World Cup 2022

Since their debut in 1998, Japan have featured in every subsequent World Cup, making this year’s edition their seventh straight appearance. Despite some impressive showings and performances that have won them many admirers they have never progressed past the Round of 16 - something they’ll be hoping to change in a World Cup on their home continent. 

Who is the Japan manager?

Manager Hajime Moriyasu is not all that popular a figure in Japan, with many criticising his natural conservatism when it comes to both selection and tactics. 

The voices of dissent grew louder of late when he excluded Celtic pair Reo Hatate and Kyogo Furuhashi from his 26-man squad, with the latter in particular a real bone of contention.

That said, Moriyasu steered Japan through qualifying even with a tough start, and was an assistant manager at the previous World Cup when Japan impressed. He’s an experienced operator, and with an extremely tricky group containing both Germany and Spain, his pragmatism might come up trumps. 

What tactics can we expect from them at the World Cup?

Tactically, Japan are a very interesting watch. Operating out of a 4-3-3 and utilising a glut of technically gifted players across the pitch, they’re a dynamic, quick, intricate team with the ball, but they attack in a very direct manner. 

That’s not to say that they employ all that many long balls, but when they get hold of possession, the Blue Samurai work themselves up the pitch without much hesitation, utilising incisive short passing. 

Against weaker sides, we’ve seen Japan have a lot of possession, but they’re perhaps at their best when they’re able to counterpunch in transition. Even in possession-heavy games, Japan like to build out from the back using a series of short passes to try and bait opposition teams onto them, and then cutting through them quickly. 

When that first line of the press is broken, some excellent midfielders and a fluid forward line come into play. Among them are some of the standout names who will need to shine brightly at the tournament if Japan are to get through a tricky group. 

 

Who are the players to watch for Japan?

One of those is the only Celtic man who did get the nod - Daezen Maeda. He’s an incredibly hard worker both on and off the ball, and the man who looks set to be tasked with stretching opposition defences. 

He will work the channels all day long, opening up opportunities for the likes of Daichi Kamada and Brighton man Kaoru Mitoma, who has hit an excellent spell of form in the Premier League just at the right time, to take full advantage of, and there is nobody who wouldn’t label Maeda a handful. 

However, there is a big caveat. Maeda is not by any means a reliable goalscorer for one who plays the No. 9 position - and his finishing can be incredibly hit and miss. In fact, you could draw some pretty striking parallels to Timo Werner’s time at Chelsea.

Who is favourite to be top scorer for Japan?

So the goalscorer burden falls elsewhere for Japan, and often it falls on former Liverpool and now Monaco man Takumi Minamino (best price 6/1 to be Japan's Top Goalscorer).

Japan’s ability to cut through teams intricately works nicely for a man who is a bit of a Swiss Army Knife in his versatility - as Maeda stretches teams by drifting wide, Minamino can take up positions closer to goal, and he is by contrast, an unerring finisher. 

As Moriyasu’s side try to overload one side of the pitch, Minamino is often the lone attacker left on the other side, meaning that quick switches of play very often find him in good goalscoring opportunities, attacking the box. 

A key player for his national side even when he’s not been playing regularly for his club, expect him to find the back of the net if Japan find themselves in the ascendancy. 

How did Japan qualify for the World Cup?

Qualifying for this tournament looked hard, and then simple. There were some alarm bells ringing after Japan lost two of their first three games in their AFC group, but six wins in a row culminating in victory over Australia meant that it was relatively comfortable in the end - finishing seven points ahead of the Socceroos when the final whistle blew, and just a point behind first placed Saudi Arabia. 

What are the ambitions for this Japan team?

"Our goal is to at least reach the quarter-finals," Moriyasu said as he announced his final squad for the tournament, adding: "It won't be easy." 

He’s right. To be honest, just getting out of a group that contains both Germany and Spain - two of the last three World Cup winners, would be a massive achievement. If they can do that though, they’ll be scared of nobody. 

Japan World Cup Odds

That group is probably well reflected in their odds of 500/1 to win the tournament as well. Having two of the outright favourites alongside you in the group stage is never majorly conducive to progressing - but Japan might thrive playing counter-attacking football, and this wouldn’t be the first time they’ve shocked a big gun at a World Cup. Don’t write Japan off. 

Japan World Cup prediction from oddschecker

Japan will have be on top of their game to progress out of Group E with Germany and Spain in the group. The Samurai Blue's do have some good players but compared to others they'll be facing it will be a tough ask for them to escape, so we predict a Group Stage exit for Hajime Moriyasu's men.