Takaaki Oba sunk into Muscovite sand sobbing. Not only had Japan lost to the hosts in the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup™ final, but the Fukuoka native felt responsible.

The defender immediately began working not only on his weaknesses, but also on enhancing his strengths, moving to Europe to facilitate the process. Takaaki Oba 2.0 is now ready to help Japan make an assault on the global title at UAE 2024.

FIFA: Firstly, how are preparations going for UAE 2024?
Takaaki Oba: We were runners-up in 2021 in Russia, but the frustration of losing in the final still rankles. So right after the tournament ended, I was already thinking of the next World Cup and how to prepare. Nothing motivates me more than getting another bite at the cherry. Preparation-wise, after losing to Russia in both the group stage and final last time around, I decided to focus on where I most needed to improve, as well as refining the parts of my game that were already on point.Coming so close but having to settle for silver in 2021 must have been frustrating, but you also helped write a new chapter in Japan’s beach soccer history. Looking back, how proud does that make you?
When we lost, I was really frustrated – it even brought me to tears. But once I’d had a bit of time to reflect on the tournament, the bigger picture came to mind. When previous players who’d flown the flag and others around me passed on words of congratulations and encouragement, I realised just how well we’d really done. In fact, I’m really proud that we did better at this level than anyone before us in Japanese history. And it brought home to me how grateful I have to be to our predecessors, who paved the way for that progress.

After that runners-up spot, Japan will be one of the favourites to win this time around. What are the chances of going one step further in 2024?
Don’t ask me for a percentage, but I would describe myself as quietly confident right now. And it’s not just me personally. The entire team feel we’ve improved our level since 2021. That said though, we played Brazil in a recent final in Saudi Arabia and ended up losing, so some issues remain to be addressed. Provided we can iron out these niggles by the time things kick off, I think we’ll approach it with even more confidence.In 2022, just a year after the World Cup, you ended up moving to Spain. Was that with a future World Cup win in mind?
Exactly. All I could think of after losing in the previous World Cup final was where and how to improve. After reflecting, I thought that diving into a new environment overseas was the best option, so I decided to take the plunge and relocate. When I consider the fine margins in that match, I think there were times where I could have made a difference. Had I capitalised on those opportunities, we might have come out on top. I realise that these are areas I need to improve. Also, I believe that if I can develop more as a player, it will not only inspire my team-mates but also spark positive change in the team.

What has been the main springboard in helping Japan grow and improve in beach soccer, do you think? If you were to win the tournament, do you think it would be a national turning point for the sport?
I think the drive – or perhaps the conviction – of all those who built our beach soccer record over the years has been the key catalyst for our achievements up to now. Would winning a World Cup change anything? We’ll only find out if and when that happens. But when I look back on things, from the time we were runners-up to now, there’s a sense of regret and a feeling I could have done more. With that in mind, I’d like to try and go one step further this time around and claim the top prize. I’d also like to raise awareness of beach soccer and promote it to a wider audience.

Finally, could you give us some insights into the current Japan side, and the teams or players you would like to face in the upcoming tournament?
I believe Japan’s current squad has come along quite a bit since the last tournament, in the sense that every member can now score goals. We’ve refined our tactics a lot and I think now knowing how to put other teams off their game is one key example. We’ve never beaten Brazil or Portugal before, so they are two scalps we’d like to claim, and playing either would be a blast. I’m actually wondering if that might happen if we all reach the knockout phase. And personally, one player very much on my radar is Brazil’s No9 Rodrigo, whom I played with at Botafogo. I’d like to play against him in the tournament. I respect him as a player and a person, and going up against him in a match would be great if the opportunity comes.