Ivica Osim
After the 2006 World Cup, Zico was replaced by Ivica Osim who also regularly picks him for the national team. He was a member of the Japan team for the 2007 Asian Cup and played all the Japan games in the tournament. On 20 May 2008 he announced retirement from international football. He played 64 games and scored 2 goals for Japan until 2008.