*This content was translated by AI.
A major emergency has struck the Japan national football team. It is highly likely that ace Kaoru Mitoma (28, Brighton & Hove Albion) will not step onto the World Cup stage.
Japanese media outlet 'Sponichi Annex' reported on the 11th that "Mitoma was diagnosed with a tear in the back muscles of his left thigh during a match against Wolverhampton Wanderers and will be out for two months," adding that "the Japan national team under manager Hajime Moriyasu, which is about to announce its final World Cup roster on the 15th, has suffered a major blow."
According to reports, Mitoma collapsed on the 9th, just 10 minutes into the second half of the match against Wolverhampton, complaining of severe pain immediately after trapping a long ball. Mitoma, who clutched his face in agony, was helped off the pitch by medical staff and was later spotted using crutches on his way out of the stadium.
Manager Moriyasu was frustrated by the issue. Visiting the J-League site on the 10th, Moriyasu stated, "I heard Mitoma's injury is not minor," and added, "I do not know how long it will take for him to recover." In fact, Mitoma is considered an irreplaceable asset for Japan, having led the team to a historic victory by scoring the winning goal against England in a friendly match at Wembley last March.
The bigger problem is that Japan's brutal injury history does not end with Mitoma alone. With the tournament opener just around the corner, key players have been falling one after another. 'Sponichi Annex' reported that "after Takumi Minamino (Monaco) was sidelined last December due to a tear of the anterior cruciate ligament, Yuito Suzuki (Freiburg) had his World Cup chances dashed on the 3rd due to a fractured right collarbone."
The consecutive departures of key players have shaken Moriyasu's plans to their roots. The media noted that "urgent alternatives are needed for the left-sided attacking positions and left wing-back, which are now vacant due to the absence of Mitoma and Minamino," suggesting that "if Keito Nakamura (Lens) is deployed forward, Daizen Maeda (Celtic FC) or Junya Suzuki (FC Tokyo), known for his strong defensive abilities, should be utilized." Additionally, there are suggestions that promising prospect Kento Shiogai (VfL Wolfsburg), who was on the bubble for the final roster, might be unexpectedly selected.
There is only one month left until Japan's first World Cup match against the Netherlands on June 14. After the match against England, Manager Moriyasu confidently declared, "We will win the World Cup," but the national team has now faced the worst-case scenario of key players suffering from a string of injuries before the tournament even begins.
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*This content was translated by AI.
