“The day will surely come when I shine”… World Cup key player Koki Ogawa reveals, “I am an indispensable player for Moriyasu’s Japan”

He vowed in front of the TV, “Next time, I’ll be the one to do it.”

Hajime Moriyasu’s Japan is aiming for the quarterfinals. The opening match against the Netherlands—ranked 7th in the FIFA rankings—was considered the biggest hurdle to advancing from the group stage.

Trailing 1-2 in the 44th minute of the second half, with time running out, substitute Koki Ogawa (28) saved Japan. He met Junya Ito’s (33) corner kick with a header, and the ball grazed Daichi Kamada’s (29) head before finding the net.Although the goal was officially credited to Kamada, it was Koki’s play that set up the last-minute equalizer.

“When the Japanese national team lost to Croatia at the last World Cup in Qatar, I was watching on TV and felt just as frustrated as the players on the field. For the past three and a half years, I’ve been training with the mindset, ‘Next time, I’ll be the one to do it.’”

When asked about outplaying Virgil van Dijk (34)—captain of the Dutch national team and the top center back in the world’s premier league, the Premier League—Ogawa’s expression grew serious.

“If the ball comes to the right spot, in the right shape, and at the right time—and if I can get into position well—I can score even against a high defensive line like the Netherlands’. I think that’s what makes soccer so interesting.”

Before the match, Ogawa appeared on the pitch and stood alone near the penalty spot, gazing at the goal for a moment as if deep in thought.

“When I realized the World Cup was finally about to begin, it was hard to contain my emotions. As I walked onto the pitch, I was thinking about how I had to carry the hopes of so many people—my family, who’s supported me all this time, and everyone who’s looked out for me. I was facing myself amid that healthy sense of tension.

My career hasn’t been smooth sailing. There were times when I couldn’t even get playing time in J2. But even during those times, I believed that ‘the day I’d finally shine would come,’ and I worked hard, step by step, starting with the little things. The tournament has only just begun, but I want to keep fighting without ever forgetting that feeling.”

Reaffirmed in the Match Against Iceland

In the youth national teams, there was a time when he was expected to be the star striker.

However, partly due to injuries, he was not called up for the Tokyo Olympics. He could only watch the previous World Cup in Qatar on TV. For a striker who had been in the spotlight at the youth level, the World Cup seemed close yet far away.

Nevertheless, after winning the J2 scoring title in 2022 while with Yokohama FC, he transferred to NEC Nijmegen in the Netherlands in the summer of 2023.This season, while the team made a strong push to finish in third place, he went through a difficult period with reduced playing time toward the end of the season. Nevertheless, he was making his presence felt ahead of the tournament, including scoring the winning header in the send-off match against Iceland on May 31.

Technically, it wasn’t recorded as his goal. Still, Ogawa held his head high.

“There was a time when I couldn’t get much playing time at my club and went through a dry spell without scoring. But no matter how little I was producing, I always believed in myself. Scoring that goal against Iceland made me realize once again, ‘I’m definitely going to make my mark on this team.’I’ve always believed that ‘I’m an absolutely indispensable player for Moriyasu’s Japan.’ I’m glad I was able to prove that not just with words, but with results.”

“My mindset changed as we played through the World Cup,” Ogawa also revealed.

“Up until now, my desire to ‘score a goal myself’ was very strong.But now, I want the team to win even more than that. Even in the match against the Netherlands, I truly hoped from the bottom of my heart that the team could pick up a point. Scoring a goal at the World Cup was my dream, and of course, as a forward, I still want to score. But right now, I want the team to win even more than that.”

With the match against Tunisia now over, Japan has taken a major step forward toward advancing from the group stage. The significance of having come back twice against the Netherlands has taken on even greater weight. The two comebacks—one scored by Keito Nakamura (25) and the other set up by Ogawa—were imbued with the determination of attackers who had weathered a difficult stretch.

From the July 10, 2026 issue of *FRIDAY*