With great ambition, he was seen off by teammates, family, and associates, and took off for a new frontier.
The first time I saw Taishi Brandon NOZAWA was when he visited the top team's Okinawa training camp with his American father to watch practice. Looking up at his body, which was quite large for a boy, his face still retained a childlike innocence. He moved to Tokyo in 2018, and two years later, he skipped grades to join the top team. From his first year as a professional, he was the last to leave the training ground during camp, impressively dedicating himself to solo training.
That ambition was born from understanding the responsibility of playing in matches during a season and a half of training in the Tohoku region. Teammates competing for a spot in the starting lineup, the coaching staff guiding them, the people cheering for and supporting them. Knowing the number of feelings embedded in the club's emblem sparked a sense of awareness. That is why he sincerely thought, "I want to win."
There is an unforgettable figure. In the 2023 season J.League YBC Levain Cup group stage match against Cerezo Osaka, he made his first appearance after returning from Iwate Grulla Morioka. However, the team lost 0-1. After the match, Taishi appeared in the mixed zone, took a deep breath to compose himself, and slowly reflected on the game in a slightly high-pitched voice. His mouth trembled with frustration as he spoke. Even so, he was determined to keep moving forward, saying, "I intend to continue."
I have continued without change from there. I stayed on the field longer than anyone else and devoted myself to soccer. I took my regular position and experienced both further pain and joy. In August 2023, the opponent in my debut match in the Meiji Yasuda J1 League was, ironically, Cerezo Osaka. Immediately after securing a 1-0 victory, I said these words.
"Losing is frustrating, and winning is joyful. However, I believe it is important to keep striving for the top, whether we win or lose. I want to maintain steady emotions without too many ups and downs and keep working hard toward the next goal. It is an honor to have made my J1 League debut, and I am full of gratitude."
Having experienced frustration and pain, I found a place for my heart as a professional. From there, without wavering, I carefully built up my days.
"I won't be shaken by the situation; I will clearly identify what I need to do and carry it out. That has been my stance, and I want to continue it unchanged. I don't want to be a selfish person. I keep in mind that there are people who support me and teammates who are always working hard together with me."
Perseverance is power. Five and a half seasons have passed since turning professional, and before I knew it, I was preparing for a journey. I received an offer from Royal Antwerp FC in Belgium's Jupiler Pro League, and although it wasn't an easy decision, I chose the exciting path and now the time to depart has come. Just before leaving, Taishi was truly natural and unpretentious, dressed simply as he was.
"First, I want to go over there and start practicing as soon as possible. There's really nothing else to do but play soccer. I haven't even looked into the city yet. I plan to get a feel for it after I arrive. I'm good at diving into things without knowing anything beforehand. That's the same for everything. I'll probably be quite busy and hectic after jumping in. But I'm the type to tackle things seriously amidst all that."
A hectic daily life awaits in the new place. Once the official contract is finalized, they will join the training, go through the camp, and the season will kick off at the end of July.
"First, I have to show everyone on the team what kind of player I am during practice. That includes my personality as well. I think it starts from there. I want to become a clutch goalkeeper and a player who can consistently manage the game solidly throughout the full 90 minutes. I want to play matches in a new place and enjoy soccer a lot. That is the most important thing."
The living environment will also change dramatically, but he says, "I'm good at jumping into new environments," and he even says he wants to "enjoy it."
"I want to experience various encounters and different values. Since we are going as a couple, I am also looking forward to our journey as a family. I'm sure there will be many encounters beyond just soccer, so I'm really excited."
I don't look at distant futures or grand ambitions. From now on, I will continue to shine a light at my feet. I intend to be grateful every day and build up each day steadily.
"For now, I think it's important to perform well in Belgium. I still don't know what will happen after that."
In the past, goalkeepers representing Japan have crossed the seas. However, there have never been many players who can be said to have achieved success. Zion SUZUKI (Parma Calcio 1913), who has been competing and improving alongside them at the same age, is probably still fighting to grasp that success.
"I understand that it is not easy for Japanese goalkeepers to take on challenges in Europe. If I can succeed, I believe a new stage will open up for me. If that happens, even objectively, it would be amazing, and having such a special experience would be ideal. However, even if that doesn't happen, I can be satisfied. No matter the situation, whether you can be satisfied depends on yourself. There are lessons to be learned even from difficult times. I hope to celebrate a lot when things go well and, through the ups and downs, grow as a person."
Seeing Taishi's figure, they want to stand in front of the goal and play. Whether they can become a guidepost for the boys who think so depends on their performance from here on. Taishi nodded, saying, "That's right," and spoke with a hopeful expression.
"It might not be something I can control. But I understand that people are watching. I want to play in a way that excites everyone watching."
Then, when asked Taishi, who is setting off on his journey, "Is it similar to the feeling when you came to Tokyo from Okinawa?", he said, "Not at all."
"I was 15 years old at the time and still very much a child. But now, I am more grown-up than back then, and what I see is different. I have suffered and experienced pain until now. Because of that, I have come to love soccer even more. So, it’s completely different."
Soccer and Tokyo nurtured a boy into adulthood.
The father of Japanese soccer also said, "Soccer turns boys into adults, and adults into gentlemen" (the late Dettmar Cramer).
From now on, high walls will appear again and again. It is Taishi himself who will face them.
You learn every time you are knocked down by the challenges thrown at you, gradually realizing the reason for the increasingly higher views. Such days are waiting for you. A huge ambition will surely grow even bigger. Because you will keep pursuing it.
What came back to the "Take care" was a smile.
There was no trace of anxiety there, only the face of a man who enjoys the challenges ahead.
(Honorifics omitted in the text)
Text by Tadashi BABA (Freelance Writer)
