Japan name a 23-man squad for FIFA World Cup
Japan have named their 23-man World Cup squad, which will be lead by head coach Akira Nishino in Russia. The Samurai Blues are looking towards their veteran players like former AC Milan mid-fielder Keisuke Honda, Dortmund's Shinji Kagawa, Leicester City's Shinji Okazaki and Southampton's Maya Yoshida to lead the proceedings in Russia. Here's more about the squad.
Japan placed in Group H along side Colombia and Poland
Japan coach Akira knows that they have not been handed an easy group. They have been placed in Group H along side Colombia, Poland and Senegal. But with experienced campaigners in their side, they would aim to do better than what they achieved 4 years ago in Brazil. In 2014, Japan failed to advance from the group stage.
Japan's world cup campaign to kick off from June 19
As a part of their warm up games for football's biggest tournament, Japan face Switzerland on June 8 in Lugano and Paraguay on June 12 in Austria . They will begin their World Cup campaign against Colombia on June 19, followed by matches against Senegal on June 24 and Poland on June 28.
Who all are in Japan's 23-member squad?
Goal-keepers: Eiji (Metz), Masaaki (Gamba Osaka) and Kosuke (Kashiwa). Defenders: Yuto (Galatasaray), Tomoaki (Urawa), Wataru (Urawa), Maya Yoshida (Southampton), Hiroki (Marseille), Gotoku (Hamburg), Gen Shoji (Kashima) and Naomichi (Kashima) Mid-fielders: Makoto (Eintracht), Keisuke (Pachuca), Takashi (Eibar), Shinji Kagawa (Dortmund), Hotaru (Cerezo Osaka), Genki (Dusseldorf), Takashi (Dusseldorf), Gaku (Getafe), Ryota (Kawasaki). Forwards: Shinji Okazaki (Leicester), Yuya Osako (Werder Bremen) and Yoshinori Muto (Mainz).
