After establishing himself as a regular in the second half of the 2023 season, Ohgihara anchored Vissel Kobe's midfield on the way to the club's first-ever league title. Having also won the J.League with Yokohama F. Marinos, he carries a true "winner's mentality." As someone with a wealth of experience, how does he evaluate the performance of his team this season, and what are his thoughts heading into next season?

Ohgihara boasts an illustrious career that includes an appearance at the London Olympics and a J.League title. However, he struggled after joining Vissel Kobe in 2022 to get playing time and went through a difficult stretch. But he kept putting in steady work on the training ground, and from the second half of this season he became an indispensable figure driving Vissel Kobe to the title. He was crowned a champion after overcoming a challenging time.

――Congratulations on winning the J.League. What are your thoughts on this eventful season?

I’m genuinely happy about the team winning the title. It really reminds me how good it feels to win a championship. As for myself though, I only started getting into games in the second half of the season, and I feel like I was buoyed along by the power of the team. I feel a sense of frustration that I couldn’t contribute throughout the whole season.

――You also won the J.League with Yokohama F. Marinos. Drawing on that experience, what kind of “strength” did this year’s Vissel Kobe have?

There are many factors, but it’s worth noting that every single player is laser focused on producing results. No one ever slacked off in preparing for matches, so my impression is that we could go into games feeling confident as a team. There was also terrific teamwork among the veterans and the young players. The experienced players led the team through their play, which inspired the younger players to approach things aggressively during training. I think a positive cycle was created.

――So you think there is an environment for players to grow?

Vissel Kobe is the only club that has so many players who have performed at the highest level, both on national teams and overseas clubs. Being able to see how these players approach football, and seeing their high-level performance every day is the best environment you could ask for. That makes the competition fierce, but for young players it’s a chance to break through. If more and more players can seize that chance, the team should get even stronger.

――What has the atmosphere in the team been like since winning the title?

Of course everyone has been expressing their joy at winning, but I feel like many players are already looking ahead to next year. I can sense from each of them the desire to get stronger and to get better, so there’s no complacency at all. I think that’s the source of Vissel Kobe’s strength. We didn’t get results just because we worked hard this year. We went through a painful experience last year, and each of us thought about how we could win and kept putting in the effort day after day. Everyone understands that the title is the result of that.

――Kobe went wild over this championship. What are your thoughts on the supporters?

There’s no doubt they gave us strength. Even before kickoff, the atmosphere was incredible, it made you think, “We’re going to win today.” But I want to make things even more exciting. This season, lots of supporters came out to our home games and pushed us forward. Next year we also have the ACL (AFC Champions League), so it would be great if more supporters come to our away games too. I want to work hard so that even more people will support us.

――We at syncSPORTS cover a wide range of sports. What do you think makes football uniquely appealing?

The stands are close to the pitch, which means you get to experience the tense atmosphere up close. Vissel Kobe’s home ground, Noevir Stadium Kobe, is especially great for watching football, so I’m confident that if people come once, they’ll get hooked. I think this title gave dreams and hope to football fans and children, and I’d be happy if it also became an opportunity for local people in Kobe and those who aren’t yet interested in football to feel that it’s fun to watch football.

――What motivates you to keep playing football?

My motivation is the desire to win the match I’m playing, and to win titles. I’m in my 30s now, and I don’t know how many more years I can play. That’s exactly why I feel happy just being able to play in matches, and that’s what motivates me to keep working hard at football.

――Please tell us about your goals going forward.

As a team, I want us to get back-to-back J.League titles and win the ACL. Personally, I want to play consistently throughout the season and contribute to the team’s victories.

――Is there anything you keep in mind in order to perform throughout the season?

I’m not going to do anything special as I get older; I’ll just keep doing what I’ve been doing. There’s the pressure of the title race and the battle for a starting spot, but I try to look at that positively. It’s important to take time for myself too, so during the off-season, I meet people I normally can’t see and make time to unwind with my family. Then I’ll gradually rev up the engine for the next season and train to overcome my own weaknesses.

While Ohgihara was thrilled with the team winning the title, he feels disappointed about his own performance over the past season. Even in his 13th year as a professional, his relentless drive, and his desire to keep playing and win titles was palpable. Next season, Vissel Kobe will compete as defending champions, and we look forward to seeing an even more evolved Ohgihara on the pitch.

INTERVIEW: Yohsuke Watanabe (IN FOCUS)
TEXT: Kodai Wada
PHOTO: Masato Tamura