Yuka Kageyama, a former member of the idol group Hinatazaka46 and now an actress, appeared at a McDonald's Japan original product launch event, "VIVA! World Mac," held in Tokyo on Getsuku, alongside actor Junichi Okada and former Japan national football team player Yuji Nakazawa.
When Okada asked Kageyama, "Do you know me? I used to be an idol," Kageyama smiled and replied, "Of course I do! I've been watching Okada's McDonald's commercials for a long time, and since this is my first year (appearing in commercials), I'm happy to be working with you."
On this day, eight products that will be sold for a limited time starting on the 17th to commemorate the FIFA World Cup 2026 were unveiled. Okada sampled "Chopped Potatoes & Thick-Cut Beef with Rich Garlic Pepper," Nakazawa sampled "Mexican Tacos Cheese Chicken," and Kageyama sampled "Avocado Mayo Cheese Shrimp."
Kageyama shared his impressions after tasting the food, saying, "To put it simply, it's like Japan's refined sense of discipline. It's like a combination of tactics such as vertical passes from defense and tricky plays that make use of long passes, and it's so varied that it makes us imagine exciting plays that we get to watch." He incorporated a lot of soccer knowledge into his comments. Okada, who plays the "coach" in the new World Mac "National Team Announcement" commercial that will air from the 16th, asked him, "Can I take over as coach?"
When asked to perform a goal celebration to express their excitement about the tasting, Nakazawa performed Kazuyoshi Miura's "Kazu Dance." Kageyama cupped her face in both hands to form a heart shape and showed a cute expression, saying, "My heart is a hamburger heart." Furthermore, she imitated Japan national team player Takefusa Kubo's "K pose" and also performed the "KY pose," which is her own initial.
