After earning 5 points in 3 matches, Japan finished second in the Group F standings and will now face none other than Brazil. The Blue Samurai will approach this match with key absences, including Takefusa Kubo, who was unable to recover from his injury.
The right winger suffered a meniscus tear in his left knee during his national team’s 2026 World Cup debut against the Netherlands. Hajime Moriyasu told the press that, although he is recovering well, he will not be available for selection at Houston Stadium.
“He’s still only doing individual running [and] training, so he’s not going to play in the match against Brazil,” the manager said via ESPN.com. “We really wish for him to recover swiftly, and he wishes it too.”
Japan, the underdogs
Japan’s current FIFA ranking places them well below their opponent. Is that enough to rule out their chances? Definitely not. In fact, the Blue Samurai are aiming to shock Brazil and pull off an upset in this tournament.
Hajime Moriyasu, Head Coach of Japan, is seen before the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group F match.
“In the world, Brazil are ranked at the top while Japan are not ranked that high — that is the way it is,” Moriyasu said. “We are aiming to win the World Cup but we haven’t been at that level before. Of course, some people look at us and feel we’ve been doing well.“
He also added: “Brazil are always a leading team. They have a very good chance of winning. Some people will say Japan are underdogs. We will play with that in mind. We will respect the opponents but like last year [in the friendly win] we weren’t given a chance to win. This possibility to win — we can change history.“
Japan’s offensive line
To replace Takefusa Kubo’s creativity and flair against Brazil, Hajime Moriyasu has highly competitive tactical alternatives on the flanks. Ritsu Doan stands out as the most natural direct replacement on the right wing, offering high-intensity pressing, great ball retention, and a clinical left foot.
Alternatively, Japan can opt for the explosive pace and veteran experience of Junya Ito to exploit spaces on the counter-attack, or even shift Daichi Kamada into an advanced playmaker role to control the half-spaces and prioritize tactical balance against the South American giants.
