“I’ll Bloom When the Time Comes!” Koki Ogawa’s Bold World Cup Declaration

“Next time, I’ll be the one to do it”

With a place in the quarterfinals in sight, Japan national football team, led by manager Hajime Moriyasu, faced what was considered their biggest obstacle in the group stage: their opening match against the Netherlands, ranked seventh in the FIFA rankings.

Trailing 1–2 and running out of time, substitute Koki Ogawa (28) rescued Japan in the 44th minute of the second half. He met Junya Ito’s (33) corner kick with a header, and the ball glanced off Daichi Kamada’s (29) head before finding the back of the net. Officially recorded as Kamada’s goal, the dramatic equalizer was created by Ogawa’s decisive play.

“When Japan lost to Croatia in the last World Cup in Qatar, I watched it on television and felt the same frustration as the players who were actually on the pitch. For the three and a half years since then, I have played with the feeling that next time, I’ll be the one to do it.”

When asked about winning his aerial battle against Virgil van Dijk (34), captain of the Netherlands and widely regarded as one of the world’s best center-backs in the Premier League, Ogawa’s expression became serious.

“If the ball comes into the right place, in the right way, at the right timing, and I can make the right run into the area, then I can score even against a high defensive line like the Netherlands’. I think that’s what makes football interesting.”

Before the match, Ogawa appeared on the pitch and stood alone near the penalty spot, staring toward the goal for a while as if deep in thought.

“When I realized that the World Cup was finally about to begin, it was difficult to contain my emotions. I walked around the pitch thinking about how I had to carry the feelings of my family who have supported me, the people who have helped me, and so many others who have been there for me. I was facing myself with a good sense of tension.

My career has not been smooth sailing. There were times when I couldn’t even get regular playing time in J2. But even during those periods, I believed that the day when everything would bloom would surely come, and I continued working hard on the small things every day.

The tournament has only just begun, but I want to keep fighting without ever forgetting that feeling.”

Reaffirmed in the Iceland match

There was a time when he was expected to become the ace of Japan’s youth national teams.

However, injuries prevented him from being selected for the Tokyo Olympics. He could only watch the previous Qatar World Cup from in front of the television as well. For a striker who had attracted attention at the youth level, the World Cup seemed close, yet remained out of reach.

Even so, after becoming the J2 top scorer in 2022 while playing for Yokohama FC, he moved to the Netherlands’ NEC Nijmegen in the summer of 2023. Although he experienced difficult periods this season, including losing playing time late in the campaign despite the team’s impressive third-place finish, he raised his profile ahead of the tournament by scoring the winning header in Japan’s send-off match against Iceland on May 31.

Officially, the goal was not recorded as his own. Even so, Ogawa held his head high.

“There was a period when I wasn’t getting many opportunities to play at my club and I had gone a long time without scoring. But no matter how poor the results were, I always believed in myself. Scoring against Iceland made me feel once again, ‘I can definitely make my mark in this team.’ I had always believed, ‘I am absolutely a player that Moriyasu Japan cannot do without.’ I’m glad I was able to prove that not just with words, but with results.”

Ogawa also revealed that my feelings have changed while playing at the World Cup.

“Until now, I had a strong desire to be the one who scored goals. But now, more than that, I want the team to win. Even in the Netherlands match, I truly wanted us to earn points as a team. Scoring at the World Cup was my dream, and of course, as a forward, I still want to score goals. But right now, more than anything, I want the team to win.”

After the Tunisia match, Japan had taken a major step toward advancing from the group stage. The significance of twice coming from behind to draw against the Netherlands had grown even greater. With Keito Nakamura (25) scoring and Ogawa helping spark Japan’s two comebacks, the determination of an attacker who had overcome difficult times was clearly on display.

From the July 10, 2026 issue of “FRIDAY”