Aiming for historical 'World No. 1', 21 Europeans 'post-Asian' crazy squad...March A Match List Announced
Aiming for historical 'World No. 1', 21 Europeans 'post-Asian' crazy squad...March A Match List Announced
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Can Japan become 'World No. 1'.
The Japanese national soccer team led by coach Hajime Moriyasu announced on Tuesday 25 players who will play in Group C of the third Asian qualifying round for the 2026 North-China World Cup. Japan will hold two consecutive home matches against Bahrain on Tuesday and Saudi Arabia on Saturday.
The mood is good. Japan ranks first in the group with five wins and one draw (16 points) from six matches. The gap is wide with second-ranked Australia with seven points and third-ranked Indonesia with six points. If Japan wins just one game from its seventh to eighth matches, it will be able to confirm its advance to the World Cup finals. This is an opportunity for Japan to win the ticket to the World Cup finals as the No. 1 player in the world, excluding the host country.
Japan will be the best. Of the final 25 players, a whopping 21 are European players. Only two goalkeepers and two defenders belong to the J-League. Japan has selected key players including Ko Itakura (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Hiroki Ito (Bayern Munich), Takumi Minamino (AS Monaco), Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton), and Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad). However, some players, including Koki Machida (Ruyal Winion Saint-Jillouaz), Takehiro Tomiyasu (Asnall), and Shogo Taniguchi (Sintriwidon), have been sidelined due to injuries.
Japanese media Nikkan Sports reported that if Japan beats Bahrain, it will confirm its advance to the World Cup as the world's No. 1 player. However, Moriyasu denied his optimism.
"I want to confirm my participation as soon as possible. But I don't think I can go there that easily," Moriyasu said. "We have to fight." Bahrain has already started its camp. It is coming to Japan soon. 메이저놀이터 As the team is active in its own team, the players have good connection. There are certainly strategies and countermeasures of the team. We have to train and go out to fight twice. Even before the fight, the outcome of victory is not determined. I want to prepare to display my maximum capability within a limited time."
◇Japan March A Match Final List (25 players)
▶ Goalkeepers (3 players) = Keisuke Osako (Sanprecce Hiroshima), Kosei Tani (Machida Zelvia), and Zaion Suzuki (Parma Kalcho)
▶7 defenders = Yuto Nagatomo (FC Tokyo), Itakura Ko (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Hiroki Ito (Bayern Munich), Ayumu Seko (Grathhofer), Yukinari Sugawara (Southampton), Hiroki Sekine (Stad Reims), Kota Takai (Frontale Kawasaki)
▶Midfielder+striker (15 players) =Wataru Endo (Liverpool), Junya Ito, Kyogo Furuhashi, Keito Nakamura (Stard Reims), Takumi Minamino (AS Monaco), Hidemasa Morita (Sporting), Daichi Kamada (Crystal Palace), Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton), Daizen Maeda, Leo Hatate (Celtic), Doan Ritz (Freiburg), Ayase Ueda (Feyenoord Rotterdam), Ao Tanaka (Liz United), Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad), Joel Chima Fujita (Sintraudon)