Japan's Samurai Blue on a Mission for the Title: Moriyasu's Bold Plan for the 2026 World Cup

19.05.2026 16:40 チーム・選手
When the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off in the USA, Canada and Mexico, a Japanese national team will travel there that presents itself with more confidence than ever before. Coach Hajime Moriyasu has shaped a team over the past years that no longer wants to be perceived merely as a likeable underdog from Asia. The officially stated goal of the Japanese federation for years has been: to become world champions. What long seemed like a bold marketing message is actually gaining substance when looking at the current generation. Japan qualified as the first Asian nation ever for the 2026 World Cup – sovereignly, dominantly, and with a mix of tactical maturity and individual class that has no equal in Asia. Under Moriyasu, who extended his contract after Japan's historic quarter-final appearance at the 2022 World Cup, the team has developed tremendously in terms of play. Where discipline and work rate were once the main characteristics, today possession-based football, quick counter-attacking and bold pressing dominate. At the center of this development stands above all one name: Takefusa Kubo. The offensive star, who was once trained in the youth academy of FC Barcelona and now counts among the most prominent players at Real Sociedad in Spanish La Liga, is the creative mind of Japanese football. With his dribbling strength, his eye for the decisive pass and his composure in front of goal, he embodies a new generation of Japanese footballers who have arrived at the highest international level. He will have to pull the strings in the attacking play during the tournament – especially since the team will likely have to do without his congenial partner Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton & Hove Albion) and Monaco star Takumi Minamino due to injuries, who failed to make the final World Cup squad in time. Despite these painful absences, Japan forms a collective that is as strongly staffed across the board as never before. The team is led by captain Wataru Endō (FC Liverpool), who was declared fit in time after suffering a ligament injury in spring and occupies the emotional and strategic center of midfield. Together with talented professionals like Daichi Kamada and Junya Ito, who matured in Germany, Moriyasu has a top-class framework at his disposal. Moriyasu's tactical approach is extremely flexible. While Japan prefers a clear 4-2-3-1 with high pressing against supposedly weaker opponents, the team switches cleverly to a compact five-man defense against top nations. It was precisely this adaptability that left both Germany (2:1) and Spain (2:1) bewildered at the 2022 World Cup. It was only in the penalty shootout against Croatia that the run ended – a lesson from which Moriyasu says he learned much. For 2026, the Japanese federation is banking on a consistent interweaving of professionals in Europe and the domestic J-League. Almost the entire World Cup squad is now under contract with European clubs – a record for an Asian nation. Moriyasu sees this internationalization as a decisive factor: "Our players measure themselves against the best in the world week in and week out. They bring this experience into the national team." Whether it's enough for the biggest coup in the end remains open. But Japan is on the best path to finally establishing itself among the extended world elite. Should the team reach the quarter-finals – a result considered a realistic milestone in Japan – this would not only be a historic success, but also a signal to all Asian football: the era of perpetual underdog status could finally be over.