and Mats Hummels, the Germany centre-back, signing up.

Yoshida spoke with Mata about the scheme, but decided, after living in Southampton for seven years, he wanted to help locally and give back to the people who have welcomed him to his adopted home.

Moving to Europe

Yoshida is something of a cult hero in Southampton, as well as a megastar in Japan. “I’m very tall, taller than most Japanese people, so people recognise me quickly,” he points out.

He left Japan nine years ago, joining Dutch side VVV-Venlo from Nagoya Grampus, and after two years was signed by Southampton shortly after they returned to the Premier League.

He has been a constant in defences that saw other stars come and go: Virgil Van Dijk and Dejan Lovren to Liverpool, Toby Alderweireld to Tottenham Hotspur, 2016 European Championship winner Jose Fonte to West Ham.

Yoshida represents a modest group of Asian players in Europe’s top leagues, one he hopes will grow. Kagawa was the first Japanese player at Manchester United, and the first to win the Premier League. He was followed in that regard by Leicester’s Shinji Okazaki. South Korean Park Ji-sung was successful at Manchester United, and remains a global ambassador.

Currently, South Korea’s Son Heung-min at Spurs is one of the world’s leading players and Yoshida’s Japan team-mate Yoshinori Muto plays for Newcastle.

Two incredibly exciting Japanese forwards are in Spain: 20-year-old Hiroki Abe at Barcelona, and Takefusa Kubo, the 18-year-old who spent preseason rubbing shoulders with Eden Hazard and Gareth Bale in Real Madrid’s first team, and is referred to as the Japanese Messi.

Adjusting to life in England

Yoshida believes that the stark difference in cultures makes the transition from Asian football to European football challenging, and recommends others follow his approach: moving to Europe at a young age, perhaps at a stepping stone club, to adapt.

“The football has improved a lot, it’s still improving,” Yoshida says. “The performances of players at European clubs now is really important for the reputation [of Asian players].

“It is not easy in the Premier League. It is hard to go from Japan to England immediately, the people need to have another step, like I did from Japan to Holland to England. Muto did Mainz, in Germany, to Newcastle.

“The step is important. The younger generation have to leave the country, which is really difficult. If you come to Europe, it’s totally different, people have to adjust not only to football, but to life.

“Kubo can speak Spanish already. He grew up in Barcelona before. That kind of thing is really huge. I’m still struggling with English!”

Looking to the future

Yoshida may only be 30 years old, but already he is aware that his playing time is nearing its end just as the careers of Kubo and Abe are beginning. It is with that in mind that he remains unsure whether, if asked, he will take up one of the limited over 23 places for Japan at the Tokyo Olympics. They qualify automatically as hosts for the football tournament next year and the pull of an Olympic Games in his own country is strong, having represented Japan in Beijing 2008 and London 2012, captained his country and won 95 caps to date.

“When I think about the future of football in Asia and Japan, a lot of young players need good experience at international level.

“I feel my time is maybe over for the Olympics, but of course it’s Tokyo, it would be a massive honour to join that.

“I feel it’s time for another generation and at the same time it’s really risky for my Premier League career, as I would miss the whole of preseason and a couple of games. It’s really sensitive and difficult for me. I will talk to the manager and really consider it.”

As with his decision to give a portion of his salary to charity, Yoshida is always thinking of others.