Japan Coach: "We Believe We Can Win the World Cup"

Japan's national team coach, Hajime Moriyasu, has declared he will personally select the penalty takers should their upcoming Round of 16 clash against Brazil at the World Cup be decided by a shootout. Japan exited the 2022 World Cup in Qatar after three players missed their spot-kicks against Croatia in the last 16. If Monday's match against Brazil at Houston Stadium ends in a draw, Moriyasu has pledged to take this crucial decision off his players' shoulders.

"This time, when the moment for penalties is likely to come, I would like to determine the order of the takers myself, rather than players volunteering as they did last time," Moriyasu stated. "I believe I will make the decision and choose who will step up."

The Japanese squad has traveled to North America with high ambitions. Victories over Germany, Spain, England, and Brazil in the past four years lend credence to the argument that the team could make a deep run at the 2026 World Cup.

Japan previously defeated Carlo Ancelotti's Brazil 3-2 in a friendly match in Tokyo last October, providing the Brazilians with extra motivation for revenge in this upcoming fixture.

Moriyasu also commented on the exhausting travel schedule during the tournament, which spans Canada, the United States, and Mexico. He acknowledged that having one less rest day than Brazil presents a challenge his team must overcome.

"In the near future, we believe we are capable of winning the title, and we believe we have that chance... even for this World Cup," Moriyasu said. "Some people have called Japan a dark horse, and we will play with that in mind."

Japan will be without winger Takefusa Kubo for the match against Brazil due to injury.

Kubo sustained a meniscus tear in his left knee during Japan's opening tournament match against the Netherlands on June 14. He did not feature in the "Samurai Blue's" subsequent group stage games against Tunisia and Sweden.

Kubo, often dubbed "the Japanese Messi," trained separately from his teammates on Sunday during the portion of practice open to the media. However, coach Hajime Moriyasu dismissed any questions regarding Kubo's status later in the day.

"He is still only doing individual running, so he will not play in the match against Brazil," Moriyasu confirmed. "We really want him to recover quickly, and he desires that too."