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Agence France-Presse

Reuters

Injured English Premier League winger Kaoru Mitoma was left out of Japan’s World Cup squad on Friday in a major blow to their chances of progressing beyond the last 16 for the first time.
The 28-year-old suffered a hamstring injury during Brighton’s 3-0 win over Wolves in the EPL last weekend.
“The medical team assessed that it would be difficult for him to get back to fitness during the tournament,” coach Hajime Moriyasu said in naming his squad in Tokyo.
Monaco forward Takumi Minamino also missed out after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in late December.
Moriyasu, who will be leading the team into his second World Cup as coach, said selecting the squad had been tough.

“There are still many ⁠players who have the ability to compete and win on the world stage for Japan,” he said.
“So I honestly feel apologetic about not being ⁠able to select them – actually, not just a little apologetic, but deeply apologetic.
“[But] I feel that I have chosen the best 26 players for Japan to win on the world stage right now.”
Japan have been drawn with the Netherlands, Sweden and Tunisia in Group F and they start their campaign against the Dutch in Arlington, Texas on June 14.
Mitoma is one of Japan’s best players and scored the winner in their 1-0 friendly victory over England at Wembley in March.
He also played a key role in his country’s shock wins over Germany and Spain at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where Japan eventually lost on penalties to eventual semi-finalists Croatia in the last 16.
Former Arsenal defender Takehiro Tomiyasu made the 26-man squad despite not having played for Japan since June 2024 because of injuries.
The central defender, who currently plays for Ajax after his contract was ‌annulled by mutual consent with Arsenal last year, last played for Japan in a World Cup qualifier against Syria on June 11, 2024. He had been included in the squad for ⁠the March international window before withdrawing.
Captain and Liverpool defensive midfielder Wataru Endo and veteran fullback Yuto Nagatomo were also included, as were Crystal Palace’s Daichi Kamada and Real Sociedad’s Takefusa Kubo.
“He has begun working with the ball again … and is reaching a condition where he can play in matches,” Moriyasu said of Endo.
“He is a central figure in this team. ‌Of course I expect him to contribute in terms of play … but I also expect him to support the team mentally ⁠and emotionally.”

Wolfsburg’s Kento Shiogai, who won his first cap in Japan’s 1-0 win over Scotland in Glasgow in March, also made the cut.
Japan are on a five-match winning streak heading into their final pre-World Cup friendly against Iceland in Tokyo on May 31.
The streak started last October with a 3-2 win over Brazil in Tokyo when the home side came back from 2-0 down to beat the South Americans for the first time.
It was also the last time Japan conceded a goal.
Japan’s 1-0 win over England came after defeating Scotland 1-0 at Glasgow three days earlier.
Japan qualified for their first World Cup at France in 1998, and co-hosted the event with South Korea in 2002. This year marks Japan’s eighth World Cup tournament in a row.
Japan squad for World Cup:
Goalkeepers: Zion Suzuki (Parma), Keisuke Osako (Sanfrecce Hiroshima), Tomoki Hayakawa (Kashima Antlers)
Defenders: Yuto 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), Junnosuke Suzuki (Copenhagen)
Midfielders/forwards: Wataru Endo (Liverpool), Junya Ito (Genk), Daichi Kamada (Crystal Palace), Koki Ogawa (NEC), Daizen Maeda (Celtic), Ritsu Doan (Eintracht Frankfurt), Ayase Ueda (Feyenoord), Ao Tanaka (Leeds United), Keito Nakamura (Reims), Kaishu Sano (Mainz), Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad), Yuito Suzuki (Freiburg), Kento Shiogai (Wolfsburg), Keisuke Goto (Sint-Truiden)


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Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma (right) shoots at goal against Wolves on Saturday before later going off with a hamstring injury that has ruled him out of the World Cup next month. Photo: Reuters

Tomiyasu Takehiro (left) vies with Croatia’s Mario Pasalic at the 2022 World Cup. Photo: Xinhua

Japan captain Wataru Endo, seen here against Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, has had an injury-hit season with Liverpool. Photo: Reuters

China lost 2-1 defeat to Japan in Jeddah last Saturday, with Zhao Songyuan (right) scoring his team’s goal, but China qualified for the quarter-finals after beating Qatar 2-0 on Tuesday. Photo: Xinhua

Fifa’s Mattias Grafstrom at China’s National Football Youth Training Centre on Tuesday. Photo: Xinhua

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Lionel Messi (centre) stayed on the bench when Inter Miami played a Tatler Asia-organised match in Hong Kong in February 2024. Photo: Sam Tsang

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Football

Liverpool’s Endo and Crystal Palace’s Kamada also make cut as coach Hajime Moriyasu picks best 26 ‘for Japan to win on the world stage’


Liverpool’s Endo and Crystal Palace’s Kamada also make cut as coach Hajime Moriyasu picks best 26 ‘for Japan to win on the world stage’.


Fifa World Cup 2026

Injured EPL winger Mitoma fails to make Japan’s World Cup squad as Ajax’s Tomiyasu returns

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Liverpool’s Endo and Crystal Palace’s Kamada also make cut as coach Hajime Moriyasu picks best 26 ‘for Japan to win on the world stage’

Liverpool’s Endo and Crystal Palace’s Kamada also make cut as coach Hajime Moriyasu picks best 26 ‘for Japan to win on the world stage’