Japan is the second national team I am reviewing after Cameroon in my series about the 32 countries participating in the World Cup in South Africa. Japan is in Group E along with the Netherlands, Cameroon and Denmark. Japan doesn’t have a long history in this competition having qualified only 4 times in 18 World Cups (counting the one in South Africa).
Japan first qualified for the 1998 World Cup in France and was eliminated in the first round. They then went to the second round in the 2002 World Cup which Japan co-hosted with South Korea. In the last edition, Japan again didn’t make it to the second round. Japan has been more successful when competing in the Asian Cup, winning 3 times recently in 1992, 2000 and 2004. Japan also got a bronze medal finishing 3rd in the 1968 Mexico Olympics.
From matches I have seen in the past World Cups, Japanese football strikes me as being very fast paced but with limited physical capacities. I also find their style somewhat predictive and their defense too weak.
I see them coming last in their group in the World Cup in South Africa.
Maracanazos love yakisoba!