mitoma thesis on the art of dribbling

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How Kaoru Mitoma got his university thesis in dribbling

By grey whitebloom | jun 7, 2023, 11:16 pm gmt+1.

40 Premier League players have attempted more dribbles than Brighton's Kaoru Mitoma this season. 21 have completed more. Yet, no one in England's top tier can claim to have spent more time agonising over the intricate details of the devilish art of dribbling.

The raw totals of Mitoma's take-ons can be misleading given his gradual introduction into Brighton's first team. Among individuals with more than a smattering of minutes, only two Premier League players average more successful dribbles per 90 than Brighton's chief weaver.

Chelsea 's Trevoh Chalobah, Arsenal 's Ben White and Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold are just some on the ever-growing list of defenders to have been bamboozled by Mitoma's fancy footwork which he honed in university study halls. Here's everything you need to know about a graduation thesis the Premier League's full backs may fancy glancing at.

Table Of Contents

Where did kaoru mitoma get his university thesis, what were the findings from kaoru mitoma's thesis, how has kaoru mitoma put his thesis into practice, kaoru mitoma's 2022/23 season so far.

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Aged 19, Mitoma turned down a professional contract from J1 League side Kawasaki Frontale after eight years in the club’s academy. Mitoma deemed that he “wasn’t ready physically” and so enrolled at the University of Tsukuba, an hour and a half south, to learn even more about his own body with a degree in physical education.

While playing for the university side - which is a higher standard in Japan compared to its equivalent in much of Europe - Mitoma set about analysing his dribbling and what made a good dribbler.

“It was the easiest subject for me to choose because I love football and dribbling is what I love to do,” he explained to The Athletic . “I put cameras on the heads of my teammates to study where and what they were looking at and how their opponents were looking at them.”

In his continuing search for improvement, Mitoma pulled upon all of the expertise he could find. According to the Japanese outlet NumberWeb , Mitoma was fascinated by diet practices and even sought out Tsukuba’s associate professor Satoru Tanigawa, a 110m hurdler for Japan at the Sydney and Athens Olympics, to give him tips on his running style.

“I learned that the good players weren’t looking at the ball," Mitoma revealed. "They would look ahead, trap the ball without looking down at their feet. That was the difference. I was one of the better dribblers at that time, but not exceptional.”

Putting aside the limited sample size of his study, Mitoma went on to explain: “I am conscious of shifting the opponent's centre of gravity. If I can move the opponent's body, I win."

By the end of his research, Mitoma concluded: “The power of my characteristic dribbling has doubled."

In his first season after leaving university, Mitoma rattled in 13 goals for his boyhood side Kawasaki Frontale. This was a significant shock for all involved considering that Mitoma had mustered just seven goals in the Kanto University Division 1 League the previous year. The then-22-year-old became just the fifth rookie to hit double digits in J-League history - on top of a league-high 12 assists.

18 months after handing in his thesis, Mitoma penned a contract with Brighton for just €3m.

Mitoma isn’t mentally parsing through his findings amid the fury of a Premier League match. As he explained after finding the net against Everton in January following a weaving run: “It was instinct, rather than a thought process.”

However, after all that study, Mitoma's instinct is influenced by his thesis - much to the detriment of the Premier League's defenders.

Mitoma's profile grew thanks to some super sub appearances at the winter World Cup as Japan pulled off upsets against Spain and Germany.

He has enjoyed a much more prominent role in Roberto De Zerbi's starting XI since the Premier League's resumption, scoring against both Arsenal and Everton before running the show in Brighton's 3-0 victory over Liverpool.

Mitoma then scored a belter from distance against Leicester before netting the winner in the FA Cup clash with Liverpool.

It just gets better every time you watch it 😮‍💨 @OfficialBHAFC #EmiratesFACup 3 pic.twitter.com/QYyDc2OiVu — Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) January 29, 2023

Kaoru Mitoma and how Brighton benefit from his university thesis on dribbling

Strapping cameras to the heads of your team-mates might feel an unusual way to master the art of dribbling.

Yet that eagerness to think outside the box has played a part in making Brighton and Hove Albion’s Japanese winger Kaoru Mitoma such a unique and exciting addition to the Premier League .

Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool — and their England right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold — become the latest opponents to try to find a way of checking the weaving forward’s glorious blend of speed, balance and elusive running at the Amex Stadium today.

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That particular style is born of the blistering pace he possessed as a child, and developed as a football-obsessed student in his late teens back in his homeland.

Mitoma had been in the academy for eight years at Kawasaki Frontale, the four-time champions of Japan’s top-flight J1 League, when, as he approached the age of 19, he turned down a professional contract to study physical education at the University of Tsukuba.

That is a well-trodden route for Japanese players, given the standard of college football is much higher than in Europe.

“I just felt I wasn’t ready physically and that I wouldn’t be in the first team immediately,” Mitoma says. “I thought the best step was to get more playing time and get better.”

As part of his studies, he wrote a thesis on dribbling. “It was the easiest subject for me to choose because I love football and dribbling is what I love to do,” he explains. “There were no rules on how much to write, but I progressed with it by analysing my team-mates that were good and not-so-good dribblers and trying to find out why that was.

“I put cameras on the heads of my team-mates to study where and what they were looking at and how their opponents were looking at them.

“I learned that the good players weren’t looking at the ball. They would look ahead, trap the ball without looking down at their feet. That was the difference.

“I was one of the better dribblers at that time, but not exceptional.”

Even now, Mitoma, who is modest by nature, still regards himself as anything but a dribbling genius. Indeed, he is reluctant to attach too much significance to his university studies when explaining the positive impact he has made in the Premier League with Brighton .

Something stuck, though.

A glance at his goal in the 4-1 win at Liverpool’s neighbours Everton earlier this month, a strike that showcased his dribbling talent and directness, reveals that he kept his head up throughout. The 25-year-old seized his chance after Everton full-back Nathan Patterson failed to cut out a cross-field pass from Moises Caicedo .

Mitoma deliberately pushes the ball ahead of him with his left foot and into space behind the stranded Patterson inside the penalty area, instead of opting for close control.

A body swerve, which sends defender Conor Coady the wrong way, opens up more room as he transfers the ball onto his right foot.

He finishes calmly, placing the ball beyond Jordan Pickford ’s attempt to smother and through the legs of the covering James Tarkowski .

The whole movement is conducted with electric speed, balance and poise. Just four seconds elapse between the Brighton forward receiving possession and the ball finding the back of the Everton net.

Mitoma, speaking via a translator as he learns to cope with the nuances of the English language, says: “I could see the space, so I wanted to kick the ball further to create the space behind with my first touch. Then, (on) the second touch, I was just going right to attack with the shot.

“It was instinct, rather than a thought process.”

Enjoy EVERY angle of Kaoru's third #PL goal… 🤤 @Kaoru_Mitoma ✨ pic.twitter.com/IsMk9ZAcu1 — Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) January 5, 2023

Mitoma’s performances owe much to preparation and self-analysis.

On top of all the detailed information the club provides to players, his representatives supply feedback before and after games in the form of touch maps and videos. Armed with that dossier of data, Mitoma can see his own movements and assess the strengths and weaknesses of upcoming opponents.

He is reaping the rewards.

Mitoma scored a very different type of goal when Brighton won 3-1 at Arsenal in the Carabao Cup in November. The forward began in the same area of the pitch (see below), advancing towards the left-hand edge of the penalty area, as Jeremy Sarmiento ran with the ball through the centre, attracting the attention of the Arsenal defenders.

This time, when he received possession from Sarmiento inside the box, Mitoma went for close control, cutting back by shifting the ball inside from his left foot to his right in one fluid movement.

That created just enough room to squeeze a shot between Cedric Soares and William Saliba and swing the tie in Brighton’s favour, giving them a 2-1 lead early in the second half.

Mitoma has been blessed with rapid pace since he was a child. He’s made a point of exploiting that attribute, tailoring his training to strengthen his legs and make his movements even more explosive.

He had been used as an impact substitute this season by Graham Potter and Roberto De Zerbi until breaking into the Italian’s team with a full Premier League debut in the 4-1 trouncing of Potter’s Chelsea at the Amex Stadium at the end of October.

“Chelsea was big for me,” says Mitoma. “I didn’t want to let my place go.”

Mitoma has maximised his opportunities at club level ever since. He has scored three goals and provided two assists in six starts for Brighton either side of an eventful World Cup with Japan .

He was involved in one of the most controversial moments of the tournament in Qatar. The ball appeared to be out of play when his cut-back was converted by Ao Tanaka in the 2-1 win over Spain — a result which served to knock Germany out at the group stage. The goal stood after a lengthy VAR check.

The technology worked against Mitoma when he had a second goal disallowed for a tight offside decision in the 4-2 home defeat by Arsenal on New Year’s Eve. Had his effort stood, then Brighton would have reduced the arrears to 4-3 and ensured a nervy finish for the Premier League leaders.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, given the scientific edge to his university studies, he has no issue with leaning on technology when it comes to critical on-field decision-making.

“It’s fair, it’s technology, it’s hard to argue with it,” he says. “Obviously, there are emotions when decisions go for or against you, but I’m fine with it.”

Some Japanese observers felt Mitoma was under-used by head coach Hajime Moriyasu at the World Cup. All four of his appearances were from the bench, including in the group victory against Germany and the last-16 exit to Croatia on penalties.

His spot kick in the shoot-out was saved by Dominik Livakovic and he was not among Brighton’s seven penalty-takers when they lost at League One side Charlton last month in a shoot-out which extended to sudden death.

“There are some feelings from that World Cup experience, the confidence level isn’t 100 per cent there,” Mitoma concedes. “But also, it’s the manager’s call as well. He felt there were other guys more confident at that time. I’ll keep practising and working on penalties until I’m more comfortable.”

Mitoma aims to be “one of the leaders for Japan” at the next World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico in 2026.

His impact at Brighton is reflected by rising interest in his exploits back home. Two Japanese reporters now cover Brighton matches regularly, home and away.

Hideo Tamaru, of Japan’s main news agency Kyodo News, tells The Athletic : “The popularity of football in Japan, in general, had been declining recently compared to the peak years (around 2010-2016) when there were quite a few Japanese players in big European clubs, so the success of Mitoma feels like a breath of fresh air.

“Needless to say, the recent success in the World Cup was a massive boost as well. Another thing that Japanese fans like to see is how the players in Europe are being rated in the media in their respective countries. That in itself creates another headline.”

There have been plenty of headline performances in the Premier League for Brighton so far from Mitoma, who has now been joined in England by his wife after she secured a work permit.

There are no limits to what he might achieve under the guidance of De Zerbi.

“Continuing to produce results is what it will take to stay in the starting XI,” adds Mitoma. “The manager has the plans, the strategy, and I am doing all I can to stick with that.

“I love playing under him. There’s a lot of build-up for the ball to come to the wing (and) a lot of actions, which is fun. I want to continue to learn, playing in that style.

“The two main things are to help Brighton into the top rankings and to get more goals and assists.”

(Top photo: Robin Jones/Getty Images)

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Andy Naylor worked for 32.5 years on the sports desk of The Argus, Brighton’s daily newspaper. For the last 25 of those years he was chief sports reporter, primarily responsible for coverage of Brighton and Hove Albion FC. Follow Andy on Twitter @ AndyNaylorBHAFC

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Professor Mitoma

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Kaoru Mitoma has burst onto the scene this season. With the ball sticking his feet like he has glue on his feet, he has left defenders befuddled and tumbling over their own legs as he whizzes past them effortlessly. How did a player who not many saw flourishing to this extent take the Premier League by storm? The answer lies in Kaoru Mitoma’s thesis.

Yes, the Japanese, who is now the apple of the eye of Brighton fans and should soon be in demand, improved his game after studying the art of dribbling deeply as a part of his university thesis. Kaoru Mitoma’s thesis made sure he literally is a student of the game!

Here’s a look at the now iconic Kaoru Mitoma’s thesis story, and how it is helping him fly past dizzy defenders.

Kaoru Mitoma thesis- The background story

How many footballers get offered a professional deal by a club but reject it because they deem themselves to be physically not ready?

Kaoru Mitoma did. When offered a deal by J1 side Kawasaki Frontale, a 19-year-old Mitoma rejected it. Instead, he enrolled at the University of Tsukuba. He quickly realised that what he lacked in brawn at that age had to be overcome by training the brain. And what a training it was.

Insights of Kaoru Mitoma’s thesis on dribbling (from Japanese article/interview) pic.twitter.com/0ZldvFBnGI — ⚖️🇶🇦 (@WholeLottaEM) January 18, 2023

A pure footballer at heart, he quickly dove into the subject of dribbling headfirst. He turned out for his university’s football team and used that education to analyse his dribbling style. He studied what made a good dribbler through new and creative techniques.

In an interview with The Athletic , Mitoma explained,

“I put cameras on the heads of my teammates to study where and what they were looking at and how their opponents were looking at them.”

Not content with visual footage, he analysed all aspects of what made one a good dribbler. Close control is foremost, but running style also makes an efficient dribbler. He sought out the advice of Satoru Tanigawa, an associate professor at his university and a 110m Olympic hurdler on optimum running styles.

Findings of the Kaoru Mitoma Thesis

Such deep and analytical work was not going to go to waste. His main finding came through his technique of putting cameras on his teammates’ foreheads. In the same interview with the Athletic, he opened up on this finding-

“I learned that the good players weren’t looking at the ball. They would look ahead, trap the ball without looking down at their feet. That was the difference. I am conscious of shifting the opponent’s centre of gravity. If I can move the opponent’s body, I win.”

Mitoma concluded his thesis with a message that, with the benefit of hindsight, is ominous reading for defenders who were about to face him. He wrote-

“The power of my characteristic dribbling has doubled.”

Effects on his game

Needless to say, Mitoma has exploded at every level since his thesis. After finishing his course at the university, he felt he was ready to take on the challenge of the Japanese league.

Signed by the same club whose advances he rebuffed earlier, Kawasaki Frontale, Mitoma took the J1 League by storm.

He struck 13 goals and laid on 12 assists in the season in his debut season, breaking numerous records in the process. That one season was enough to convince Brighton that Mitoma was a diamond in the rough who could be carved into something special. However, Mitoma spent another season in J1 League after which he was finally signed by Brighton, who loaned him to Union Saint-Gilloise .

Kaoru Mitoma's dribbling creates CHANCES 😬 #EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/SuNelrDHwf — Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) April 23, 2023

Mitoma mania was by now up and running. His slick dribbling skills and ability to know when to release the ball blew away opponents. He had nine goal contributions in just 1,187 minutes of football, a very good figure for a player playing his first season in Europe.

Deemed ready for the rigours of the Premier League after the loan, the rest is history. As the Japanese superstar continues making defenders look silly, Kaoru Mitoma’s thesis on dribbling has achieved cult status.

*This article is sponsored by Fastrack , which brings you the best sports watches in funky, trendy, and cool designs.

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Kaoru Mitoma at Brighton: From the university dribbling thesis to brilliance in Belgium and finishing like Thierry Henry

How Kaoru Mitoma, the dribbling master who ‘finishes like Thierry Henry’, has his own colleagues laughing at his rare talent. Adam Bate speaks to Mitoma’s former team-mate to find out more about what makes the Brighton winger so special…

Comment and Analysis @ghostgoal

Monday 30 January 2023 10:12, UK

As recently as October of 2021, Kaoru Mitoma had yet to start a game since moving to Europe. He was on loan and on the bench for Union Saint-Gilloise in Belgium. But with his team two goals and one man down to Seraing, they needed something different.

Mitoma came on at half-time. By full-time, he had inspired an extraordinary comeback, scoring an improbable hat-trick in a 4-2 win. "It was the Kaoru Mitoma show," Christian Burgess, Union's English defender, tells Sky Sports . "He just destroyed them."

It was a glimpse of what is becoming an increasingly frequent sight for Premier League audiences. Since breaking into the Brighton starting line-up in the thrashing of Chelsea, Mitoma has been a revelation, emerging as one of the most exciting players around.

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His opening goal against Leicester last Saturday was his best yet, finding the top corner of Danny Ward's net from outside the penalty box. Leandro Trossard has left for Arsenal but Brighton supporters are already convinced that his replacement can be even better.

Mitoma inspired the comeback at Wolves, scored home and away against Arsenal, began the recent rout of Everton and shone again in beating Liverpool. A dribbler who can glide beyond defenders and an unusually calm finisher, the sight of him in full flow is a joy.

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Burgess had predicted this impact, whether it was tipping off a Brighton fan to stick him in his fantasy team or mentioning to their goalkeeper Jason Steele during a pre-season game that Mitoma was the real deal. It had not taken Burgess long to be convinced.

"I remember one of his first training sessions," he says.

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"He was just electric. Those first few steps are so fast that he was destroying my friend Jonas Bager. Thankfully, he was on my team so me and this other Danish guy Casper Nielsen were just laughing at Jonas. He went past him three times with ease.

"Jonas is not someone you want to wind up by doing that to him. He was like, 'Watch this.' The next time he just took Kaoru out. We were just laughing because it was the only way to stop him. Jonas, bless him, is not the quickest, but nobody really had a chance.

"That was my first memory of him. You could just see he was very good. He had the technical ability and he obviously had the physical attributes. But he also had this coldness on the ball that made him a standout player who could make the transition."

His opening goal at Goodison Park was perhaps the clearest example yet of this particular quality. He touched the ball only three times - one to evade Nathan Patterson, another to skip beyond Conor Coady and the last to stroke the ball beyond Jordan Pickford.

As with his goal against Arsenal just days earlier, Mitoma passed it into the far corner. There have been only a handful of examples of it just yet, but there have been enough of them to prompt an eye-opening comparison from his former team-mate in Belgium.

"He finishes like Thierry Henry," says Burgess. "He is just so nonchalant at finishing into the far corner, whether it is in training and or in games. It is a strange one because most people panic but he seems to have so much time on the ball in those situations."

Mitoma's game is about more than goals. He is the only player in the Premier League to rank among the top 10 for goals scored from open play and expected assists from open play per 90 minutes. In other words, nobody is scoring and creating as regularly as he does.

It is his skill in one-on-one situations that has allowed him to find those positions, ranking third for completed dribbles per 90 minutes this season. His old team-mate at Union might have been the first to be twisted inside-out on European soil but he was not the last.

Maybe it helps that Mitoma is a student of the game, quite literally. He chose to attend the University of Tsukuba rather than enter the professional game at 18 and it has since attracted considerable media attention that he wrote his thesis on the art of dribbling.

Curiously, it means that he had something in common with Burgess, who was studying history at the University of Birmingham when he was offered a contract at Middlesbrough. Not that the two men were aware of their similar routes into the game at the time.

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"I found out on social media, it is an amazing story. Kaoru did not speak much English so you could not find out much about him. All we knew is that he had come from Japan, signed with Brighton, and now he was with us. We knew absolutely nothing about him.

"But he was a really good lad, very humble and quiet. He just smiled all the time and laughed at the jokes even if he did not understand but I think he understood more than he could say. At least he led us to believe that. But to get stuff out of him was harder.

"It must have been so tough for him because he barely spoke any English so you did not hear much from him. Imagine not being able to communicate. But his English did improve during his time at Union because it is mainly an English-speaking club."

Indeed, it is not the only thing that improved. Perhaps that is to be expected given that Mitoma has made only 23 starts in league football since moving to Europe. At 25, his university background might mean that he is a late developer. There is more to come.

"It is funny because he did not start every game for us. He used to come on when the opposition were a little bit tired and his pace would blow them out of the water. It was only as the season went on that he really got into it and started playing 90 minutes.

"A different side to him began to come out in the play-offs. You saw him fighting a lot more. Against Club Brugge, he was really putting his body about. Add that winner's attitude that he had to his quality on the ball and you have a special player on your hands."

A similar process is happening at Brighton. Mitoma completed a whole Premier League game only once prior to the World Cup but has now done so in four of their last five matches. It underlines his growing importance, the sense that this could be his time.

"To see him playing at the World Cup was the icing on the cake, really. I was proud to have played with him. There was no ego with him so it is really nice to see him doing so well at Brighton and he is still young so he is going to develop. He is just a top player."

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“Dribbling Is What I Love”- Japanese Soccer Player Kaoru Mitoma Once Detailed His University Research in Dribbling

Brighton and Hove Albion v Liverpool FA Cup 29/01/2023. Fourth Round Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Kaoru Mitoma 22 during the FA Cup 4th round match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Liverpool at the American Express Community Stadium, Brighton and Hove, England on 29 January 2023. Editorial use only PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxUK , Copyright: xIanxStephenx PSI-16803-0116

The Premier League season started after the FIFA World Cup break. Teams like Liverpool and Chelsea are still struggling for results. However, some teams are improving every passing day, and Brighton and Hove Albion are one of them. They knocked out Liverpool from the fourth round of the FA Cup on Sunday, and a Japanese soccer player is making the news after scoring the winner in the game. 

Kaoru Mitoma, who plays as a winger for Brighton, is in scintillating form for the seagulls. His recent performances have caught the eyes of fans. He is proving to be a menace to defenders with his dribbling skills. But do you know, he went to university to learn to dribble?

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Japanese soccer star wrote a thesis on dribbling at University

Mitoma, at the age of 19, left the Japanese club Kawasaki Frontale to learn to take a degree in physical education. He deemed himself not ready to play in the league and went for further studies. He started analyzing dribbling skills during his studies and ended up researching and writing a thesis on the same. 

Kaoru Mitoma has four goals and an assist in his last six games. Hard to believe Brighton paid just over $3M for him from Kawasaki Frontale in 2021 ✨ pic.twitter.com/MavWCsvTnL — B/R Football (@brfootball) January 29, 2023

Speaking to The Athletic, the Japanese winger said ,  “It was the easiest subject for me to choose because I love football, and dribbling is what I love to do. I put cameras on the heads of my teammates to study where and what they were looking at and how their opponents were looking at them.”

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Mitoma thinks great dribblers don’t look at the ball but trap the ball at their feet and dribble. He found out that if the dribbler can move the body of the defender, the chances of a successful dribble increase. The 25-year-old feels his instinct has increased based on the thesis, and it’s not great news for the Premier League defenders. His brilliant finish against Liverpool on Sunday was a good example of it. 

Mitoma is in form great form after the World Cup break

Brighton signed the Japanese left winger for just over from J1 side Kawasaki Frontale for just over 3 million USD. He has netted three goals in five appearances so far in the Premier League. But above all, he can go past the top defenders with his dribbling, which makes him more lethal. 

VIDEO: Fuming Fan Throws a Bottle at Chelsea Superstar After Time-Wasting Efforts in Recent Premier League Win

He also has a goal and an assist in two FA Cup games this month, and his winner against Liverpool is making rounds. Brighton is currently sixth in the table and will hope Mitoma continues his form. They will face AFC Bournemouth next on Saturday and are waiting to know their FA Cup opponents for the next round.

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Do you think the research at University on dribbling is really helping Mitoma? Let us know in the comments your thoughts on his recent performances.

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Kaoru Mitoma: How a degree in dribbling shaped Brighton’s breakout star

The japan winger, who has shone since the premier league returned from the world cup break, wrote a university thesis on the subject.

L ittle wonder Kaoru Mitoma has been terrorising Premier League full backs recently — he wrote a university thesis analysing dribbling only a few years ago.

Mitoma, 25, has been one of the surprise stars of the English top flight since its post-World Cup resumption, with three goals and an assist in his past five league games for Brighton & Hove Albion. It is his ability with the ball at his feet, however, that has academic backing.

The Japan winger initially shunned turning professional to attend the University of Tsukuba, 50km northeast of central Tokyo, where his research centred on running with the ball while recording how he and his opponent reacted. One aim was to work out the best way to get past. Wearing a

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Mitoma's dribbling thesis leaves Wolves in pieces: Moment of the Weekend

• Anirudh Menon

14 minutes into the game, the score reads 0-0. Wolverhampton Wanderers , fresh off utterly dominating Manchester United (even if they lost that one ) are keeping Brighton & Hove Albion at arm's length; and comfortably so. Which is when Pervis Estupinan gently prods the ball forward to Kaoru Mitoma .

Mitoma isn't your regular footballer. At 18, instead of turning professional, he went to college -- the University of Tsukuba -- to major in physical education and settle into senior football via their amateur college league. To get the degree, though, he needed to submit a thesis. The topic he chose for it? Dribbling.

A translation of Mitoma's thesis on information processing of the attacking side in 1v1 football situations pic.twitter.com/wXY5wy5bQQ - Eric Njiru (@EricNjiiru) February 4, 2023

Eyes up, frame upright, he receives the ball down the left touchline just past the halfway line, heels kissing the white paint. In front of him is Nelson Semedo , who's coming off a brilliant display against Alejandro Garnacho (and later Jadon Sancho ) at Old Trafford. He's confident and he's got his body position exactly the way they teach in fullback defense 101: split stance, body open towards the touchline, showing the winger down the outside. Take me on down the line, it suggests, go on then... perfect for a defender as rapid as Semedo is. Well, almost perfect.

Speaking to ESPN last season, Mitoma had explained his thought process when it comes to dribbling: "First, I look at the opponent's centre of gravity, posture, body movement, then I think about my options."

Brighton's Kaoru Mitoma says his evolution into a star winger in the Premier League has nothing to do with his university project.

Semedo's posture is just a bit too overcommitted to showing him down the line, the centre of gravity not quite where it should be. After the initial couple of touches to assess Semedo's body movement, Mitoma jags sharply inside. That's enough to throw the fullback off-balance, and by the time he recovers, Mitoma's past him.

An attempted shoulder pullback from Semedo makes Mitoma lean back a touch, but momentum is the Japanese forward's friend now. He screams forward, racing toward the Wolves box. Semedo chases, but quick as he is, he has no chance now. The pursuing Joao Gomes , even less so.

Craig Dawson is ahead of Mitoma, but he's caught in two minds - to cover the left flank, where in the space Semedo should have occupied, now lurks Brighton's Julio Encisco - or to step back into the middle and cut off Mitoma. By the time he realises Mitoma's going for goal, it's too late. He knows it too, and shouts furiously at the pacier Max Kilman to cover.

In that same ESPN interview, Mitoma had said that the whole thesis-in-dribbling bit had been way too exaggerated. "I can say that the thesis has almost nothing to do with my current play style. I chose the theme because it would be easy to write about. I simply wanted to finish my degree." Which is fair enough, but it's hard not to get carried away by the quick feet and the even quicker decision making Mitoma displays on occasion. Like this one.

Kilman reads the situation and closes down the straight route. Mitoma, fast as he's going, has seen this, and already recalibrated. One touch of his right boot, and ball and man are going past Kilman like he isn't even there.

Desperate, he pulls Mitoma back, tugging on that right shoulder again, making Mitoma lean back again... but this time he uses that to his advantage. Already leaning back, he 'Thierry Henrys' one into the bottom far corner. Just the way he loves doing it.

An old teammate of his from Union Saint-Gilloise, Christian Burgess, told Sky Sports last season that "he finishes like Thierry Henry. He is just so nonchalant at finishing into the far corner, whether it is in training and or in games. It is a strange one because most people panic but he seems to have so much time on the ball in those situations."

From first touch to last, the whole thing had lasted seven seconds. By the time he had got in front of the goalkeeper, Jose Sa , he ought to have been out of breath, his touch ought to have been just that bit less assured, but no. Head up, body upright, Mitoma knew just what to do.

He will repeat that his thesis and his dribbling have nothing to do with each other; but the more we see of Mitoma at the highest level, the more evident it's becoming that he's a devout student of the art. You can see it in how he varies his dribbling - small, quick touches when assessing the situation. Much longer, much fewer touches when he's shifted into high gear. He took five touches of the ball before getting past Semedo with his sixth. He took just five more to cover the remaining two-thirds of the distance.

There's no banking on deflections, or luck, or pure pace and power here... every touch is measured, taken for a reason, every change in direction executed with one clear aim in mind. In an era of pass-pass-pass with a hint of push-it-forward-and-sprint, it's a throwback and then some.

And so, this display of technical excellence - performed so well by this student of dribbling - is ESPN India's moment of the weekend.

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Exploring what thesis Kaoru Mitoma studied as Brighton No.22 runs riot in England

Kaoru Mitoma thesis has become a commonly searched term on Google as many aim to know more about the Arsenal target.

Mikel Arteta is said to be keen on bringing the Japan international to the Emirates Stadium after missing out on Mykhaylo Mudryk to Chelsea – according to 90min .

The 25-year-old has performed superbly for Brighton since his £4.5m move from Kawasaki Frontale, scoring three goals in 13 Premier League appearances so far this season.

So, what thesis did Mitoma study? Let’s take a look…

Mitoma thesis

Well, the Brighton No.22 is clearly a deep thinker, as he made a significant decision at the age of 18.

Mitoma was offered the chance to play for Kawasaki Frontale after earning a promotion from the Under-18 side, but instead chose to study at the University of Tsukuba.

The Kanagawa-born forward actually wrote his thesis on dribbling at the University of Tsukuba, before agreeing to sign a professional contract back at Kawasaki Frontale once finishing his studies.

Speaking about his thesis, Mitoma told The Athletic : “It was the easiest subject for me to choose because I love football and dribbling is what I love to do. There were no rules on how much to write, but I progressed with it by analysing my team-mates that were good and not-so-good dribblers and trying to find out why that was.

“I put cameras on the heads of my team-mates to study where and what they were looking at and how their opponents were looking at them. I learned that the good players weren’t looking at the ball. They would look ahead, trap the ball without looking down at their feet. That was the difference.”

Clearly, Mitoma became an expert while writing his thesis, as he now excels at dribbling in the Premier League.

The Brighton No.22 terrorised Liverpool as the Seagulls recorded a 3-0 win over the Reds on Saturday 14th January, where Trent Alexander-Arnold in particular endured a very tough afternoon, as you can see below.

Many wingers have battered Trent this season but Mitoma might just be the most wicked of them all. This right here is pure violation https://t.co/PcoXbyxAdw — Renato (@rehnato) January 16, 2023

Kaoru Mitoma profile

Full name: Kaoru Mitoma

Height: 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)

Place of birth: Kanagawa

Nationality: Japan

Date of birth: 20th May 1997

Club: Brighton and Hove Albion

Position: Winger

Salary: £20,000-a-week

• MORE: '100%': Darren Bent would take £325,000-a-week Chelsea ace at Arsenal

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Mitoma's dribbling thesis leaves Wolves in pieces: Moment of the Weekend

• Anirudh Menon

14 minutes into the game, the score reads 0-0. Wolverhampton Wanderers , fresh off utterly dominating Manchester United (even if they lost that one ) are keeping Brighton & Hove Albion at arm's length; and comfortably so. Which is when Pervis Estupinan gently prods the ball forward to Kaoru Mitoma .

Mitoma isn't your regular footballer. At 18, instead of turning professional, he went to college -- the University of Tsukuba -- to major in physical education and settle into senior football via their amateur college league. To get the degree, though, he needed to submit a thesis. The topic he chose for it? Dribbling.

A translation of Mitoma's thesis on information processing of the attacking side in 1v1 football situations pic.twitter.com/wXY5wy5bQQ - Eric Njiru (@EricNjiiru) February 4, 2023

Eyes up, frame upright, he receives the ball down the left touchline just past the halfway line, heels kissing the white paint. In front of him is Nelson Semedo , who's coming off a brilliant display against Alejandro Garnacho (and later Jadon Sancho ) at Old Trafford. He's confident and he's got his body position exactly the way they teach in fullback defense 101: split stance, body open towards the touchline, showing the winger down the outside. Take me on down the line, it suggests, go on then... perfect for a defender as rapid as Semedo is. Well, almost perfect.

Speaking to ESPN last season, Mitoma had explained his thought process when it comes to dribbling: "First, I look at the opponent's centre of gravity, posture, body movement, then I think about my options."

Brighton's Kaoru Mitoma says his evolution into a star winger in the Premier League has nothing to do with his university project.

Semedo's posture is just a bit too overcommitted to showing him down the line, the centre of gravity not quite where it should be. After the initial couple of touches to assess Semedo's body movement, Mitoma jags sharply inside. That's enough to throw the fullback off-balance, and by the time he recovers, Mitoma's past him.

An attempted shoulder pullback from Semedo makes Mitoma lean back a touch, but momentum is the Japanese forward's friend now. He screams forward, racing toward the Wolves box. Semedo chases, but quick as he is, he has no chance now. The pursuing Joao Gomes , even less so.

Craig Dawson is ahead of Mitoma, but he's caught in two minds - to cover the left flank, where in the space Semedo should have occupied, now lurks Brighton's Julio Encisco - or to step back into the middle and cut off Mitoma. By the time he realises Mitoma's going for goal, it's too late. He knows it too, and shouts furiously at the pacier Max Kilman to cover.

In that same ESPN interview, Mitoma had said that the whole thesis-in-dribbling bit had been way too exaggerated. "I can say that the thesis has almost nothing to do with my current play style. I chose the theme because it would be easy to write about. I simply wanted to finish my degree." Which is fair enough, but it's hard not to get carried away by the quick feet and the even quicker decision making Mitoma displays on occasion. Like this one.

Kilman reads the situation and closes down the straight route. Mitoma, fast as he's going, has seen this, and already recalibrated. One touch of his right boot, and ball and man are going past Kilman like he isn't even there.

Desperate, he pulls Mitoma back, tugging on that right shoulder again, making Mitoma lean back again... but this time he uses that to his advantage. Already leaning back, he 'Thierry Henrys' one into the bottom far corner. Just the way he loves doing it.

An old teammate of his from Union Saint-Gilloise, Christian Burgess, told Sky Sports last season that "he finishes like Thierry Henry. He is just so nonchalant at finishing into the far corner, whether it is in training and or in games. It is a strange one because most people panic but he seems to have so much time on the ball in those situations."

From first touch to last, the whole thing had lasted seven seconds. By the time he had got in front of the goalkeeper, Jose Sa , he ought to have been out of breath, his touch ought to have been just that bit less assured, but no. Head up, body upright, Mitoma knew just what to do.

He will repeat that his thesis and his dribbling have nothing to do with each other; but the more we see of Mitoma at the highest level, the more evident it's becoming that he's a devout student of the art. You can see it in how he varies his dribbling - small, quick touches when assessing the situation. Much longer, much fewer touches when he's shifted into high gear. He took five touches of the ball before getting past Semedo with his sixth. He took just five more to cover the remaining two-thirds of the distance.

There's no banking on deflections, or luck, or pure pace and power here... every touch is measured, taken for a reason, every change in direction executed with one clear aim in mind. In an era of pass-pass-pass with a hint of push-it-forward-and-sprint, it's a throwback and then some.

And so, this display of technical excellence - performed so well by this student of dribbling - is ESPN India's moment of the weekend.

Welcome to ESPN India Edition

Mitoma's dribbling thesis leaves Wolves in pieces: Moment of the Weekend

• Anirudh Menon

14 minutes into the game, the score reads 0-0. Wolverhampton Wanderers , fresh off utterly dominating Manchester United (even if they lost that one ) are keeping Brighton & Hove Albion at arm's length; and comfortably so. Which is when Pervis Estupinan gently prods the ball forward to Kaoru Mitoma .

Mitoma isn't your regular footballer. At 18, instead of turning professional, he went to college -- the University of Tsukuba -- to major in physical education and settle into senior football via their amateur college league. To get the degree, though, he needed to submit a thesis. The topic he chose for it? Dribbling.

A translation of Mitoma's thesis on information processing of the attacking side in 1v1 football situations pic.twitter.com/wXY5wy5bQQ - Eric Njiru (@EricNjiiru) February 4, 2023

Eyes up, frame upright, he receives the ball down the left touchline just past the halfway line, heels kissing the white paint. In front of him is Nelson Semedo , who's coming off a brilliant display against Alejandro Garnacho (and later Jadon Sancho ) at Old Trafford. He's confident and he's got his body position exactly the way they teach in fullback defense 101: split stance, body open towards the touchline, showing the winger down the outside. Take me on down the line, it suggests, go on then... perfect for a defender as rapid as Semedo is. Well, almost perfect.

Speaking to ESPN last season, Mitoma had explained his thought process when it comes to dribbling: "First, I look at the opponent's centre of gravity, posture, body movement, then I think about my options."

Brighton's Kaoru Mitoma says his evolution into a star winger in the Premier League has nothing to do with his university project.

Semedo's posture is just a bit too overcommitted to showing him down the line, the centre of gravity not quite where it should be. After the initial couple of touches to assess Semedo's body movement, Mitoma jags sharply inside. That's enough to throw the fullback off-balance, and by the time he recovers, Mitoma's past him.

An attempted shoulder pullback from Semedo makes Mitoma lean back a touch, but momentum is the Japanese forward's friend now. He screams forward, racing toward the Wolves box. Semedo chases, but quick as he is, he has no chance now. The pursuing Joao Gomes , even less so.

Craig Dawson is ahead of Mitoma, but he's caught in two minds - to cover the left flank, where in the space Semedo should have occupied, now lurks Brighton's Julio Encisco - or to step back into the middle and cut off Mitoma. By the time he realises Mitoma's going for goal, it's too late. He knows it too, and shouts furiously at the pacier Max Kilman to cover.

In that same ESPN interview, Mitoma had said that the whole thesis-in-dribbling bit had been way too exaggerated. "I can say that the thesis has almost nothing to do with my current play style. I chose the theme because it would be easy to write about. I simply wanted to finish my degree." Which is fair enough, but it's hard not to get carried away by the quick feet and the even quicker decision making Mitoma displays on occasion. Like this one.

Kilman reads the situation and closes down the straight route. Mitoma, fast as he's going, has seen this, and already recalibrated. One touch of his right boot, and ball and man are going past Kilman like he isn't even there.

Desperate, he pulls Mitoma back, tugging on that right shoulder again, making Mitoma lean back again... but this time he uses that to his advantage. Already leaning back, he 'Thierry Henrys' one into the bottom far corner. Just the way he loves doing it.

An old teammate of his from Union Saint-Gilloise, Christian Burgess, told Sky Sports last season that "he finishes like Thierry Henry. He is just so nonchalant at finishing into the far corner, whether it is in training and or in games. It is a strange one because most people panic but he seems to have so much time on the ball in those situations."

From first touch to last, the whole thing had lasted seven seconds. By the time he had got in front of the goalkeeper, Jose Sa , he ought to have been out of breath, his touch ought to have been just that bit less assured, but no. Head up, body upright, Mitoma knew just what to do.

He will repeat that his thesis and his dribbling have nothing to do with each other; but the more we see of Mitoma at the highest level, the more evident it's becoming that he's a devout student of the art. You can see it in how he varies his dribbling - small, quick touches when assessing the situation. Much longer, much fewer touches when he's shifted into high gear. He took five touches of the ball before getting past Semedo with his sixth. He took just five more to cover the remaining two-thirds of the distance.

There's no banking on deflections, or luck, or pure pace and power here... every touch is measured, taken for a reason, every change in direction executed with one clear aim in mind. In an era of pass-pass-pass with a hint of push-it-forward-and-sprint, it's a throwback and then some.

And so, this display of technical excellence - performed so well by this student of dribbling - is ESPN India's moment of the weekend.

Mitoma masters the art of dribbling to lead Brighton charge

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DEBUT SEASON

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Mitoma, who wrote a thesis on dribbling, wins hearts as Brighton knock Liverpool out of FA Cup

Fans have taken to social media to praise Brighton's Kaoru Mitoma following his late winner against Liverpool in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Brighton's forward Kaoru Mitoma is winning the hearts of several football enthusiasts worldwide. The 23-year-old Japanese sensation scored a spectacular late goal against Liverpool in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Sunday to knock the defending champions out, leaving fans of the Reds in utter dismay.

In the 92nd minute of the clash at Falmer Stadium, Mitoma produced a magical moment for Roberto De Zerbi's team by deftly handling the ball and blasting it past Alisson from close range.

Fans have taken note of Mitoma's spectacular finish after his fifth goal in his six outings in all competitions for the Seagulls. Supporters have stated that Mitoma, who wrote a thesis on dribbling in university, is the kind of player who deserves a 100 million euros deal.

"Think I should keep this as a draft tweet…. MITOMA IS MAGIC!!!" wrote broadcaster Jules Breach, who is a Brighton supporter. Another fan noted, "Now Mitoma is the kind of player you pay €100M for."

The victory on Sunday is Brighton's second win over Jurgen Klopp's men in as many weeks, and some have argued that the reputation of Trent Alexander-Arnold has taken a hit.

"Mitoma has done serious damage to Trent's reputation over the last two weeks man," tweeted a third fan of Brighton.

Mitoma took a touch to remove the ball from Joe Gomez's path before releasing his shot. "That second touch from Mitoma is DISGUSTING," said another fan.

At the halfway point, Harvey Elliott gave Liverpool the advantage. Before Mitoma's late winning strike, Brighton came back and scored an equaliser through Lewis Dunk.

Here's a look at how fans reacted to Mitoma's sensational goal against Liverpool in the 4th round of the FA Cup:

• Kaoru Mitoma
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Kaoru Mitoma Masters the Art of Dribbling to Lead Brighton Charge

Published By : Ritayan Basu

Last Updated: March 20, 2023, 17:46 IST

Brighton & Hove Albion's Kaoru Mitoma (AP)

Kaoru Mitoma has been a revelation in the final third for Brighton & Hove Albion this season

Kaoru Mitoma’s pace and movement in the final third has been a breath of fresh air for Brighton & Hove Albion this season, but his skills on the ball come as no surprise with the Japanese winger having written a thesis in the art of dribbling.

Mitoma conducted his research while at the University of Tsukuba by strapping cameras to his team mates’ heads to observe their reactions and field of vision when an attacking player received the ball.

Armed with a physical education degree, he then tested his theories on the pitch to become one of the J League’s best players before moving to Europe.

Mitoma has since been schooling Premier League defenders after breaking into the first team, a blue-white blur who almost makes time stand still when he cuts into the box as opponents second guess his next move.

With his close control, his acceleration with the ball and a unique ability to decelerate to a standstill almost at will, the 25-year-old once seen as a raw talent has mastered the art of dribbling in one of Europe’s most physical leagues.

“I am conscious of shifting the opponent’s centre of gravity. If I can move the opponent’s body, I win,” Mitoma had said.

Little was known of Mitoma until he burst on to the scene at the World Cup where he assisted the winner in Japan’s famous victory over Spain with an almighty stretch and cutback when the ball was millimetres from going out.

Having played 90 minutes for Brighton only once before his adventures in Qatar, Mitoma is now one of the first names on the team sheet after Roberto De Zerbi took charge and Leandro Trossard was shipped to Arsenal.

DEBUT SEASON

Nine goals and four assists in 18 starts in his debut season is more than Brighton could have hoped for after the south-coast club signed him for 2.5 million pounds ($3.04 million) from then J-League champions Kawasaki Frontale.

He netted in three games in a row at one stage — including an audacious winner that knocked Liverpool out of the FA Cup — while he has either scored or assisted a goal in his last five appearances in all competitions.

“Mitoma is a crucial part of the team for us because one-against-one in the last 25 metres, he’s one of the most important players,” De Zerbi said.

Ever since Chelsea prised away Graham Potter and Brighton tied down wantaway midfielder Moises Caicedo to a long-term contract, Mitoma has arguably become one of their biggest assets alongside World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister.

But De Zerbi has no intention of losing a precious gem with Brighton potentially playing in Europe for the first time next season.

The Seagulls are seventh in the league with games in hand while they also progressed to the semi-finals of the FA Cup.

“For him it’s the first year in the Premier League, it’s important for us. But also, it’s important for him to play another year with us,” De Zerbi added.

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Brighton’s £3m star Kaoru Mitoma snubbed football stardom for a uni degree and wrote a thesis on the art of dribbling

• Published : 8:54 ET, Jan 30 2023

BRIGHTON'S FA Cup hero Kaoru Mitoma is, literally, a student of the game.

The Japanese winger , 25, has been a sensation for the Seagulls - scoring against Arsenal and Liverpool this season.

But, at the age of 19, he doubted his own ability and chose to snub a professional contract in his homeland in favour of a degree.

He enrolled at the prestigious University of Tsukuba, where he studied physical education and learned about sports science and his body.

It was there he starred in the college team, before writing his thesis on the art of dribbling - a skill that has served him well in the Premier League and seen him torture the likes of Ben White and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Not ready physically

Mitoma began training with four-time champions Kawasaki Frontale at the age of 11.

After impressing coaches, he was offered a professional contract.

However, the teenager admirably turned it down - admitting his shortcomings.

“I just felt I wasn’t ready physically and that I wouldn’t be in the first team immediately,” Mitoma told The Athletic .

“I thought the best step was to get more playing time and get better.”

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Instead, he signed up to do Physical Education at the University of Tsukuba - which is consistently ranked in Japan's top 10 universities.

It not only gave Mitoma the opportunity to understand the human body, it also allowed him to blossom as a footballer.

In the Far East, playing university football is recognised as a higher standard than its European equivalent.

Mitoma was selected to represent Japan at the 2017 and 2019 Universiade tournaments, as well as the 2018 Asian Games and the 2019 Toulon Tournament with the U23 national team.

Playing in the Kanto University Soccer League with Tsukuba, he was also named in the all-league XI in his final three seasons.

He also celebrated winning the Denso Cup in 2019 with his team-mates.

All this while majoring in physical education.

Dribbling wizard

Renowned for his pace and unique dribbling ability, in his final year at university Mitoma was tasked with writing his thesis.

He chose to focus on the art of dribbling - thinking of his own skills and what makes a good dribbler.

"It was the easiest subject for me to choose because I love football and dribbling is what I love to do,” he explained.

“There were no rules on how much to write, but I progressed with it by analysing my team-mates that were good and not-so-good dribblers and trying to find out why that was.

“I put cameras on the heads of my team-mates to study where and what they were looking at and how their opponents were looking at them.

“I learned that the good players weren’t looking at the ball. They would look ahead, trap the ball without looking down at their feet. That was the difference.

“I was one of the better dribblers at that time, but not exceptional.”

Putting his own thesis to practice, he wrote: “I am conscious of shifting the opponent's centre of gravity. If I can move the opponent's body, I win."

He concluded: “The power of my characteristic dribbling has doubled."

Graduation & making it pro

In 2018, Mitoma signed pro for Kawasaki Frontale - finally making his debut in 2020 after the Covid outbreak halted the football world.

Aged 22, in his first full debut season, he hit double figures - becoming just the fifth rookie to score as many in J-League history.

Even more impressively, the midfielder notched 12 assists - more than anyone else in the competition.

A meagre 18 months after he handed his dribbling thesis in - he was signed by Brighton .

The fee - just £3million - appears to be a bargain now.

Last season, he spent time on loan at Union SG in Belgium's top league - where he acclimatised to European football and scored eight times in 29 games.

This campaign, ex-boss Graham Potter thrust the talent into the first team - used initially as an impact player from the bench to bamboozle defenders with tired legs.

The World Cup break also acted as a springboard for the wideman.

Many felt Mitoma was underused by Japan in Qatar - making all his four appearances as a sub.

But, that didn't stop him from playing a major role in the most controversial moment of the tournament.

His cut-back, when the ball was seemingly out against Spain , contributed to his country's 2-1 triumph - knocking Germany out at the group stages.

Like a Shakespeare play, there was tragedy too - when he missed a spot kick in the last-16 defeat to Croatia.

Since then, Mitoma has returned as a man on a mission.

He has mustered three goals in five Premier League games, including a recent stunner against Leicester City in a thrilling 2-2 draw.

Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool were also dumped out of the FA Cup by Mitoma's quick-feet and calmness in front of goal - deep in injury time - as he volleyed home.

With Brighton letting the likes of Leandro Trossard go, and the increasing likelihood of Moises Caicedo leaving one day soon too, it is almost inevitable their new talisman will command a substantial fee.

Expect it to draw in another massive profit on the meagre £3million they paid.

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Fact check: Is it true that Mitoma wrote a thesis on the art of dribbling?

Some tweets and articles claiming that "Mitoma wrote his thesis on the art of dribbling" have been circulating.

First, the story is true: according to the database of the Japan Association of Universities of Education , he submitted a thesis entitled "A Study of Information Processing by Attackers in 1v1 Situations in Football Games"(サッカーの1対1場面における攻撃側の情報処理に関する研究).

According to another magazine article , in that project he fixed GoPro to his own and his teammates' heads and analyzed where and when they looked. This revealed where they were looking when dribbling successfully and established a base for better decision-making. According to the author of the article, the tips were carefully written and described.

Can I read the thesis?

Generally, the undergraduates' thesis in Japan is not made public for reasons of administrative burden. However, the bound paper itself is kept in the laboratory, and the aforementioned reporter also read it and wrote his opinion on the thesis. It is certainly possible to read it by making an appointment and visiting the laboratory. It is written in Japanese and would need a good translator.

Thesis for the bachelor's degree

The terms 'thesis' and 'dissertation' have opposite meanings in the U.S. and the U.K., and Mitoma's 'thesis' refers American meaning: a project for a bachelor's degree. Usually, Google Translate follows the American usage.

United Kingdom in the United Kingdom, the term thesis is usually associated with PhD/ EngD (doctoral) and research master's degrees, while dissertation is the more common term for a substantial project submitted as part of a taught master's degree or an undergraduate degree. United States At most universities, dissertation is the term for the required submission for the doctorate, and thesis refers only to the master's degree requirement. Thesis is also used to describe a cumulative project for a bachelor's degree and is more common at selective colleges and universities, or for those seeking admittance to graduate school or to obtain an honors academic designation.

An undergraduate project is very different in quality from the research for submission for the doctorate. When students' understanding and the supervisor's education is matched, the thesis will have enough quality for publication after external review, but such cases are not common.

University of Tsukuba

The University of Tsukuba is a general university with its origins in the normal school (teacher training college). It is a relatively highly regarded university in Japan. The faculty that Mitoma entered is similar to the Moray House School of Education and Sport , which is part of the University of Edinburgh.

While many athletes in American collegiate sports can be considered semi-professional, Tsukuba University does not admit such students, and Mitoma's admission was based on academic merit.

The university is one of the centers of sports science in Japan, and he cites scientific physical training and the study of foot movement for maximum speed as things he gained at the university.

Why did he turn down an offer from a proffesional team to go to university?

When he was offered a contract by Kawasaki Frontale, he thought his own physicality was immature . In fact, he recalls several times that at age 20 he had several absences due to lack of fitness and considered it a goal to be improved upon. Of course, he also felt the need to improve in the mental and technical areas .

His thesis is not at the level of a PhD, but it is a serious project done at a high-level university.

The following thread (in Spanish) is a good quality digest of several articles, including this one.

De priorizar sus estudios universitarios por sobre un inmediato debut profesional a ser la gran irrupción de la Premier League. En el medio, una tesis que se ha vuelto famosa por analizar el regate en el fútbol. Acá, la historia de Kaoru Mitoma. pic.twitter.com/ECn6uo9mIN — IPEstadisticas (@Isidro_____) January 23, 2023

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