Last update 6 April, 2024 by Alberto Llopis
It is the eternal song. Japanese soccer is improving and from one moment to the next it will explode. He's been thinking for years 90 but for one reason or another, in the end it's always more of the same. Japan progresses but little by little. They have a competitive league to a certain extent, they are prone to extract young promises and it begins to bear fruit.
It would be absurd to say that Japan is the favorite to win the World Cup or even reach the semi-finals.. But not that he stood in the quarterfinals, much less, in eighths. It is true that Ivory Coast, Colombia and even Greece are better or may become so at a certain time but Asians have their weapons.
Organization, order and speed. They are a very fast team with Kagawa and Honda as the maximum exponents. The problem will be the role that Japan will assume. Will he dominate the games or will he get carried away? In a group as unpredictable as C it is difficult to guess. Maybe, the big Japanese problem is the construction of the game. Japan usually takes the reins of the parties in Asia and that sometimes causes setbacks. Endo and Hasebe sometimes have difficulties creating and that Colombia or the Ivory Coast with the talent of its stars dominate you can be even more counterproductive.
Even more can be the defensive oversights and the innocence of the rear. How many times have we not seen Japan score a goal in the dumbest way? With Zaccheroni on the bench, Japan should learn from Italian roguery and convey a sense of serious team. If they do it, winning them will cost blood, sweat and tears.
Strengths:
- The speed of the top. Honda and Kagawa are fast and also know how to unbalance. Above they have experience and this poses an extra danger.
- Defensive discipline. Japan has always been a collective specialized in being very well situated in the countryside. With Zaccheroni that feeling is increased even more to generate more doubts in the rival when attacking.
Weak points:
- Inexperience at key moments. Japan is not used to performing at the highest level in big games and that always pays for it. Defensive mistakes, tactical, something always fails in the Japanese painting when push comes to shove.
- Lack of true talent. Kagawa, Honda are good footballers, but not stars capable of deciding matches and championships. Japan does not have a Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar, Iniesta or even Robben. Good footballers but not stars.
Alignment:
Coach:
Alberto Zaccheroni is an old connoisseur of international football and especially Italian football, where he has managed in his long career more than 12 equipment. Among them, el Milan, with whom he won Serie A in 1999 and Juventus, with whom he did not achieve any title.
Zaccheroni imposes a sober style, no fuss where security and defense prevail over attack and creativity. In office since 2010, things do not seem to have gone wrong for the Italian who won the Asian Cup in 2011. However, the world, it will be something else.
Honors:
– 2 times in the round of 16 of a World Cup.
– Olympic bronze in 1968.
– Finalist of the Confederations Cup in 2001.
– 4 times Asian Cup champion.