No. 1 is over 600 million yen! The surprising faces of Moriyasu Japan’s “Top 5 Annual Salaries

Moriyasu Japan’s stunning comeback sent the whole of Japan into a whirlpool of excitement. A win against Costa Rica on March 27 will almost guarantee Japan’s passage out of the “group of death. The team’s victory over Costa Rica on March 27 will almost guarantee their progress through the group of death.

Moriyasu Japan has been called the strongest team in the history of Japan, and the players’ salaries are also the highest in the country’s history. In this issue, we rank Japan’s top five players by their estimated annual salaries. Here are the top five players.

No. 1: Takumi Minamino (AS Monaco), estimated salary: 660 million yen

Japan’s No. 10 Takumi Minamino (27) is the highest-paid player in the national team. This summer, Minamino moved to AS Monaco of Ligue 1 in France’s Ligue 1 with a transfer fee of 15 million yen (about 2.2 billion yen) plus bonuses from Liverpool, a prestigious Premier League club. He has played 42 games, the most in the Moriyasu Japan squad, and started 35 of them. 2861 minutes played is 11 minutes longer than captain Maya Yoshida (34). His 17 goals are almost double that of second-place Junya Ito (9). As a key player in the Moriyasu Japan team, he is an impressive No. 1.

No. 2: Takehiro Tomiyasu (Arsenal), estimated salary: 290 million yen

In second place is Kenyo Tomiyasu (24), who is expected to become a defensive leader of the next generation. He moved to Arsenal, the three-time Premier League champions, last summer. Although he has struggled with injuries this season and has not been able to play more minutes, there is no doubt about his ability. Against Germany, he played in the middle of a back three, and performed flawlessly against a strong opponent.

No. 3: Kubo Takefusa (Real Sociedad): Estimated annual salary 260 million yen

At 21 years old, Japan’s greatest treasure, Kubo Takefusa, is already worth more than 200 million yen. After moving to Real Sociedad of Spain’s first division in the summer, he became a key player in the team’s success. He has played in 12 of the 14 league games, scoring twice. Although he is the youngest player in the Moriyasu Japan squad, he is already playing at the top level of the world. He will be a leader of the Japan national team in the future.

No. 4: Gaku Shibasaki (Leganes), estimated salary: 240 million yen

Gaku Shibasaki, 30, has been consistently called up to every coach since his first selection for the national team in 2014. He has played more than 60 games for the national team, and his presence as a mental pillar of the team is increasing. His calm, experienced play has earned him the trust of his peers, both in the national team and at the club level.

No. 5: Koh Itakura (Borussia Monchengladbach) Estimated salary: 220 million yen

Rounding out the top five is Itakura Koh (25). His greatest assets are his aerial ability, which he brings to his 186cm height, and his versatility, which allows him to play as a midfielder. Itakura is a defensive specialist who is indispensable for Japan’s national team in the “team of death”.

These are the top five players of Japan’s national team in terms of estimated salary. Yoshida, the captain, has the second highest salary after Itakura, at an estimated 210 million yen. While players from prestigious overseas clubs dominate the list, Hiroki Sakai (32) of the Urawa Reds tops the list among J-League players with an estimated 100 million yen.

Japan’s national team is off to a great start toward its long-cherished dream of reaching the World Cup final eight. Moriyasu Japan, with a team of players who are among the best ever in both name and reality, will surely achieve this goal.