Japan will head to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 with aspirations of reaching the quarter-finals for the first time.
The Samurai Blue have qualified for their seventh consecutive World Cup and reached the Round of 16 three times, but their fans are hoping Qatar will be the stage where Japanese football breaks new ground.
Japan have been drawn in Group E, which is widely considered to be a “group of death,” so progressing to the knockout stage presents a daunting challenge. But anything can happen at a World Cup, and Japan undoubtedly have the potential to spring a surprise and topple group heavyweights Spain and Germany.
Despite lacking a seasoned talisman such as attacking midfielder Keisuke Honda this time around, the emergence of a slew of gifted young players has culminated in a team that is as polished and talented as any that Japan has put on the pitch.
Here, we highlight five players who will be crucial to the Samurai Blue’s hopes of realising their dreams in Qatar.
Takumi Minamino
Position: Forward
Age: 27
The Samurai Blue No. 10 shirt holds a special place in Japanese football, with Shunsuke Nakamura and Shinji Kagawa among the former stars that wore it and lit up football grounds around the world. Takumi Minamino now sports the famous jersey and shoulders the accompanying expectations of being the team’s go-to man.
Minamino created plenty of headlines in Japan when he moved to Liverpool for the 2019/20 season, and although he was not able to nail down a regular starting spot, he played a part in Liverpool’s charge to a first league title in 30 years. He was also a key contributor last season as the Reds went tantalisingly close to winning all four major trophies.
According to Anfield Watch, Minamino scored on average every 101 minutes in all competitions last season. This strike rate made him the most lethal of all Premier League players who played more than 1,000 minutes during the season, ahead of the likes of Mohamed Salah and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Minamino moved to French Ligue 1 club Monaco earlier this season in search of more regular playing time, but has so far failed to make as much of an impact as had been anticipated. Even so, he still has the time – and ability – to recapture his best form before the World Cup kicks off in two months.
Minamino has been a mainstay of the Samurai Blue since head coach Hajime Moriyasu took the reins in 2018. He produced a sparkling performance in Japan’s 3-0 victory over Iran in the semi-final of the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019, contributing an assist and winning a penalty.
Minamino’s quality was evident when he scored in seven consecutive qualifying games for the 2022 World Cup. His ability to create scoring chances and unleash shots when tucked in behind the strikers will ensure that he is a crucial cog in the Samurai Blue machine determined to progress to the knockout stage in Qatar.
Daichi Kamada
Position: Attacking midfielder
Age: 26
Daichi Kamada tasted football glory last season when his Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt won its first European trophy in 42 years by winning the UEFA Europa League, but the attacking midfielder’s path to the top has not always been smooth.
As a junior high school student, Kamada went through the youth academy of J.League powerhouse Gamba Osaka. However, injuries and fierce competition against the likes of central midfielder Yosuke Ideguchi hampered his progress. When he reached high school, the club let him go, but undeterred by this setback, Kamada flourished while playing for Higashiyama High School. Kamada’s abilities impressed J.League club Sagan Tosu, which signed him for the 2015 season.
Kamada’s brilliant performances in the J.League culminated in a move to the Bundesliga, where he continues to perform consistently well.
Composed on the ball and with excellent vision, Kamada is adept at controlling the game and using the players around him. He has the ability to find the back of the net himself, and was instrumental in Japan’s attacking displays during friendlies against Brazil and Paraguay in June.
Although Kamada rarely displays his emotions, his passion for football and commitment to winning runs deep. He even admitted he wept with joy after winning the Europa League. With his ability to produce quality performances on the big stage, Japanese fans will be hoping he can carry the Samurai Blue to new heights in Qatar.
Kyogo Furuhashi
Position: Striker
Age: 27
Around the time he became a professional footballer, Kyogo Furuhashi officially changed the first kanji character in his first name. Although pronounced the same, he felt the new kanji would bring him better luck in his football career.
That change seems to be working. Furuhashi’s career has continued to grow in leaps and bounds since signing with Celtic in July 2021. He was an immediate hit with the Scottish giants and has already become a frequent scorer and firm favourite of the club's fans.
Despite suffering injuries during his first season in Scotland, Furuhashi slotted 12 goals in 20 league games to finish as the team’s second-highest scorer. The accolades kept coming as he was selected in the 2021/22 PFA Scotland Premiership Team of the Year and helped Celtic win a domestic double.
Before moving to Scotland, Furuhashi was a pillar of the strike force at J.League club Vissel Kobe. Samurai Blue supporters will have their fingers crossed that Furuhashi can replicate his goal-scoring feats at the World Cup, where he will shoulder heavy expectations to help carry Japan through the “group of death.”
When Furuhashi receives the ball in the penalty box, spectators and opposition players had better not blink or else they might miss a moment of goal-scoring brilliance.
Takehiro Tomiyasu
Posistion: Defender
Age: 23
Now in his second year at Arsenal, defender Takehiro Tomiyasu has proven he has the ability to nullify the best strikers in the Premier League. After shifting to Europe when he was just 19, Tomiyasu has gone from strength to strength during his stints with Belgian club Sint-Truiden, Italian side Bologna and now the Gunners in England.
Mainly deployed as a right-back at Arsenal, Tomiyasu more often plays as a centre-back for the Samurai Blue. He modelled his game on that of Argentinian defensive midfielder Javier Mascherano, with whom he shares a superb ability to read the game. In addition to his obvious defensive skills, Tomiyasu is reliable when building up from the back and his accurate passes can quickly turn defence into attack.
The 1.88-metre Tomiyasu’s first sporting love was not football. Influenced by his two older sisters, his heart was set on becoming a swimmer. However, a jaw injury spoiled that plan. Tomiyasu tried football instead and has not looked back since.
Tomiyasu has developed into a key player for Japan and brings stability to both ends of the pitch. His formidable combination with vastly experienced captain Maya Yoshida will be tough for any opponent to crack.
Kaoru Mitoma
Position: Midfielder/forward
Age: 25
After spending last season on loan at Union SG in Belgium, Kaoru Mitoma got his first taste of Premier League football when he made his debut for Brighton and Hove Albion in August. Mitoma’s silky dribbling skills, especially down the left flank, regularly wowed fans during his time in Belgium.
Mitoma took the J.League by storm from his first season, and he also has not been overawed since making the jump to Europe. Despite receiving limited opportunities so far at Brighton, his mazy runs have earned him a growing following among the Seagulls’ faithful.
Mitoma also has made an impact while playing for Japan. He came on as a second-half substitute in a World Cup Asian qualifier against Australia and broke the 0-0 deadlock with a priceless goal in the 89th minute, before sealing the 2-0 victory a few minutes later with a shot following an incisive run from the left wing that left several defenders in his wake. This win booked Japan’s spot in Qatar.
At university, Mitoma wrote his graduation thesis on dribbling skills. His research involved affixing a small video camera to his head to record his movements while dribbling, and those of defenders, and then examining which ones enabled him to successfully slip past opponents.
Players such as Mitoma, who possess the skills to individually break open a game, have been few and far between in Japan. He will undoubtedly be a major weapon in the Samurai Blue’s arsenal during the scrap to progress past the “group of death.”
