They may be in different sports, but their sights are set on the same goal: the world stage. Precisely because they are both athletes excelling in their own fields, they can speak frankly with each other. We asked Vissel Kobe's Daiju Sasaki and para-cyclist Kazuhei Kimura to talk openly about what football and cycling have in common, and what it takes to be a top athlete. What emerges from their words?

――Mr. Kimura, we heard that you love football and Vissel Kobe. What did you think of Mr. Sasaki’s performances?

Kazuhei Kimura (hereafter Kimura): “Honestly, I think he’s amazing. I played football until high school, and it was actually through football that I noticed my visual impairment. I realized I couldn’t see the ball clearly as it came flying towards me, I knew that something wasn’t right, and that’s how I found out I had a problem with my eyesight. I gave up on my dream of becoming a football player at that point, but it’s still my favorite sport alongside cycling. I watch almost every Vissel Kobe match, too. So I’m really happy to meet you, Mr. Sasaki.”

Daiju Sasaki (hereafter Sasaki): “Really? Thank you. I’m so glad to hear that.”

Kimura: “Even in intense games, you cover so much ground and change your play while reading the situation in an instant. I could never play like that. How can you play like that?”

Sasaki: “This season, Vissel Kobe demanded that we just run, so part of it is because we played so many games that way. In the beginning it was tough, but by adapting to the speed of the game and the intense amount of running, I was able to level up. The two-person cycling you do, the tandem, also requires you to pedal with high power output while staying in sync with your partner at the same time. It’s a really tough sport, isn’t it?”

Kimura: “Yes, it’s exactly like you said, tandem is a team sport. If you can’t trust each other, you won’t post good times, and it can even lead to accidents during a race. To understand my partner, I make a point of talking things thoroughly with him, and go over things like how he intends to ride and what he’s worried about. I feel that the importance of trust and teamwork with your teammates is something cycling and football have in common.”

Sasaki: “Yes, I think they’re really similar in that way. It’s the same way in football, if you can’t trust your teammates, you can’t play well, and you won’t get good results. Only when we share not just tactics but what we’re feeling and our visions with each other, we can all head in the same direction. I think communication is more important than anything.”

Born in 1999 in Shimane Prefecture, Daiju Sasaki appeared in 33 matches and scored seven goals in the 2023 J.League season. He scored the third most on the team that year and contributed to Vissel Kobe’s league title.

――Mr. Sasaki, what do you think of Mr. Kimura’s achievements?

Sasaki: “We’re in different sports, but Mr. Kimura carries the Japanese flag as a member of the national team at the World Championships and the Asian Games. It’s truly impressive that he has experienced that stage. When you wear the Hinomaru, do you feel pressure?”

Kimura: “I obviously feel pressure, but more than that, I try to be aware that I’m a representative of my country. In the 1km race, which is my main event, you reach the finish in about a minute, and in the shorter ones, the outcome is decided in around 10 seconds. Because Para cycling is such a simple sport, a race can be decided by fractions of a second the moment you start, so once you make a mistake, it’s difficult to recover. But as long as I’m competing for Japan, I can’t give up just because my start wasn’t good. You never know what will happen until the very end, so I make a point of racing with a firm awareness that I’m carrying the Japanese flag.”

Sasaki: “That’s wonderful. I hope I can become a player to represent Japan one day, but that world is still largely unknown to me.”

Kimura: “Vissel Kobe has the ACL (AFC Champions League) next year, so I’m sure you’ll have plenty of opportunities.”

Born in 1996 in Hokkaido, Kazuhei Kimura is a member of Rakuten Socio Business and a Japan national team Para cyclist in the MB class (visual impairment). Since making his international debut at the 2018 UCI Para Cycling Track World Championships, he has achieved strong results at numerous competitions.

――Both of you surely have many teammates and rivals on the world stage. Is there anything those athletes have in common?

Sasaki: “They take pride in their sport and can dedicate every day to it. For example, my teammate Sako-kun (Yuya Osako) is someone I can learn a lot from, not only in his play but also in how he eats and spends his time off. His life revolves around football, and he’s literally ‘staking his life’ on it. What about you, Mr. Kimura?”

Kimura: “They’re athletes who know how to be strict with themselves. Even if you train for long hours and live a disciplined life every day, it doesn’t necessarily lead to results. There are times when things don’t go well. But these athletes discipline themselves so they can shine for that one moment in an important match or race. I think athletes who can do that are the true first-class athletes.”

Sasaki: “You’re right. Players who can perform on the world stage don’t just work hard in matches; they push themselves even in training. I think they’re always conscious of competing at the world level. How do you get through your tough daily training, Mr. Kimura?”

Kimura: “I always try to focus on what I’m training for, and I approach every menu as practice to make me stronger. After a hard session, you feel good and have a sense of accomplishment. When I think of it that way, I can keep pushing. Do you ever incorporate cycling into your training, Mr. Sasaki?”

Sasaki: “Not road cycling, but I do sometimes use a fitness bike in training. It really pushes your cardiopulmonary system and puts a load on your legs, though, so I have a really tough time…”

Kimura: “I know exactly what you’re talking about!”

――Is there anything you’d like to work on to make the future of sports even better?

Sasaki: “In Japan, the birthrate is declining and rural areas are depopulating, and I feel that children have fewer opportunities to experience sports. So it’s not like there’s something I can do to solve it right away, but I think that if I perform well, it might lead to people back home getting to know football, so the first thing I want to do is become a valued football player. And then eventually, I’d like to do things to energize not just the world of football but sports as a whole.”
Kimura: “The challenge for Para sports is low awareness. I myself hardly knew any Para sports events, including Para cycling, until I became visually impaired. Unless people first know that they exist, it won’t be popular. I want to spread the word about Para sports by participating in various media and events.”

Football, where goals are what count, and Para cycling, where it’s all about the clock. Although the nature of the two sports differs, they share a great deal, from the way teamwork with partners affects results to their attitude toward competing. Both Sasaki and Kimura are in their mid-20s. Their move onto the world stage is likely still to come.

Right: Daiju Sasaki; Left: Kazuhei Kimura. This conversation took place at the venue of “-A BETTER FUTURE TOGETHER- Charity Project with Rakuten Rakuma: A ‘Better’ Future Woven by Sports,” an event at which both took the stage.

INTERVIEW & TEXT: Kodai Wada
PHOTO: Ryo Kuzuma