Japan’s national soccer team has announced its 26 players for the 2022 World Cup opening this month in Qatar.
Japan coach Moriyasu Hajime announced the list in Tokyo on Tuesday.
The team’s goalkeepers are Kawashima Eiji of RC Strasbourg in the French top division, Gonda Shuichi of Shimizu S-Pulse in Japan’s first division J-1, and Schmidt Daniel of Sint-Truiden in the Belgian first division.
Defenders include Nagatomo Yuto of F.C. Tokyo in J-1 and Yoshida Maya of FC Schalke 04 in the German top division. Nagatomo has been selected for a fourth straight World Cup, and Yoshida a third.
Other defenders are Sakai Hiroki of the Urawa Reds in J-1, Taniguchi Shogo and Yamane Miki of Kawasaki Frontale in J-1, Itakura Ko of Borussia Monchengladbach in the German top division, Nakayama Yuta of Huddersfield Town in England’s second division, Tomiyasu Takehiro of Arsenal in England’s Premier League, and Hiroki Ito of VfB Stuttgart in the German top division. Itakura has been away from the national team due to injuries.
Midfielders and forwards include Endo Wataru of VfB Stuttgart in the German top division and Ito Junya of Stade de Reims in the French top division. It will be Endo’s second World Cup. Ito scored goals in four straight matches of the final Asian qualifiers.
Other midfielders and forwards are Shibasaki Gaku of CD Leganes in the Spanish second division, Asano Takuma of VfL Bochum 1848 in the German first division and Minamino Takumi of AS Monaco in the French top division. Asano has not been active on the national team due to injuries.
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