Since their surprise round of 16 at the 2018 World Cup, Japan has steadily climbed the FIFA rankings, rising from 50th place to 24th in just four years.
But after dominating Asian football in the early 2000s, the Japanese now find themselves in more trouble on their continent, despite being runners-up in the last Asian Cup.
In a raised group, it will once again be necessary to create a surprise by eliminating a team much better ranked than it to get a place among the two qualified in the round of 16.
The story
Since 1998, one in two World Cups, the Japanese have either been eliminated in the first round or in the round of 16.
The last World Cup pushed them to 8th...
Team form
Winner of the East Asian Cup in 2022, Japan also remains on 4 games without defeat including 3 successes without conceding the slightest goal and scoring 11 in total.
Victories obtained in particular against South Korea (28th FIFA rank) and especially the United States (14th rank).
And if we compare to strong nations in world football, Japan managed to hang Brazil last June by losing only 0-1 in a friendly match.
The list of 26 players
Only classic for Japan.
The first country to have given its list of 26 for the World Cup, Japan will travel to Qatar with a few Ligue 1 players, including the very technical Minamino (Monaco) and Strasbourg goalkeeper Kawashima.
Also note the presence of Kubo, the "Messi" of Japan, who was trained at Barça and now plays for Real Sociedad.
Also note the presence of the eternal Hiroki Sakai, former side of OM.
Goalkeepers:
Shuichi Gonda (Shimizu S-Pulse/Japan), Eiji Kawashima (Strasbourg/France), Daniel Schmidt (Sint-Truiden/Belgium).
Defenders:
Yuto Nagatomo (FC Tokyo/Japan), Maya Yoshida (Schalke/Germany), Takehiro Tomiyasu (Arsenal/England), Hiroki Sakai (Urawa Reds/Japan), Yuta Nakayama (Huddersfield Town/England), Shogo Taniguchi (Kawasaki Frontale /Japan), Ko Itakura (Borussia Monchengladbach/Germany), Miki Yamane (Kawasaki Frontale/Japan), Hiroki Ito (Stuttgart/Germany).
Midfielders:
Wataru Endo (Stuttgart/Germany), Hidemasa Morita (Sporting/Portugal), Ao Tanaka (Fortuna Düsseldorf/Germany), Daichi Kamada (Eintracht Frankfurt/Germany), Junya Ito (Reims/France), Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton/England ), Takumi Minamino (Monaco/France), Yuki Soma (Nagoya Grampus/Japan), Gaku Shibasaki (Leganes/Spain), Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad/Spain), Ritsu Doan (Fribourg/Germany).
Attackers:
Daizen Maeda (Celtic / Scotland), Takuma Asano (Bochum / Germany), Ayase Ueda (Cercle Bruges / Belgium).
Player to watch: Daichi Kamada
Japanese Daichi Kamada during the friendly match against the United States in Düsseldorf, Germany on September 23, 2022.
DeFodi Images / Icon Sport
At 26, Daichi Kamada has 21 caps for 6 goals scored.
The Japanese attacking midfielder is now the delight of Eintracht Frankfurt with whom he won the Europa League last season thanks in particular to 5 goals from him.
This season, in 7 games, Kamada has already found the net 3 times and delivered 2 assists.
He is one of the key elements of his club and now of his selection, in which he should occupy the position of number 10.
The probable composition
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Carried by its Arsenal star Takehiro Tomiyasu, the Japanese defense has a benchmark that is certainly young (23 years old) but solid in its half of the field, just in front of an experienced goalkeeper in the person of Shuichi Gonda (33 years old).
As for the midfield, it is perhaps in this sector of play that the Japanese will be the most dangerous with Daichi Kamada (Eintracht Frankfurt) and Takumi Minamino (AS Monaco), both excellent passers.
Japan match schedule