*This content was translated by AI.
The Japanese national team is on high alert. With the opening of the 2026 FIFA North-China World Cup just over five months away, key resources are collapsing one after another.
Japanese media 'Sacker Digest' reported on the 26th that "Tsuyoshi Watanabe, a member of the Netherlands' Eredivisie Feyenoord, was injured and replaced during a home game against Hercules."
This is not the first bad news for the Japanese national team. Following Takumi Minamino (AS Monaco) and Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad), Watanabe, a key defensive player, also left due to injury.
According to local reports, Watanabe, who started with Ayase Ueda (Feyenoord), collapsed in the 16th minute of the second half when his team tried to take away the opponent's ball near the center of the stadium with a 2-1 lead. Watanabe couldn't get up for a while, eventually limping off the field, helped by medical staff.
Soccer Digest expressed concern, saying, "I just hope Watanabe's injury is not big in the situation of the national team, where injuries such as Daichi Kamada (Crystal Palace), Minamino, and Kubo have been continuing recently."
The Japanese national team's injury is serious. The biggest blow is the departure of Minamino, the main striker and mental support. Monaco announced on its official channel last month that Minamino was diagnosed with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
Minamino collapsed complaining of knee pain during the cup game last month, and as feared, he suffered a cruciate ligament rupture. Considering that it usually takes six to nine months to recover from cruciate ligament surgery, participation in the North-China World Cup, which opens in June, has virtually been canceled.
Japanese media Daily Sports and Soccer Digest said, "Minamino's participation in the World Cup has become a desperate situation," adding, "Under Coach Moriyasu Hajime, the departure of a key player with the most A-match appearances and scores is fatal."
To make matters worse, Kubo's condition is also unusual. "Gubo's return will take longer than expected," Real Sociedad coach Pellegrino Mataracho said. "Currently, Gubo is returning to Japan and staying with his family for treatment."
Local media "Nikkan Sports" and others expect Kubo's recovery period to be about eight weeks, but some are pessimistic that his participation in the World Cup finals could be unclear if the injury is prolonged.
Moriyasu is also likely to be troubled. At the end of last year, Moriyasu said, "I will seek to win the North Korea-China-U.S. World Cup," adding, "There is a clear opportunity. I believe we can do it," he said, expressing his will to win.
In addition, Moriyasu said, "The World Cup cannot be overcome on the strength of the national team alone. It is an interest of the whole country, and it is a stage where the power of the country can fight and win only when it is united, he said. "I am desperate to achieve my goal. I want to share the joy with all Japanese who are working hard not only in Japan but also in the world," he said.
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*This content was translated by AI.
