The era of emphasizing only patriotism for athletes in poor environments is over.

The Japan U17 national football team lost to Australia 2-3 in the final match of Group B of the 2025 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-17 Asian Cup group stage held on the 11th at the Okaz Sports Club in Taif, Saudi Arabia.

The United Arab Emirates in the same group drew 1-1 with Vietnam. Japan, the United Arab Emirates, and Australia finished with 1 win, 1 draw, and 1 loss. Japan, which had the best goal difference, secured the top spot in the group to qualify for the U17 World Cup.

Despite Japan's defeat, a player who drew attention emerged. This is Daichi Tani, known as 'singer Kim Jeong-min's son.' Daichi, who came on as a substitute for Kabayama in the 33rd minute of the second half, scored Japan's second goal in the 41st minute. He had missed the last two matches, but he made his presence known by scoring in his first match back.

After the match, Daichi said, "It was mentally difficult to miss the previous two matches. I prepared myself as this might be my last opportunity. I proved that I am needed. Even if the time given is short, I wanted to show that I could do it if I played with all my might."

What is good news for Japan has turned into bittersweet news for Korea. This is because Daichi was a promising player who played in Korea during middle school. Famous as singer Kim Jeong-min's son, he played youth football in Korea until middle school but suddenly decided to pursue football studies in Japan. As a dual citizen of Korea and Japan, he is eligible to play in either country.

In an interview with Japanese football media Soccer Digest in 2024, Daichi revealed his reason for deciding to study in Japan: "I wanted to go to Japan. If I were to transfer, I wanted to play for the strongest team. I played at a higher level at the J club academy at Sagan Tosu during my third year of middle school."

This is a painful loss for Korean football. A large promising player who could potentially represent the national team has been taken by rival Japan. Compared to Japan, Korea has a shallower football base, and the infrastructure, such as natural grass fields, is poor. If he grows up in Korea, he will also face military service obligations, making the disadvantages greater.

After the news about Daichi spread, even Korean fans pointed out, "If his mother is Japanese, he would naturally want to choose the Japanese national team," "Japan is more advanced than Korea," and "Looking at the administration of the Korea Football Association, who would want to play in Korea?"

Japanese football media Soccer Digest reported, "Who can complain about a player's choice to play football in a good environment? Daichi's performance is also a hot topic in Korea. Many Korean media outlets have reported on his performance."

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