On Monday 6 June, the SAMURAI BLUE (Japan National Team) faced the Brazil National Team in the KIRIN CHALLENGE CUP 2022 held at Japan National Stadium (Tokyo). Despite finishing the first half 0-0, Japan lost to Brazil 0-1 after conceding a penalty kick in the second half, which was converted by Neymar JR (Paris Saint-Germain). With this loss, Japan’s overall record against Brazil is now two draws and 11 losses.

Ahead of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, which will kick-off in November, this match against Brazil, the No. 1 ranked team in the FIFA rankings, presents an excellent opportunity for Japan to see where they currently stand, and to identify their strengths and weaknesses. In the past decade, Japan has lost all four matches against Brazil, each time by three or more goals.

In a match that was attended by 63,638 spectators in the pouring rain, Japan rotated their starting line-up from their match against Paraguay on Thursday and fielded a line-up that featured many of the players who participated in the AFC Asian Qualifiers (Road to Qatar). Among them, NAGATOMO Yuto (FC Tokyo), who has traditionally played as a left back, was named as a right back, with NAKAYAMA Yuta (PEC Zwolle) playing in the left, YOSHIDA Maya (UC Sampdoria) and ITAKURA Kou (FC Schalke 04) as centre backs, and GONDA Shuichi (Shimizu S-Pulse) as the starting goalkeeper. .....

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