The 2026 World Cup brings several storylines, including teams that feature players who were not born in the countries they represent. Japan are one of them, and their roster includes a single player born outside Japanese territory.
Starting goalkeeper Zion Suzuki was born in New Jersey, United States, and is the only naturalized player in the squad, as confirmed through FIFA’s official website. Hajime Moriyasu’s 26-man roster includes the rest of the players, all of whom were born in Japan.
The Samurai Blue are in Group F alongside top-level opponents such as the Netherlands, as well as another European side, Sweden, and Tunisia.
Japan aim to be a contender
Armed with a highly disciplined squad and tactical maturity, the Japanese national team enters the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a clear and ambitious mission: to surpass their historical ceiling and secure their highest-ever finish on the global stage.
Takefusa Kubo of Japan looks on.
Historically, the Samurai Blue have established themselves as one of Asia’s most consistent powerhouses, with their absolute best World Cup performances coming in 2002, 2010, 2018, and 2022, where they successfully reached the Round of 16.
By leveraging their elite pressing system and a deeply talented roster of European-based players, Japan aim to finally break through that psychological barrier and establish a new benchmark in soccer history.
