The Japanese national team has officially departed for Mexico to enter the final preparation phase for the 2026 World Cup. Before departure, coach Hajime Moriyasu attracted attention when mentioning the team's highest goal of conquering the world championship.
At the send-off ceremony at Narita airport, the 57-year-old coach expressed great determination ahead of the biggest football festival on the planet. He affirmed: "I will do my best so that everyone can be happy when winning the World Cup. We will unite into a team with the goal of winning each match and fighting persistently and bravely to bring life to the people. Let's fight and support us together".
Mr. Moriyasu's statement shows the great ambition of Japanese football. After their mark at the 2018 World Cup and especially the journey to overcome Germany and Spain to enter the round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup, the team from the Land of the Rising Sun is aiming for higher goals instead of just stopping at passing the group stage.
Besides the head coach's statement, veteran defender Yuto Nagatomo also became the focus. At the airport, the player currently playing for Tokyo FC appeared with a headband with the words "Tōkon" (Combat spirit), expressing his determination to conquer the tournament with the team.
Meanwhile, captain Wataru Endo received the Japanese flag containing messages from fans before the whole team set off.
According to the plan, Japan will be stationed in Monterrey (Mexico) for training before moving to Nashville (USA), where the headquarters will be located during the tournament.
At the 2026 World Cup, Japan is in Group F with the Netherlands, Tunisia and Sweden. Coach Moriyasu's team will start the campaign with a confrontation with the Netherlands, before successively meeting Tunisia and Sweden in the remaining two matches.
With a rich experience and many players playing in Europe, Japan continues to be considered the leading representative of Asian football at this year's tournament.
