By NewsBits
The Japan World Cup 2022 squad has been announced, with manager Hajime Moriyasu stating he opted for players with “burning ambition” over experience at the finals this month. Japan face Germany, Costa Rica and Spain in Group E of the Qatar World Cup, having booked their place at the showpiece event in Qatar relatively comfortably. Japan are old hands now: this is their seventh successive World Cup finals. Expectedly, Arsenal defender, Takehiro Tomiyasu made the list of top defenders Japan will depend on during the showpiece on Qatar.
Japan World Cup 2022 Squad: The Squad For The Tournament In Qatar
GK: Eiji Kawashima (Strasbourg)
GK: Shuichi Gonda (Shimizu S-Pulse)
GK: Daniel Schmidt (Sint-Truiden)
DF: Takehiro Tomiyasu (Arsenal)
DF: Shogo Taniguchi (Kawasaki Frontale)
DF: Yuto Nagatomo (FC Tokyo)
DF: Miki Yamane (Kawasaki Frontale)
DF: Maya Yoshida (Schalke 04)
DF: Hiroki Sakai (Urawa Red Diamonds)
DF: Hiroki Ito (Stuttgart)
DF: Ko Itakura (Borussia Monchengladbach)
MF: Gaku Shibasaki (Leganes)
MF: Takumi Minamino (Monaco)
MF: Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad)
MF: Hidemasa Morita (Sporting CP)
MF: Wataru Endo (Stuttgart)
MF: Junya Ito (Reims)
MF: Ao Tanaka (Fortuna Dusseldorf)
MF: Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton)
MF: Daichi Kamada (Eintracht Frankfurt)
MF: Ritsu Doan (Freiburg)
MF: Yuki Soma (Nagoya Grampus)
FW: Ayase Ueda (Cercle Brugge)
FW: Takuma Asano (Bochum)
FW: Daizen Maeda (Celtic)
FW: Shuto Machino (Shonan Bellmare)
The real aim in Qatar for Japan, however, is to reach the knockout stages for a fourth time, following last-16 appearances in 2002, 2010 and 2018. They’ve been placed in a tough group with Germany, Spain and Costa Rica, though there is a quiet confidence that this talented Samurai Blue side has what it takes.
