Apr 2, 2026, 07:30 AM ETOpen Extended Reactions
As far as final preparations go, Japan could not have asked for a better March window as they build towards this summer's FIFA World Cup – where they will face Netherlands, Tunisia and Sweden in Group F.
A 1-0 victory over Scotland was followed by a historic triumph by the same scoreline over England — a first-ever defeat to Asian opposition for the team ranked fourth in the world.
Back-to-back wins over a very decent team, and one who expect to be challenging for the trophy albeit were missing a handful of key players, bodes well for a Japan outfit who have never been shy about their desire to become champions of the world.
Of course, every team heading to the tournament can dream about it. But few who never reached the quarterfinals even are as constantly vocal with such a narrative.
When Japan secured qualification for the World Cup a full year ago, defender Yukinari Sugawara told ESPN: "Our future is to win the World Cup. That's the main thing for us."
Prior to the meeting against England, Samurai Blue coach Hajime Moriyasu stated: "We are a team aiming to be the best in the world."
Currently sitting 18th in the world rankings, and following an excellent run of results over the past 12 months — including another landmark first win over Brazil last October — it seems that Japan are actually indeed not too far off from actually being one of the best in the world.
So, could 2026 actually be their year?
Forget about winning it for now. They will first have to make the breakthrough of reaching the last eight.
Back in 2018, on the eve of their meeting with Croatia after making it out of the group stage, veteran Yūto Nagatomo, at his lyrical best, spoke about "the wall of the best 16".
For all the huge strides they have taken since their World Cup debut in 1998, the Samurai Blue continue to fail to make it further than the round of 16. Four times, now, they have been stopped at that stage.
In 2018, they were leading Belgium 2-1 only to concede twice in the final 16 minutes to lose 3-2. Four years later, in similarly heartbreaking fashion, they again more than matched it with another quality European opponent in Croatia — only to lose on penalties following a 1-1 draw.
Even back then, Japan have already proven they could, on their day, prevail over the best teams in the world.
While obviously not an actual physical barrier, could this wall that Nagatomo spoke of be one that purely exists in Japan's head?
Past failures certainly result in lingering memories. And there can be no denying that, when the stakes are the highest, the battle is often mental.
But there are signs that the Samurai Blue have taken the next step from four years ago.
Moriyasu has had his fair share of critics. His counterattacking approach reaped memorable wins over Germany and Spain at the last World Cup. But against Costa Rica, the one match in the group stage where they were the favourites, he chose for his team to sit back against those tougher opponents — and ultimately invited the Central Americans to inflict on them a shock 1-0 loss.
It has, however, been a long time now since anyone can accuse him of being overly conservative.
A longtime proponent of the 3-4-2-1, Japan started the four-year journey to this World Cup — which began way back in November 2023 — using the same formation — but showing far greater enterprise.
The wing-back positions have largely been filled by attackers-by-trade such as Kaoru Mitoma and Ritsu Dōan, who have shown a willingness to perform their defensive duties when necessary but then switch to all-out offensive mode when Japan are in possession.
It has allowed Moriyasu to overcome the previous headache of trying to fit all of his attacking riches in one single starting XI. Takefusa Kubo and Dōan, arguably Japan's two most-creative playmakers, now work in tandem on the right. Mitoma and Takumi Minamino, who unfortunately is likely to miss the World Cup after tearing his ACL in December, did the same on the left.
Even Daichi Kamada, who won the FA Cup with Crystal Palace last season, has had to bide his time in reserve.
Mitoma's winning goal against England was Japan at their electrifying best.
Having dispossessed an opponent in the middle of the mark, Mitoma soon received possession and was charging through the middle in a flash — where he then played the ball out wide to Keito Nakamura.
In his trademark languid, socks-down style, Nakamura effortlessly glided into the area before picking the right moment to play a slide-rule pass back to Mitoma, who had followed up his earlier work to be left with a clear path to send a cool finish into the bottom corner.
The Samurai Blue's most-damaging attackers, interchanging with fluidity and panache and hitting the opposition before they had time to realise.
Lest it be mistaken that Moriyasu has done a full 180-degree turn and is employing reckless abandon all of a sudden, their defensive game remains in place.
After conceding twice against both Paraguay and Brazil last October, the Samurai Blue have now kept clean sheets in their past four outings — including against an England side that still boasted the likes of Cole Palmer, Phil Foden and Marcus Rashford.
The back three are always solid regardless of whoever is fielded, as Moriyasu continues to figure out who his main trio will be come June.
They are always shielded by two combative central midfielders, although — like Minamino — captain Wataru Endo is at risk of missing out through injury, while Hidemasa Morita, ever-present throughout qualifying, was surprisingly omitted this time around owing to the intense competition for places.
Still, two Premier League players in Kamada and Leeds United's Ao Tanaka, and the Bundesliga-based Kaishu Sano are hardly inadequate replacements.
In a qualification campaign where they admittedly were expected to cruise through, Japan still deserve credit for a record of 54 goals scored and just three conceded from 13 matches.
Even into the third round, where they started facing stiffer tests, Japan had — at one stage — won nine consecutive matches, having scored 38 goals while conceding none, before their streak ended with a 1-1 draw against Australia.
Come the World Cup, perhaps what determines how far Japan go will indeed be a mental factor that only they can overcome on their own.
Even from their opening game against powerhouses Netherlands, will they adopt the same approach that has served them well in the past three years or so? Or will the bright lights and the big stage result in them reverting to old habits?
Maybe "the wall of the best 16" can only overcome once Japan, regardless of the opposition, play like they are more than that. The best eight. The best four even.
They have proven that they can be that all throughout their journey to the 2026 World Cup.
And once more again, against England on Tuesday evening.
