<p><span class="strongInContent">The World Cup year in North and Central America has finally begun. Can Moriyasu Japan change the history of Japanese soccer? To find out, sportswriter Etsuko Motokawa visited Shinji Kagawa, who has long carried the national team&#8217;s ace number. What does Kagawa, who has been fighting against the world as a member of Japan&#8217;s national team, think of the current national team?</span></p>
<figure id="attachment_457006" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-457006" style="width: 2364px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="dc78c029"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2026/02/1d63e33aa41e2a78a8d623f56babd732.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-457006" class="wp-caption-text"> Kagawa, who has carried the ace number on his back, spoke frankly about his thoughts on the current Japan national team.</figcaption></figure>
<h3><span class="strongInContent"> A shout-out to Kubo Takefusa</span></h3>
<p> The World Cup in North and Central America is just four months away. Japan&#8217;s national team, now in its eighth year since Hajime Moriyasu (57) took over as coach, has been called the &#8220;strongest in history,&#8221; having defeated the soccer kingdom of Brazil for the first time in October 1925.</p>
<p> However, the team has suffered a series of injuries to the mainstays of its attack, including Takumi Minamino (31, Monaco) and Kubo Takefusa (24, Real Sociedad). The fact is that a dark cloud is hovering over the team.</p>
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<p><span class="strongInContent"> I talked with Eiji (his younger brother at Cerezo Osaka) about Take, but there is still some time left. I don&#8217;t know the details of the extent of the injury, but I think there is still plenty of time before the match. When I played in the World Cup in Russia in 2006, I was injured for three months before the tournament, but I was still able to play in the tournament. I hope that he will focus on recovering from his injury without being in a hurry.</span></p>
<p> Shinji Kagawa (36) gave a strong encouragement to the next generation of aces.</p>
<p> Kagawa, who has carried the ace number &#8220;10&#8221; at both the 2002 World Cup in Brazil and the 2006 World Cup in Russia, shared his candid opinions about Moriyasu Japan at Cerezo Osaka&#8217;s camp in Miyazaki in late January. He has long been a leader of Japan&#8217;s national team, so what does he think of the current squad?</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> He told us, &#8220;I trained with Yuto (Nagatomo, 39, FC Tokyo) and Daichi (Kamata, 29, Crystal Palace) in Kobe this past off-season. Daichi is still recovering from injury, but he is definitely a key player for the national team. He has been a starter for Crystal Palace all season, and he was in very good shape.</span></p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> I told him to heal his injury well, but he was positive that he would be able to play soccer soon. Daichi has built up a lot over the past four years, so I am not worried about his performance. I am sure he will do well.</span></p>
<p> When first asked about &#8220;key players for the national team,&#8221; Kagawa named the two mentioned above. In particular, he had high expectations for Kamata, who will be the axis of the attack. The most important theme for all members of the national team, including Kamata, is to focus on the first game of the World Cup. Kagawa knows how difficult it is.</p>
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<div data-friday-nextpage-lead=" The difficulty of the first game...Kagawa talks about his nightmare"></div>
<figure id="attachment_457007" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-457007" style="width: 3429px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="f6327a5d"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2026/02/845cf751f2a0b32e50a40bd836daf10a.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-457007" class="wp-caption-text">In the &#8217;14 tournament, they lost their first match against Ivory Coast in an upset. Kagawa has experienced firsthand the difficulty of the first game.</figcaption></figure>
<h3><span class="strongInContent"> How to challenge the Netherlands in the first game</span></h3>
<p> Kagawa&#8217;s first World Cup was in Brazil in 2002. Japan&#8217;s national team, led by then coach Alberto Zaccheroni, was said to be the &#8220;strongest in history,&#8221; and a great leap forward was expected.</p>
<p> In their first match against Cote d&#8217;Ivoire, Japan took a one-goal lead through Keisuke Honda (39) in the first half. However, two goals in the final minutes of the game caused a painful comeback. Kagawa himself said in a past interview, &#8220;That night was the toughest. I didn&#8217;t cry, but I couldn&#8217;t sleep at all.</p>
<p> The shock was so great that Japan had not won in three matches. Japan was forced to eliminate from the preliminary round at the bottom of the group. This time, Japan must avoid repeating the bitter memories of 12 years ago.</p>
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<p><span class="strongInContent"> The key to the World Cup will definitely be the first game against the Netherlands, so I want us to get off to a good start. This is the opening match against the strongest opponent, so it is quite possible that we could lose. I think Mr. Moriyasu and the players are making various assumptions. However, Japan is a strong team right now. Whether they win or lose their first game, I am sure they will make it through the group phase.</span></p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> In the World Cup, the group leagues are actually the most difficult. Once you get to the final tournament, it is a one-shot game, and anything can happen. They have set their sights on &#8216;winning the championship,&#8217; and I hope everyone, including fans, supporters, the media, and myself, will believe in that and support them to the best of our ability.</span></p>
<p> He sees the presence of long-time national team coach Makoto Hasebe (42) and Yuto Nagatomo in the current Moriyasu Japan squad as a powerful factor.</p>
<p> Kagawa, who has run on the beach with Hasebe, has declared, &#8220;His core and body are the best I have ever seen in Japan. Kagawa, who ran with Kagawa on the beach, said, &#8220;His core and body are the best I&#8217;ve ever seen in Japan. Kagawa must think it is significant to have such a person in the national team.</p>
<p> Nagatomo said at the start of the new season at the beginning of January, &#8220;I don&#8217;t think Shinji has given up on the World Cup yet,&#8221; but Kagawa himself says quietly, &#8220;Right now, all I can think about is continuing to fight for Cerezo. In February 2011, he returned to the club where he began his professional career with the ambition of &#8220;winning the title with Cerezo,&#8221; but he was unable to compete for the championship, finishing ninth in J1 that year and tenth from 2012 to 2013.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> He was unable to compete for the championship, finishing ninth in J1 that year and tenth in J1 in 2012-25. A single player cannot do it alone, but I am aware that experienced veterans must shoulder the responsibility. I will do my utmost to help the team win.</span></p>
<p> Can Moriyasu Japan make history by achieving their long-cherished goal of advancing to the last eight? All of Japan, including their great predecessors such as Kagawa, is looking forward to their breakthrough.</p>
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 Kyodo News (2nd photo)

 The World Cup in North and Central America is only four months away. With Moriyasu Japan being called the "strongest team in history," expectations are high for the team to change the course of Japanese soccer history, but what does Shinji Kagawa, who has long carried the ace number, think?

From the national team&#8217;s key players to the value of Nagatomo, Shinji Kagawa talks about Moriyasu Japan&#8217;s hopes for a &#8220;breakthrough at the World Cup in North and Central America.

From the national team’s key players to the value of Nagatomo, Shinji Kagawa talks about Moriyasu Japan’s hopes for a “breakthrough at the World Cup in North and Central America.

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