"I'm scared of soccer."' England, ranked fourth in the world, is shaking → Best 11 players including Kane are all excellent in tactics, players, and mentality

*This content was translated by AI.

England, which is considered a candidate for the 2026 FIFA North-China World Cup, also expressed caution about Japan's recent rise. Coach Thomas Tuchel praised the potential of Japanese soccer.

Japanese media 'Football Zone' reported on the 30th that "England raised the level of soccer in Japan, the other team." England, ranked fourth in the FIFA rankings, will play an A-match warm-up match against Japan (18th) at Wembley Stadium on April 1.

Asked about his impression when he decided to face Japan, Tuchel said, "The Japanese team is very attractive. "I thought it was really great," he said. "It's rare to face a team with the same power as the Japanese national team."

Tuchel, who led Bayern Munich and Chelsea, is one of the best in Europe. In particular, he is well-known as a vitriolic who does not care about water or fire. However, Tuchel said of Japan, "It is a team with excellent individuality, mental strength, and playing style," adding, "Japan has recently produced very excellent results." It's a well-organized team tactically," he praised.

In particular, Tuchel pointed out Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton and Hove Albion), who is active in the English Premier League (EPL). "Mitoma is expected to start as a sagging striker. "It's very difficult to stop him," he said. "The best way may be to block him from catching the ball at all. He praised him, "He is an excellent player with exceptional dribbling and acceleration."

In addition, Tuchel also provided an in-depth analysis of Japan's tactics. "Japan has two defensive midfielders in a solid five-back, and the offense moves organically. The quality of the build-up is also quite high, he said. "If England fails to respond properly, it can be beaten by Japan with mobility, speed and technology. In particular, we need to be careful about the left and right transitions and fight smartly," he stressed.

Japan is currently on an all-time rise, winning four consecutive games. In the warm-up match held in Glasgow, Scotland on the 29th, he won 1-0 thanks to Junya Ito (KRC Genk)'s winning goal in the 39th minute of the second half.

England, on the other hand, has a serious power leak. According to the "The Athletic" report, eight key players, including Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka (Arsenals), Noni Madueke and John Stones, have returned to their teams due to injuries and other reasons.

Tuchel is preparing for the match against Japan with a dual squad after the match against Uruguay. According to 'The Standard', Harry Kane (Munich), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), Mark Gehi (Manchester City), and Jordan Pickford (Everton) are likely to start against Japan.

Unlike Hong Myung-bo Team, which suffered a crushing defeat of four runs against Ivory Coast, Japan, which showed stable performance in both the main and non-main games, even drew the recognition of a European master. Japan is trailing England with one draw and two losses in all-time opponents. This is the first showdown in 16 years since 2010.

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*This content was translated by AI.