On 12 May, Alberto ZACCHERONI, Japan’s national team head coach, announced the 23 players on the roster which will play in the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil to be held in June.

The squad is filled with familiar players who have played long under Coach Zaccheroni including FW Honda Keisuke, FW Kagawa Shinji, and FW Okazaki Shinji. They are joined by likes of FW Kakitani Yoichiro, MF Yamaguchi Hotaru, FW Osako Yuya and FW Saito Manabu, who played well in the EAFE East Asian Cup 2013.

On the other hand, FW Okubo Yoshito was called upon for the first time in two and half years. As the J-League has finished its 13th leg so far, the last year’s scoring champion has scored eight, the most by any Japanese player.

To mention a few more facts, the squad has 12 players currently playing in the overseas, which is more than any other Japan’s team in the past. Endo Yasuhito will play for his third consecutive World Cup for himself, while players such as GK Kawashima Eiji, DF Konno Yasuyuki, DF Nagatomo Yuto and MF Hasebe Makoto will play for their second straight after the last World Cup in South Africa in 2010, where Japan advanced to the top-16. For players such as Kagawa, who was not on the 2010 squad but stayed with the team in South Africa, and Aoyama Toshihiro, this will be the first opportunity to play in the World Cup. As there are eight players listed as forwards, it is designed to be very offensive-minded squad.

Coach Zaccheroni said “We have limited time to prepare. So I selected players who have been on the squad and built up experiences with us.”

The selection criteria, he explained, are quality of plays, potential, sense of teamwork, understanding of the national team game plans, ability to play multiple positions or roles, and the level of intensity the player exhibits, which is expected by the coach for the team to “dominate the match and play our style of football.” He also added that he gave priority to younger players considering the amount of travel, tight schedule and high temperature and humidity that the team will have to endure.

As for Okubo who have not been called up for long, the coach pointed out that he “can be counted on” and he possesses experience, quality of plays, physical strength and unpredictability which makes it difficult for the opposition to read plays. He expects him to “show what he has got.”

In regard to the overall state of the squad, he said “I am confident that Japan team have improved the quality and accuracy of plays a lot for last four years. I want to prove in the World Cup that Japan have got better so much.”

The team will have a domestic training camp from 21 May, play the Kirin Challenge Cup 2014 against Cyprus on 27 as the last domestically-held warm-up match (at Saitama Stadium 2002). Then they will have another training camp in Florida, USA including friendly matches against Costa Rica and Zambia before finally leaving for Brazil.

“We have made up the best team possible. When we are physically in a good shape, we can play very good football. So going to Brazil with the best shape possible will be very important.” Coach Zaccheroni said. Japan in Group C will face Côte d'Ivoire on 14 June, Greece on 19 and Colombia on 24.

Comments

Alberto ZACCHERONI, Head Coach
I put great emphasis on being able to play our style of football, not playing along with the opposition’s style. I considered adding another defensive midfielder, but I decided to have as many offensive players as possible. We want to dominate the tempo and play our brand of football, so this squad will be the best to do it. I think players already understand the team’s basic concept and game plans, so we will focus very carefully on going to Brazil and having the match in our best shape possible. I totally believe in the skills and potential of these players. People expect the good result, but I think good result will most likely follow as long as we put out good performance. We just only visualize us succeeding and keep fighting through.

HARA Hiromi, JFA’s General Secretary and Technical Committee Chairman (Strengthening Section)
We have worked together with Coach Zaccheroni since September, 2010 and finally we have only one more month to go before the World Cup. We will do the best preparation from today until the World Cup and we will show the best performance only this Japan team can show. It’s impossible to select all players who have contributed for these four years. On behalf of those players, I want these 23 players to keep good work going and play in the World Cup. Advancing out of the group round is our first goal, but the World Cup is such a short term battle. Every match is highly important and getting out of the group round is very difficult. So this team as well as the association as a whole are going to put all the efforts into achieving that goal.

Schedule

 ※Local Time