A little bit of sibling rivalry led to the Ozeki picking up football, with the Kanagawa-born admitting his young career has already experienced ups and downs. 

“It was because of my older brother, he played football, and naturally I followed in his footsteps,” Ozeki shares. “I was probably about five years old when I started. Along the way, I’ve faced various setbacks and had some difficult experiences, but overall, I think I’ve been able to have a successful journey.”

A major disappointment for the midfielder was not being in the Japan squad that lifted the AFC U17 Asian Cup™ Thailand 2023 title and Ozeki is determined to maximise his China 2025 opportunity.

He has spared no effort and as a central midfielder, Ozeki represents the modern player required in today’s game which demands an all-round action in attack and defence as highlighted by the 210 passes he has accumulated over four matches in Shenzhen.

“Since Japan play a 4-2-3-1 system, the defensive midfield position that I play is crucial in both attack and defence. As a midfielder, it’s important to make a difference in both aspects of the game -  contributing to the attack while also supporting the defence.

“For me personally, I believe my strength lies in the attacking side of the game. I can contribute to the team by scoring goals, providing assists and making decisive plays to get results,” said Ozeki, who has just signed with Kawasaki Frontale. 

It is only natural that the 20-year-old looks up to a midfielder for inspiration -  Frontale’s Kengo Nakamura who spent 17 years with the club and made 68 appearances for Japan.

“Although he has already retired, Kengo Nakamura is the player I respect the most in the world. He is my role model and I see him as the player I aspire to become.”

While Japan are through to the semi-finals, their China 2025 journey has not been smooth as the 3-0 opening win against Thailand was followed by stalemates against Syria and Korea Republic. 

The quarter-final against Iran was another tough challenge, with Japan needing penalties to book their spot but Ozeki is confident the East Asian side will be at their best against Australia on Wednesday.

“This competition has been tougher than we initially expected. However, our primary goal was to qualify for the World Cup, and I’m glad we were able to achieve that. That said, our goal is also to win the Asian Cup and head into the World Cup as champions, so our journey is far from over.

“Compared to our previous performances, I truly believe we have grown as a team, and if we can continue to showcase that improvement until the very end, I think we can achieve something great.”

Given Japan’s stature in Asian football, it is an anomaly that they have only won the AFC U20 Asian Cup once and Ozeki said the squad is determined to lift the coveted trophy at China 2025. 

“From the beginning of the tournament, our entire squad has shared a common goal: to win the championship and secure a spot in the World Cup. 

“Winning the Asian championship, which our predecessors managed only once, is something we aspire to accomplish with our generation.”