Not true for me. In my country, even on national tv, people still think that Japan (aka asians) suck at football: they won with Germany for good luck, lost to Costa Rica as deserved and won against Spain only because spaniards want to eliminate Germany/avoid Brazil at QF/prefer Morocco to Croatia. After Croatia match they said: we were right. Japan lost to Croatia because they have not good luck like against Germany and Croatia didn't let them win as Spain did. After Spain match vs Morocco they keep the madness: you see? Spain cheated the group stage and then the gods of football punish them making them lost to the weaker Morocco (who won by good luck obviously). ALL this gargantuan pile of BS would never exist if JNT would reach the QF. Then I'm far more sad for this incoming because in my country this will be remember not as an heroic deed and a new level for japanese football but as a fluke. Nothing more. Ala Costa Rica in 2014.
Well, I remember when Romania played Netherlands at Euro 2008, who also didn't want to win (seen from their body language on the pitch) but Romania couldn't beat them. So from this point of view Japan has reached a good level. Sure Germany and Spain are not at their best but still better on paper. These were two huge wins no matter the context. It wasn't a friendly game after all.
Idiots and racists are the loudest. In my country, there were frequent comments about how beating Japan will be easy. I knew it won't be, and I knew these same idiots had most likely filled their pants in fear after Maeda's opener, or bitten off their nails. I admit, Croatia losing would have been fun in a sick way, because I'd look at these usernames and their post-game comments, and openly laugh at them. Japan have a promising manager. With slight adjustments, the giant-killers could return with sharper swords. I'd like Croatia to not cross paths with Japan's group, then.
Ugh I still feel like this was Japans game, that one ridiculous header was the only reason Croatia were in the game, Japan were really good in the 1st half, but Asano was useless when he came on and it was a bunch of looped balls that he couldn't hold on to. When Japan passed it about they looked so much more threatening, we could be talking about Japan Brazil in the quarters ah it infuriates me going through this again 4 years later
Honestly, the biggest annoyance is the waiting period. I want a World Cup every 2 years! Watching Japan fight so hard and take names gets me high.
Asano goal vs Germany was the real fluke. All the Blue Lock meme missed the target: JNT still need a decent CF so much.
And the quest for a prolific striker still goes on. Can't they make a real life clone of Captain Tsubasa's Hyuga?
I think Furuhashi would be an upgrade on Asano in Asian competitions. Not sure about WC. As for K. Hyuga...maybe Machino would fit the physical build?
Hyuga has a mentality totally stranger to japanese behavior. He is a real egoist, because the life have been harsh with him. To create such a monster you need to make a kid and teen suffer the hunger and give him the motivation an entire family of little brothers and sisters who need to eat give you. Not exactly stuff you can plan and recreate easy. Maybe something like Blue Lock'cast of characters would be, in its unreality, easier to reproduce. All we need is an Isagi/Inzaghi type of player more than any other type of CF.
I remember when Spain played tiki taka and had Torres up front, what a team that was, if only Japan could create a striker like Torres was back then, ok he was a special one in a 1000 player, but Japanese players don't lack in pace and athleticism, I think it's the individual skills and flare they need to hone in, the joga bonito if you like...they need to create a supremely skilled athlete in the mould of a bale/Torres/neymar. But even if you had peak Kagawa and Honda in this team with a world class goalkeeper and even Kyogo up top you'd be on to something, so Japan aren't far off imo
Without the tragic part of losing a father, the description mirrors many aspects of Wayne Rooney's journey from the kid who played football in the streets of one of the harshest and poorest neighborhoods in the country (Croxteth, England) to becoming one of fiercest competitors that the game has ever seen. There must be a Japanese kid out there somewhere who can use his own harsh upbringing as a catalyst to become a totally different beast of a footballer, just like Rooney did. That would be quite a story on its own.
Yes, but the typical personality traits that a Japanese person has are precisely why I love Japanese people, particularly in sports. Neymar and Ronaldo grew up poor, but instead of being more humane, they are despicable. A Japan with a striker of that personality would lose a lot of its appeal. I don’t care how good Neymar or Ronaldo might be, I’d always pick Maeda or Furuhashi ahead of them.
I feel like Pipi aka nakai is that one in a lifetime type player that Japan needs, however it looks like from what I've seen that a lot of the individuality he showed when he was young has been drilled out of him at Madrid
Japanese players would have the pace to cope with Brazilians, plus Maeda’s defensive work. If Casemiro is the only defensively solid midfielder Brazil field, Japanese counterattacks could cause real damage.
I've noticed neutral fans are starting to call Japan Asia's Mexico because of the continuous round of 16 exits. I'll take it as a compliment. Japan making it to the round of 16 isn't a surprise anymore.
Much better than being known as 8-0ers or something to that effect. And yeah, I also take that as a compliment as it means JNT is among the top 20 football national teams.
Kawashima H. Sakai- Yoshida- Akita -Nagatomo Y.Endo- HasebeH. Nakata ———— —— — — —Kagawa Honda Okazaki I love S. Nakamura to death, but Y. Endo amassed over 150 caps for Japan while having hepatitis. That is incredible.
In other sports Japan is able to produce many world class athletes, I've wondered why it doesn't happen in football (yet). Ichiro and Ohtani to name a few, they're like Pele and Mbappe of baseball. And it's even more remarkable we don't barely produce anything decent up front, don't think we can complain about other positions the past decade. I wonder if the fact that you're allowed to be selfish in a sport - whether because you have to do it solo like gymnastics or the situation forces you to handle it by yourself even if its a team sports like a baseball pitcher/batter - has impact on how good a Japanese athlete can become. Maybe the strong focus on discipline and the team/group in Japanese society which probably reflects to a club, prevents Japanese football players to grow into a killer striker who has to be allowed to be selfish bastards from time to time. I can especially imagine at a younger age that might be an issue. Just a thought, maybe it doesn't make any sense at all.
What country are you from? btw, I’m now not that sad Japan lost to Croatia since Croatia won against Brazil in similar fashion.
Congrats to Croatia. I thought Brazil would win. Feels like they underrated Croatia. Penalty experts also. Do I think they have been that great they should be in a semi, no. But they are. Got to give them credit.
Professional football started in Mexico in 1943, while it started in Japan only in 1992. So Japan has a really remarkable fast development in this sport.