Back in 2018 Yuma Suzuki was doing well in Belgium and I thought he was one of Japan's best strikers. But he's always been arrogant and has never seen eye to eye with Moriyasu. With the rise of Ayase Ueda and others he's had no reason to consider Yuma Suzuki. This would be an outrageous shock if Yuma was selected
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2026/05/13/soccer/mitoma-world-cup-injury/ This is from yesterday. But lets see
AI told me this Brighton head coach Fabian Hurzeler is scheduled to provide a further update on the injury during a press conference at 1:30 PM on Thursday. That would be UK time of course.
Hurzeler has said that Mitoma is out for the season with Brighton but is unsure about the World cup. They are liasing with Japan.
Sounds great but also not bad. Looks like it's still possible that he will make it at least at maybe the 2nd or 3rd game ? Did he go into some detail ?
He shouldn't start against the Netherlands, maybe keep him for Sweden if the team is already assured of first or second place.
I only saw this from BBC sport. I read other articles and I think the idea is that Mitoma could come back for the knockout stages but nothing is confirmed
https://www.instagram.com/japanfootballassociation/live/?broadcast_id=17925130746306743 Endo is called up!
Yeah that is unfortunately not really a surprise. But to me Endo is a surprise given his long-term injury and the fact that he barely played for Liverpool this season.
Bloody hell that is disappointing. We have a long tournament and we may need every player we have. We now have a 25 man squad with an old man who could be a big liability if he plays because he is way past his best. How did he not go as a training player or as a coach?
I'd say the surprise is Mitoma being out and both Goto and Shiogai making it. Yuito Suzuki making it as well
Full Squad Japan For The World Cup Goalkeepers: Zion Suzuki (Parma), Keisuke Osako (Sanfrecce Hiroshima), Tomoki Hayakawa (Kashima Antlers) Defenders: Yuta Nagatomo (FC Tokyo), Shogo Taniguchi (Sint-Truiden), Ko Itakura (Ajax), Tsuyoshi Watanabe (Feyenoord), Takehiro Tomiyasu (Ajax), Hiroki Ito (Bayern Munich), Ayumu Seko (Le Havre), Yukinari Sugawara (Werder Bremen) Midfielders: Junnosuke Suzuki (Copenhagen), Wataru Endo (Liverpool), Junya Ito (Genk), Daichi Kamada (Crystal Palace), Ritsu Doan (Eintracht Frankfurt), Ao Tanaka (Leeds United), Keito Nakamura (Reims), Kaishu Sano (Mainz), Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad), Yuito Suzuki (Freiburg) Forwards: Kōki Ogawa (NEC Nijmegen), Daizen Maeda (Celtic), Ayase Ueda (Feyenoord), Kento Shiogai (VfL Wolfsburg), Keisuke Gotō (Sint-Truiden)
It's still a good squad and most of the squad are well acquainted with each other so that is a big positive. They're all on board with Moriyasu's plans and ideas
Other than Nagatomo, I don't really have a lot of complaints. This squad has a lot of depth especially in midfield and that will be important in transition play and when they have to sit back and defend.
Wataru Endo, Hiroki Ito and Tomiyasu still picked probably because they are familiar with Moriyasu and the team, but they haven't seen much game time recently and has had some inuries in this season thus far. Nagatomo is probably there as the locker room's leader/captain. But not bringing Kodai Sano and Morita don't seem too wise to me though... Kuryu Matsuki maybe a shout too as he has a high activity rate and is also a goal threat. Would pick Leo Kokubo or maybe even Brandon Taishi Nozawa ahead of Keisuke Osako too.
I don't expect Endo, Ito or Tomiyasu to feature until maybe the third game depending on how the first two go. I can't see any of them being in the starting 11 against the Netherlands.
Wow Morita must be so disappointed. Did something happen between him and Moriyasu? And he brings Nagatomo.... Of course Aslo cowardly to leave Sano