<figure id="attachment_471426" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-471426" style="width: 8256px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="6a60ef5e"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2026/06/91f5b2ea3c4fad86ef63479e3db17394.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-471426" class="wp-caption-text">Shogo Taniguchi, who played a key role on both offense and defense in the match against the Netherlands</figcaption></figure>
<h2><span class="strongInContent"> If we lose, I’ll blame it on Friday (lol)</span></h2>
<p> The first match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage took place at Dallas Stadium in the United States, where the Japan national soccer team faced the powerhouse Netherlands national team. Despite falling behind twice, Japan tenaciously fought back to tie the game 2–2, securing a valuable point.</p>
<p> Facing a formidable opponent considered a “title contender,” Japan put on a commanding performance. At the heart of the three-man backline, defender Shogo Taniguchi (34) started and played the full match.</p>
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<p> Despite being forced into a fierce defensive battle, he put his body on the line for the full 90 minutes against the Netherlands’ powerful attack. He also served as a spiritual pillar on the pitch, rallying the team by forming a huddle immediately after conceding a goal.</p>
<p> Behind the scenes, supporting Taniguchi as he shines on the world stage is his wife, model and actress Rika Izumi (37), whom he married in June 2025.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> “They met through a mutual friend. The two hit it off immediately and grew closer. It’s said they started dating around the summer of ’15,” said a reporter for a women’s magazine.</span></p>
<p> Their relationship quickly turned serious. News of the romance between the rising star of the soccer world and the popular model broke in September 2017, when *FRIDAY* reported on their affectionate moments.</p>
<p> At the time, the two were seen sitting side by side at a trendy Chinese restaurant in Ebisu, Tokyo, happily enjoying a set meal together. Witnesses noted how Izumi, mindful of those around her, spoke in a low voice, and how Taniguchi, who was refraining from driving, sincerely stuck to non-alcoholic drinks.</p>
<p> Three years later, in August 2020, *FRIDAY* reported once again that the two were “living together semi-permanently.” Taniguchi’s “god-like” response—smiling and answering reporters’ questions despite having just returned from practice—is still the talk of the editorial office.</p>
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<p> When Taniguchi showed up at Izumi’s home, he denied they were living together when questioned by reporters, but pointed to the apartment building across the street from her home and said,</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> “I live somewhere else. (Pointing to the apartment building across from her house) Over here. We do go home together sometimes… but we’re not living together,”</span></p>
<p> he said, honestly revealing his address to the reporter. Furthermore, while acknowledging his relationship with Izumi,</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> “If we lose the next match, I’ll blame it on *Friday* magazine. Just kidding (laughs).”</span></p>
<p> His dashing and humorous response won over not only the reporters but also his fans.</p>
<div data-friday-nextpage-lead=" The “decision” awaiting Taniguchi after the World Cup"></div>
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<figure id="attachment_471437" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-471437" style="width: 1000px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="d97c927e"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2026/06/dd5a10f3aa85f0fe12b5924a1b7da152.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-471437" class="wp-caption-text">Player Shogo Taniguchi smiles as he answers questions from *Friday* magazine</figcaption></figure>
<h2><span class="strongInContent"> A serious injury: a torn Achilles tendon</span></h2>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> “They were such a loving couple, but they didn’t get married until June 2025. They finally tied the knot after a long 10-year relationship. Behind the scenes, it seems there were circumstances on Taniguchi’s side that made it difficult for him to take the plunge,” said a sports newspaper reporter.</span></p>
<p> Behind their marriage after a “10-year romance” lies this story as well.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> “In November ’24, Taniguchi suffered a severe injury—a ruptured Achilles tendon—that threatened his entire soccer career. However, after intense rehabilitation, he made a miraculous return to the pitch in May ’25.It seems Ms. Izumi’s devoted support played a truly significant role in helping him overcome this most difficult period. It’s precisely because they tied the knot at such a time that their bond has become even stronger,” said the same sports newspaper reporter.</span></p>
<p> Taniguchi currently plays for a Belgian club and is highly regarded by local media as “one of the league’s top defenders.” Meanwhile, he and Izumi—who continues her career as a model and actress based in Japan—are living apart while remaining married.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> “It’s said that Taniguchi’s contract with his Belgian team will expire this summer after the World Cup. The team is seeking to extend his contract, and it appears he has received several offers from other overseas clubs as well.Belgian media have reported that Taniguchi’s life with his wife, Izumi, who lives in Japan, will be one of the factors influencing his decision on which team to join, which shows just how much he truly cares for her,” said a soccer magazine writer.</span></p>
<p> In June, it was reported that Kawawaki Frontale—the club where he played for nine years—had made an offer to Taniguchi. Whatever decision Taniguchi ultimately makes, there is no doubt that his beloved wife, Rika Izumi, has been a driving force behind his remarkable performance at this World Cup.Much attention is now focused on this couple as they continue to walk hand in hand toward their future――.</p>
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<p><span class="strongInContent"> [YouTube] On FRIDAY Digital’s “Entertainment Reporter Channel,” active reporters are spotlighting the wives and families who have been supporting the Japanese national team behind the scenes as they wage fierce battles, in a series titled “The ‘Unexpected’ True Faces of the Soccer Wives Supporting the Japan World Cup Team.”They thoroughly delve into and explain the “secret stories” of the families behind the intense matches, as well as the true personalities of the wives.</span></p>
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 Takamoto Tokuhara/Aflo (1st photo), Ichiro Takatsuka (2nd photo)

 In their World Cup opener, the Japanese national soccer team drew 2–2 with the Netherlands, a formidable opponent considered a “title contender.” Defender Shogo Taniguchi played the full 90 minutes, energizing the team on both offense and defense. Behind the scenes, supporting him was…

Shogo Taniguchi Shines on Both Offense and Defense: The Support of His Wife, Rika Izumi, Through a “Serious Injury,” and the “Major Decision” Awaits Him After the World Cup

Shogo Taniguchi Shines on Both Offense and Defense: The Support of His Wife, Rika Izumi, Through a “Serious Injury,” and the “Major Decision” Awaits Him After the World Cup

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