Bundesliga side Mainz 05 has appointed former striker Shinji Okazaki as a club ambassador, with a particular focus on strengthening ties across Asia. The announcement was made on Sunday, with the 40-year-old Japanese international set to promote the club throughout the region.
During his two-year spell with Mainz, Okazaki scored 29 goals in 70 appearances before moving on to Leicester City, where he played a key role in their historic Premier League title win. After hanging up his boots, he has remained deeply involved in football.
In 2014, Okazaki co-founded FC Basara Mainz and FC Basara Hyogo alongside Mainz women’s head coach Takashi “Taka” Yamashita. Yamashita’s side currently sit second in the 2. Frauen-Bundesliga, just behind champions Stuttgart, and could secure promotion to the top flight. Okazaki now works as one of the coaches at FC Basara Mainz, a sixth-tier club that serves as a bridge for Japanese players seeking opportunities in German football.
“Shinji Okazaki has always maintained his connection to Mainz and Mainz 05. That bond has grown even stronger through his commitment to Basara. We are very pleased that we have been able to convince him to take on this ambassadorial role for the coming years,” said Mainz executive Christian Heidel.
Okazaki was introduced to the Mewa Arena crowd before Mainz’s final home game of the season against Union Berlin. “Mainz 05 was and still is an important part of my footballing life. I was able to enjoy the most beautiful time of my Bundesliga career here and have always kept my connection to the city and the club,” Okazaki said.
“I am therefore all the more delighted that I can now, as a coach and football official, also take on the role of club ambassador for Mainz 05, to bring Japan and Germany even closer together in youth football,” he added.