Kaoru Mitoma: A better first touch than Dennis Bergkamp?
Google Best first touch in Premier League history and you will get shown a lot of articles about Dennis Bergkamp. But the dangerous Dutchman has a new rival for his crown as King of the First Touch – Kaoru Mitoma.
None of this is news to Brighton fans. The incredible ability Mitoma has of bringing a football under control using any part of his body has been evident since Roberto De Zerbi handed the Japanese Bullet Train his full Albion debut in the 4-1 demolition of Chelsea back in October 2022.
There are countless examples of it, usually leading to goals. Take his stunner at Everton for example, when Brighton thrashed the Toffees 4-1 in their first game of 2023.
Moises Caicedo picked out Mitoma on the left. His first touch took him cutting inside Nathan Patterson. A second touch eliminated Conor Coady before Mitoma smashed past Jordan Pickford.
A little over three weeks later and Mitoma notched a sensational winner in a 2-1 FA Cup fourth round win against Liverpool.
With minutes remaining, the score locked at 1-1 and a midweek replay at Anfield beckoning, Pervis Estupinan crossed into the box.
Mitoma cushioned the dropping ball with one touch. He then deliberately sliced through the ball in such a way so that it spun over the head of a Reds defender, ran around the other side and crashed home on the volley to eliminate Jurgen Klopp’s holders from the competition.
Controversial opinion, but I actually think the Liverpool goal was better than the Mitoma first touch and finish against Chelsea. What the Chelsea goal has done though is capture the attention of the world.
As it should. Bart Verbruggen hit a 70 yard aerial pass upfield. The sort of ball which, if played by an opposition goalkeeper, would usually get a big shout of “HOOF”.
There is nothing wrong with a HOOF in my eyes. Especially when it drops towards Mitoma. Outstretching a leg, the Japanese Bullet Train plucked the ball from the sky. As if his boot was made from the softest, finest, most expensive silk in the world.
With Trevor Chalobah now heading in one direction whilst Mitoma went in the other thanks to his exquisite first touch, space opened up for a shot.
Mitoma duly rocketed it past Filip Jorgensen to give Brighton the lead. The Seagulls would go onto win 3-0 against a club who have taken 11 members of staff off them at a cost of £250 million over the past two-and-a-half years.
Before Mitoma struck against Chelsea, it kind of felt like only Albion supporters appreciated how good his control was.
Everyone else overlooked it because of the fascination with Mitoma being the first player to join a Premier League club after writing a university these on dribbling.
Which was understandable, really. Especially as Mitoma glided effortlessly past some of the best full backs in the world. His degree had clearly paid off.
I only wish I had taken my university studies as seriously with the aim of developing skills which could help with future employment.
Rather than staying up until 3am to play Football Manager every night. Watching Coach Trip religiously. And experimenting with magic mushrooms in McDonalds 99p cheeseburgers.
Thanks to his Chelsea goal, not only have people realised how good a first touch Mitoma has. But they are also asking if it is the best ever to grace the Premier League. Even better than Bergkamp.
Harry Redknapp led the comparisons when naming his Premier League Team of the Week for BetVictor. RTedknapp said: “Kaoru Mitoma has to be in, how can I leave him out after that touch?”
“That was absolutely sublime, I’ll even go as far to say it was Dennis Bergkamp-esque. That was a fantastic win for Brighton.”
Jamie Carragher meanwhile was on co-commentary for Sky Sports. The ex-Liverpool defender was briefly left speechless by Mitoma, before gathering himself to offer a comparison with a different player with an incredible first touch – Lionel Messi.
“What have we just seen? That was outrageous from Mitoma,” Carragher said. “The touch is as good as anything you’ll see in the Premier League this season. Wow. And the finish isn’t bad either. It’s Messi-like. And I don’t say that lightly. That was pure genius.”
Redknapp was not the only one to liken the touch and finish to Bergkamp. Please forgive us for quoting a Daily Express article not about Princess Diana.
But their match report from Paul Brown read: “Japan star Mitoma did his best impression of Dennis Bergkamp to give Brighton the lead with a goal-of-the-season contender.”
Carragher’s Sky Sports colleague Gary Neville also reached for the Bergkamp comparison: “I’m putting Mitoma in the same bracket as Bergkamp.”
Neville was referring to the third goal of the Dutchman’s iconic hat-trick for Arsenal at Leicester City in 1997. Bergamp plucked the ball from the sky, juggled it over Matt Elliott and fired home in front of a stunned Filbert Street.
But Neville could have equally been talking about Bergkamp’s even more famous touch-and-spin against Newcastle United in 2022. An effort widely considered to be one of the greatest Premier League goals of all time.
Bergkamp. Messi. Mitoma. That is some company for the Japanese Bullet Train to be elevated into. And it comes just two weeks after Brighton turned down a £75 million bid from Al Nassr for Mitoma.
Plenty of observers labelled the Albion mad for saying they would reject out-of-hand any offer no matter how much Saudi sportswashing cash was on the table. Even if a rumoured £90 million came in.
Brighton were right. You would have to pay more than £90 million just for Mitoma’s first touch alone. Better than Bergkamp? Quite possibly.
