Japan Announces World Cup Squad Without Dependable Star

Even before the start of the World Cup, Asian football powerhouse Japan has faced a major setback. Due to an injury, head coach Hajime Moriyasu today announced Japan’s final World Cup squad without their highly dependable star, Kaoru Mitoma. Following the announcement of the 26-member squad, Coach Hajime became quite emotional, expressing deep disappointment over not having the reliable winger Mitoma in the team. According to him, Japan will lose a massive pillar of strength in Mitoma’s absence. Mitoma was one of the key heroes in Brighton’s 3-0 victory against Wolverhampton in the English Premier League last week. The player suffered a hamstring injury during that match.
After an examination by Japan’s medical team, Coach Hajime was forced to make this decision as there was no possibility of Mitoma fully recovering before the World Cup. Mitoma was instrumental in Japan’s victory against England in a friendly match last March. Japan will kick off their World Cup campaign on June 14 with a match against the Netherlands.
In addition to Mitoma, Monaco striker Takumi Minamino is also missing from the squad due to an injury. The squad includes seven star players who play in various European leagues. In the 2022 World Cup, Japan proved its strength by defeating European powerhouses Germany and Spain. That time, they ended their campaign after a defeat against Croatia in the pre-quarterfinals.