World Cup Preview: Japan

Japan enter the tournament looking to finally break their historic “round of 16 curse” and reach the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in their history. The Samurai Blue arrive in North America boasting arguably the most technically gifted and tactically fluid squad in Asia, full of players operating at the highest levels of European football. Expectations at home are higher than ever, with fans fully believing this balanced group can confidently go toe-to-toe with the world’s absolute elite.

Fixtures (UK time)

Netherlands, 14 June, 9:00pm
Tunisia, 21 June, 5:00am
Sweden, 26 June, 12:00am

How They Qualified

Japan sailed through their initial group flawlessly before securing their automatic ticket to a eighth consecutive finals by combining a lethal, high-scoring attack with a remarkably stingy defensive record to top a group containing Saudi Arabia and Australia.

The Manager

Hajime Moriyasu has been at the helm since 2018, masterminding a significant evolution in the country’s footballing identity. His level-headed leadership, emphasis on collective work rate, and historic victories over global powerhouses have earned him the profound respect and complete trust of the Japanese public.

The Star

In the absence of Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma, who misses the tournament through injury, Japan will rely on the creative strengths of Takefusa Kubo in attack. The 25-year-old winger has been dubbed the “Japanese Messi” such is his technical ability. He joined Real Madrid in 2019, but failed to make a first-team appearance. He was sent on loan to four different La Liga clubs before joining Real Sociedad permanently in 2022.

The Familiar Face

Daichi Kamada has impressed since joining Crystal Palace two summers ago, and has made 89 appearances for the Premier League club. Most notably, he set up Eberichi Eze’s FA Cup-winning goal when Palace beat Manchester City at Wembley in 2025. That secured qualification to the Conference League, and Kamada was a mainstay in the team that went all the way to lift the trophy in May.

Did you know?

The Japan national team famously do not use any of the traditional white or red colours of their national flag for their home kit, instead opting for their iconic “Samurai Blue” jersey – a unique superstition born in 1930 when they won their first major international match wearing blue, which they adopted permanently to avoid bad luck.

The Prediction

Round of 16

Japan possess more than enough technical quality and tactical discipline to comfortably navigate their way out of a highly competitive Group F alongside the Netherlands. While Moriyasu’s intensely organised pressing blueprint is custom-built to surprise elite teams, a lack of traditional, physically dominant focal points up front means a formidable European or South American roadblock in the first knockout stage will likely see them fall just short of their quarter-final dream.

The flag of Japan” by futureatlas.com is licensed under CC BY 2.0 .