The Samurai Blue are in a brutal group with Spain and Germany, but the potential giant killers should not be overlooked.
Japan made plenty of noise in the U.S. when it dismantled Gregg Berhalter’s national team in a September 2–0 friendly win, but the Samurai Blue have been a consistent force since the last World Cup. In 2018, Japan was on the verge of advancing to the World Cup quarterfinals before Belgium, which ended up finishing third, mounted a furious comeback in the round of 16. Japan has only grown from there.
Former national team midfielder Hajime Moriyasu has a firm hold on this team.