"The skills of Daichi Dani (17, Japan), son of Kim Jung-min, were indeed genuine."

The U17 Japanese national team tied with the host country Saudi Arabia 2-2 in the quarterfinals of the AFC U17 Asian Cup 2025 held on the 14th at Okad Sports Club in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, but lost 3-2 in the penalty shootout and was eliminated.

The winner, Saudi Arabia, will face the winner of the South Korea vs. Tajikistan match in the semifinals for a chance to advance to the finals. With Japan's elimination, the Japan-Korea match was canceled.

Daichi Dani, the player who garnered attention as the son of singer Kim Jung-min, made his first start for Japan during the tournament. Dani played as a left winger rather than at the forefront. He made a significant impact by assisting the equalizing goal, but his shooting accuracy was lacking.

Dani was a topic of interest throughout the tournament, even more so than South Korean national team players. He came on as a substitute for Gabayama in the 33rd minute of the second half against Australia on the 11th. It was his first match of the tournament. He scored Japan's second goal in the 41st minute of the second half. After missing the previous two games, Dani showcased his presence by scoring in his first appearance.

Ultimately, Japan's coach Nozomi also acknowledged Dani's skills. He gave Dani a starting opportunity against Saudi Arabia. Dani's abilities shone during the match against Saudi Arabia. In the 3rd minute of the first half, Dani seized a good opportunity but squandered the chance with a shot that went well wide of the goal. He also failed to convert a chance in the 21st minute of the first half when he faced the goalkeeper.

Dani, standing at 184 cm, had good aerial ability and powerful shots. However, his shooting accuracy was disappointing. In the 43rd minute of the first half, he unleashed a strong right-foot shot from in front of the box, but it went over the goal. Although it was an unmarked situation, he hurried and his direction was inaccurate.

Not only his shooting but also his passing was impressive. In the 27th minute of the second half, Dani made a delightful through pass near the halfway line, which Asada received near the box and converted into a shot, leveling the score at 2-2.

Asada's finishing shot was also good, but it was Dani's sense to pass as he saw the space that stood out in the goal. Without Dani's pass, Japan would have been in a situation of a 1-2 defeat.

With momentum on his side, Dani even attempted a header shot in the 30th minute of the second half, but it missed and did not result in a goal. The height at which Dani continued to threaten the Saudi goal was impressive.

Japan was eliminated as they lost in the penalty shootout. Dani was not among the five penalty takers for Japan. Kama, Fujii, and Karyu all failed consecutively. Dani finished the tournament with 1 goal and 1 assist in 2 matches.

With Japan's elimination, the Japan-Korea semifinal match did not happen. Playing for her motherland, Dani did not get a chance to face his father Kim Jung-min's country, South Korea, in the semifinals.

Dani's identity was a topic of discussion throughout the tournament. He previously played under the name Kim Do-yoon in the youth team of FC Seoul before moving to Japan and becoming a junior national representative. This signifies that South Korean football has lost a valuable promising player who could be a future national representative.

In an interview with the Japanese football media "Soccer Digest" in 2024, Dani revealed the reason for his decision to study abroad in Japan: "I wanted to go to Japan. If I transferred, I wanted to play for the strongest team. I was looking for a higher level and played at the J Club Academy in Sagan Tosu as a 3rd-year middle school student."

Ultimately, it seems that South Korea's youth development system and infrastructure did not capture his heart. There was another burden that if he played in South Korea, there would be military service obligations. South Korea, a "Son Heung-min holding country," did not end up being chosen by the promising player.

South Korea is already experiencing a sharp decline in population, reducing the number of football prospects. Dani competing under the Japanese flag is a harsh reality for South Korea. Fortunately, the harsh situation in which Dani faces the South Korean national team in the semifinals did not occur.

The Japanese football media "Soccer Digest" noted, "A South Korean coach also said that if Japan and South Korea were to fight right now, Japan would win 8 times. The number of registered football players in Japan is at least 10 times greater than in South Korea. Dani's decision is bringing a significant sense of crisis to South Korean football," respectfully acknowledging Dani's choice.

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