<figure id="attachment_470042" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-470042" style="width: 2359px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="67b8a696"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2026/06/4c89dfbe7f9a0af11bcbe8cb01881e3f.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-470042" class="wp-caption-text">Last October, Japan&#8217;s national team defeated the Kingdom of Brazil with an assist from Junya Ito (right) for the equalizer and a final goal from Ueda (center). Moriyasu Japan, the most powerful team in the world with many other talents, will take on the dream stage.</figcaption></figure>
<h3> Soccer commentator Sergio talks about his concerns about this year&#8217;s tournament.</h3>
<p> The curtain is rising on the battle to prove that Japan is the strongest team in the history of the tournament.</p>
<p> The FIFA World Cup 2026 in North and Central America will begin on June 12 (Japan Standard Time). Japan&#8217;s national team, led by Hajime Moriyasu (57), will field a record 23 overseas players, with the goal of &#8220;winning the World Cup.</p>
<p> However, Japan&#8217;s last international friendly before the tournament on May 31 was a hard-fought 1-0 victory over lowly Iceland, and the team&#8217;s only loss of the season came against a team that has been watching the national team for more than half a century. Soccer commentator Sergio Echigo, who has watched Japan&#8217;s national team for more than half a century, was scathing: &#8220;There was no sign of scoring in this game, was there? I&#8217;m concerned about the members of the team.</p>
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<p><span class="strongInContent"> I am concerned about the fact that nine of the 26 members of the team are registered as defenders. It&#8217;s as if they are saying, &#8216;We&#8217;ll manage to score one goal, and then we&#8217;ll defend and defend and defend. They could have used more space in the midfield and up front. At least Morita (Hidemasa, 31) should have been called up.</span></p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> Against Iceland, we tried Seko (Ayumu, 25) at the bottom of midfield and as an anchor, and Itakura (Koh, 29) can also play midfield, but if you think you can win the World Cup with a handy midfielder, you must be licking your chops.</span></p>
<p> The number of participating countries has increased from 32 to 48 this year, and the final tournament will start with the best of 32, making the total distance traveled between stadiums the longest ever since the tournament was co-hosted by three countries. Sergio is most concerned about the increased burden on the players.</p>
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<p><span class="strongInContent"> This tournament will be like a relay race,&#8221; he said. For the first time in the summer, the number of substitution slots has been increased to five, and an additional slot will be added if the tournament goes into extra time, so it will be necessary for the team leaders to consider where to switch players and how to connect them throughout a match.</span></p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> Which position do you think will have the greatest burden in the Moriyasu Japan team?　Both wingbacks. The current tactics of the national team require the wingbacks to move up and down, attacking, returning to the defense, and then moving forward again (see &#8230;&#8230;). That is why we need to have a thicker group of players here.</span></p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> I wonder if we can afford to employ Nagatomo (Yuto, 39), who I don&#8217;t know how many minutes he can fight for, in such an important position. Of course, the players are not bad. Now that he has been selected, I hope he will give it his all.</span></p>
<p> Sergio is as sharp-tongued as ever, but he says, &#8220;A country that has never broken the barrier of the top 16 should not become stronger with sweet words. On the contrary, I believe in Japan&#8217;s potential that much.</p>
<div data-friday-nextpage-lead=" Beyond the World Cup Top 8...Key Players to Watch"></div>
<h3>A new trump card for breakdowns</h3>
<p> Sergio Moriyasu has high hopes for Moriyasu Japan to make it to the last eight of the World Cup. This is a long-cherished dream of the Japanese soccer world, but for Moriyasu Japan, the strongest team in history, even this may be a passing achievement. Moriyasu has always declared, &#8220;Our goal is to win the World Cup. As a key player, Sergio focuses on left winger Keito Nakamura (25).</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> He has the quality to fill the hole left by the trump card for the team&#8217;s breakaway player, Mitomo (Kaoru, 29). He has the ability to dribble at high speed, set himself up, and score goals with a high level of decisiveness. He has not played many games for the national team, only 14 out of 25 games, but his style of play is similar to Mitate&#8217;s and he should be able to adapt without any problems.</span></p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> I can imagine Daichi Kamata (29) and Kubo Takefusa (24) using their individual skills to draw the opposition away, and Nakamura jumping out to finish in the open spaces.</span></p>
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<p> There are other key players as well. Sergio spoke enthusiastically of a rapidly developing guardian god in an overseas league.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> As long as we play a defensive game, we will spend a lot of time being attacked by our opponents. Without the super save of goalkeeper Aya Suzuki (23), there will be no victory. After spending the last two years in Italy, her reaction to the ball and her judgment in jumping out of the way have improved a great deal. If she is not injured, she should start all the group league games. I have high expectations for him.&#8221;</span></p>
<p> Kisei Ueda (27) and Ritsu Doan (27) also commented, &#8220;They are sure to start. They have the ability to take the few chances they get on the counter,&#8221; he said.</p>
<p> Sergio concluded his remarks by saying, &#8220;The first game is important.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> The first game is important anyway. The true value of the national team will be shown by how far we can go against a superior team like the Netherlands. I hope they will show us a new view, centering on their key players.</span></p>
<p> Twenty-eight years have passed since the team&#8217;s first appearance at the World Cup. At last, the moment when history will change will arrive.</p>
<p> From the June 19, 2026 issue of FRIDAY</p>
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 AFRO

 The FIFA World Cup 2026 in North and Central America will begin on June 12 (Japan Standard Time). Japan's national soccer team, led by coach Hajime Moriyasu, has a record number of overseas players and has set the goal of "winning the World Cup. What are the concerns and key players in this year's tournament?

 The Japanese people's unfulfilled dream of a top eight finish at the World Cup is just a passing phase for these men.

The World Cup Soccer Tournament in North and Central America is finally underway! Japan&#8217;s strongest ever national team, Moriyasu Japan, &#8220;The Men Who Move History

The World Cup Soccer Tournament in North and Central America is finally underway! Japan’s strongest ever national team, Moriyasu Japan, “The Men Who Move History

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