hiː ɪz kənsˈɪdɚd ɐ kˈʌlt hˈiəɹoʊ ɐmˌʌŋ fˈænz ʌv ɡˈæmbə ɑːsˈɑːkə ænd ðə dʒəpˈæn nˈæʃənəl tˈiːm, ɐtɹˈɪbjuːɾᵻd tə hɪz lɔndʒˈɛvᵻɾi æz ɐ pɹəfˈɛʃənəl ˈæθliːt, tˈɛknɪkəl ɐbˈɪləɾi, lˈiːdɚʃˌɪp, ænd ɡˈoʊl skˈoːɹɪŋ ɐbˈɪləɾi.
He is considered a cult hero among fans of Gamba Osaka and the Japan national team, attributed to his longevity as a professional athlete, technical ability, leadership, and goal scoring ability.