SSFC Spotlight: William Popp leads Marinos to AFC Champions League final – Stars and Stripes FC

No matter how quickly a goalkeeper gains attention, there is usually a delay before receiving first-team minutes. The journey can be a long wait at the home club or a multi-stop journey through the first decade of a career in search of opportunity. Through several moves, William Popp (ポープ・ウィリアム) continued to push for minutes while building a solid career in Japan. The 29-year-old, now with Yokohama F. Marinos, is on course to win the Asian Football Confederation Champions League title, thanks to his leading performances until the round of 16.

Born in Hino, Tokyo Prefecture, to a Japanese mother and American father, Popp played with the Owada Soccer Club, becoming a goalkeeper when a broken ankle limited his mobility – changing positions is made permanent after playing in the Hachioji New Year Futsal Tournament. Spotted by Tokyo Verdy (admitted to the club partly because of his mother’s height), his youth career overcame a delayed start compared to his peers and progressed through the age levels, notably winning the prestigious Trophy Prince Takamado. He then joined the senior team in 2013 and was marked as one of the top prospects, but made just one appearance in the J2 League while also competing with a combined J-League Under-22 team at the third level. Following his contract extension and injury, the club sent him out on loan twice, to FC Gifu and Kawasaki Frontale, appearing five times for the first team while being on the bench twice and facing to an injury in the second in the middle. of a title-winning campaign.

After 5 professional seasons and 11 years in total at Verdy, Popp remained at Kawasaki Frontale on a permanent contract, a bittersweet decision. “I couldn’t sleep the day I decided to leave Verdy,” the goalkeeper said. “I felt much more sad and alone about leaving Verdy than feeling happy about competing as a member of Kawasaki Frontale, one of the best teams in Japan. I made this transfer at a time when I had not yet achieved anything and I had not contributed anything to Verdy either. However, I loved Verdy more than anyone and wanted to do this for Verdy…I will always be a Verdy supporter and I am someone who grew up with green blood.

After playing a substitute role in his first season after the transfer (another J1 League title-winning campaign) and improving his physical strength and stability on crosses, Popp was loaned to Oita Trinita in 2019, making six combined appearances in The Emperor. Cup and J. League Cup. The following year he was loaned out again, this time to Fagiano Okayama in the J2 League. Earning the first regular playing time of his career, the club featured him in 40 matches while recording 10 shutouts, allowing him to grow and endure the typical struggles due to lack of experience.

Upon leaving Kawasaki Frontale, Popp returned to Oita Trinita on a permanent contract, believing the club would offer him “the toughest training in Japan”. In his only season with Azuro (Azzurro), the goalkeeper played 19 matches in total but lost his starting position for the second half of the year as the club was relegated from the J1 League. However, he continued to grow as a player, working on his positioning and correcting other issues.

His professional odyssey continued, landing with Machida Zelvia in the J2 League. After starting the 2022 season as a substitute, Popp became a starter for 15 matches before returning to the bench. Following a contract renewal, he started the following year as a starter and made 31 appearances with 11 shutouts. The manager demoted him to number two in August, but his play was cited as one of the main reasons the club gained promotion and finished top of the table by a 12-point margin.

In January, Popp joined J1 League side Yokohama F. Marinos, hoping to replace former starter Jun Ichimori. He is experiencing “immeasurable growth” in the club’s vertical style of play which requires “good foot skills to set up attacks and take care of the vast space behind the defense which maintains a high line”. The new signing immediately assumed the number one role and featured in eight of a possible nine domestic matches, missing just one game due to a red card.

He joined a team in the middle of a deep AFC Champions League campaign and appeared in all six knockout games, leading the standings. Tricolor to face United Arab Emirates Al Ain in the final. Popp’s performance in the semi-final against Ulsan HD drew rave reviews. The 1-0 first leg defeat was marked by “a series of fine saves”. The second was a cinematic shootout triumph in the pouring rain; the goalkeeper overcame cramping issues, relying on his instincts on scouting data to stop the crucial kick.

Now at a veteran stage of his career and in an appropriate playing style, Popp appears to have reached a higher level at a club focused on winning. “At the end of last year, I was on the bench in J2,” he confided after the semi-final victory. “There were difficult times, but if you believe in yourself and keep going, the path will open up more and more. With strong willpower, you can carve your own path. This is the life of a footballer… I have worked hard and I am deeply moved by the fact that it has all led me to this point. Even in today’s penalty shootout, I was able to take that penalty while thinking about a lot of things. Some things were frustrating, some were about overcoming tough times, and those things really gave me strength. I’m glad I worked hard so far.

At international level, Popp made a few appearances for Japanese youth teams. He was described as a “hero” for the U-19 team after securing first place at the 2012 SBS Cup and was included in the U-20 team at the East Asian Games. The program named him as a late call-up to the U-21 team that competed in the 2014 Asian Games (describing the quarterfinals as a “good experience”) while keeping him in the U-22 group during the Olympic qualification which followed.

Standing over 6’3″ and blessed with “long limbs and deft footwork”, Popp is an active presence in the box with “exceptional” shot-stopping and quick reactions, a product of his elastic athleticism One of the best shooters in the J1 League, he is a consistent operator in the build-up with “above-average technique” and precise long-range distribution, ready to leave his zone all the way to the center circle and the ball. drill line splitting passes under pressure His work on crosses is proactive, although there is a tendency to deflect the ball instead of catching it. Perhaps his best quality is his ability to make adjustments. and to improvise on breakaways and close-range chances, reestablishing his positioning or waving the necessary limb to force the save.

Barring an unexpected change from the manager, Popp will be an American goalkeeper playing in a Champions League final, which is quite a change of fortune for a player who was on the trajectory of a journeyman and failed to win his first professional match until he was 25. As an academy prospect, he was seen as possessing the talent to be a starter in Japan’s top division, but competition for limited opportunities at his position is fierce. His career may have finally reached a milestone and a continental club title would cement his rise and perhaps spark some interest at international level.