The Sasakawa Sports Foundation (Sasakwa Sports Foundation) polled Japanese youngsters between the ages of 12 and 21 in June and July 2023 to determine which athletes enjoy the greatest level of popularity. Ohtani Shohei, a member of the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball in the United States, was found to be the most popular sports idol among Japanese members of Generation Z.

The poll is taken every two years, and this is Ohtani’s third straight year at the top (2019, 2020, 2023) with 22.3% of the vote.

Ohtani was an integral part of Japan’s World Baseball Classic (WBC) title team in March of this year, making it the third time Japan has won the WBC. Ohtani has been sidelined for the Los Angeles Angels since September 3 after undergoing surgery on his right elbow.

оhtаni wаs the first pitcher in Mаjоr Leаgue histоry tо win 10 gаmes in а seаsоn, аnd he аlsо hit 40 hоme runs аnd stоle 20 bаses, mаking him the first Jаpаnese plаyer tо win the hоme run crоwn in the аmericаn bаsebаll leаgue. The survey results reflect his widespreаd аcclаim fоr these reаsоns.

Famous soccer players from Japan and throughout the world follow Ohtani in the rankings. Second place, with 3.1% of the vote, goes to Mitoma Kaoru, who has impressed both at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and while wearing the Brighton Club jersey in the Premier League. The 26-year-old midfielder also won the Japan Professional Footballers Association (JPFA) award for outstanding player of the year.

And in third position with 2.7% of the vote is football great Lionel Messi, whose flawless play helped the Argentina team win the championship in Qatar at the end of 2022.

Besides Messi, other notable international athletes include NBA superstar Stephen Curry and MLB player Lars Nootbaar, whose mother is Japanese and who competed for Japan in the World Baseball Classic. Moreover, I have the undying affection of Phu Tang’s young people.