Yoon Jong-Hwan, the club’s manager can take a fair share of plaudits for the club’s recent successes. The South Korean manager guided Osaka’s pink-clad team through a combustible J2 season last year. The end of season standings culminated in the team finishing in the playoff places as they secured the fourth position. The team put it all together in the season endgame and defeated Kyoto Sanga and Fagiano Okayama to reach the top tier of Japanese football. A three-year exile from the top tier was broken and Osaka again had two teams in the top flight of Japanese football.

Whilst many would expect a consolidation year, an unmapped journey of success followed. The step up in quality between J2 and J1 may have initially stunned the team with no wins in their first three games – but after adjusting went on a 10-game unbeaten run. Showing that they had taken to life back in the top flight with only a few minor issues at the start. Players like the Croatian, Matej Jonjić, have really taken to the league. He’s defended diligently over 32 games and contributes at the front end too, having scored five goals too. Not bad for a defender.

The team, however, have taken to the taste of success and started to string together wins across all competitions. This meant they started to climb the league table as well as advance through the domestic cup competitions. This led to the team eclipsing other clubs as they bettered not only their season expectations but others too. An unusual loss to Kashiwa Reysol spurred the team to a 15-game unbeaten streak in all competitive games.

At the front line of it all, Kenyu Sugimoto sits as the pride of football in Osaka. The 24 year fired the team forward to the top tier last year with 14 goals – and hasn’t been shy at all this year. 20 goals so far in the league campaign; he’s introduced himself nicely to not only J1 but also Japan’s national side – as he made his debut for the national side in October against New Zealand. Four days later he scored his first goal for the Samurai Blue in the 3-3 encounter with Haiti. Proving himself to be a pivotal figure for both club and country going forward.