TOKYO, Oct 6 — Aston Villa goalkeeper Zion Suzuki said he is confident Japan can win next year’s Asian Cup and thinks his “very bad” performances were responsible for their quarter-final exit two years ago.
Suzuki, who has impressed in the Premier League since joining Villa in the summer, made a string of mistakes at the 2024 Asian Cup in Qatar as Japan were bundled out in the last eight by Iran.
He saidyesterday that he is now a better keeper and backed Japan to end their 16-year wait for the continental title when the tournament starts in January in Saudi Arabia.
“The last time, I played for the first time, I played very bad and I led the team to defeat,” the 24-year-old said after Japan’s 2-1 friendly win over New Zealand in Tokyo.
