Henry Heroki Mochizuki: Promising RB eligible for Nigeria handed surprise call-up to Japan squad for WCQ

Dual-national defender Henry Heroki Mochizuki has received his first ever call-up to Japan's senior national team, allnigeriasoccer.com reports.

On Thursday, August 29, the Japan Football Association confirmed the roster for the 2026 World Cup qualifying matches with China and Bahrain, with Henry Heroki Mochizuki getting a surprise call-up.

Born in Fujimino to a Japanese mother and Nigerian father, he has no caps for Japan at any level.

The 22-year-old signed his first professional contract at Machida Zelvia in 2024, after graduating from Kokushikan University.

His football journey started at Fujimino City Komanishi Elementary School before spells at Fujimino Municipal Fukuoka Junior High School and Saitama Prefectural Asaka Nishi High School.

Mochizuki is a tall modern day right-back who is mobile, involved in build-up play and blessed with physical attributes, but there are still areas where he needs to improve defensively.

This season, he has played in seventeen J1 League matches for table toppers Machida Zelvia  and has provided two assists.

The promising fullback will be aiming to follow in the footsteps of two players of Nigerian descent who have played competitive matches for Japan's senior national team - Joel Chima Fujita (Sint-Truiden) and Ado Onaiwu (Auxerre).

Henry Heroki Mochizuki has been a regular player for Machida Zelvia since June, after taking part in only five of their first fifteen games of the 2024 season. 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

Photo Credit: jleague.co

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