Okawa lights up kids’ clinic after WC2026 exit
Japan striker Okawa Hiroki (28, NEC Nijmegen) hosted a soccer clinic in Yokohama on the 18th, playing mini-games with 50 local elementary pupils after Japan’s Round-of-32 WC2026 exit.
“When I was younger I was overweight and couldn’t run at all, but I kept pushing and made it to the national team. Only the never-give-uppers grab their chances,” he told the kids, stressing the value of chasing dreams.
Harsh look back at WC2026
In an interview, Okawa called Japan’s WC2026 run “a blank slate. We finished in the Round of 32 and I think we should have heard more from the people back home.”
Japan’s last five results read 2W-2D-1L (LDWDW), with the 2-1 loss to Brazil on June 29 closing a roller-coaster month.
Four years to redemption
“As a team we’re still far off-and I’m part of that. To lift the trophy in 2030 we have to get stronger. Sharpening individual quality is the quickest way through the next wall,” Okawa said, already eyeing the 2030 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
Team-mates cheer his clinic glow
Teammate Shiogai Kento (21) reacted with “ikemen” to Okawa’s post, while fans flooded the thread with “The kids looked over the moon ♥”, “So handsome-wives everywhere must be jealous!” and praise for his “smooth header vs. Kamata” and “that gorgeous volley.”
Okawa announced his marriage to a non-celebrity on New Year’s Eve 2021 with the line “I want to stay with her till I die,” sparking a wave of support.
