'Underdog' label shed, Japan faces Lee Young-pyo: "Strong teams now see Japan as a competitor, not a challenger... Caution against strong checks is necessary"

*This content was translated by AI.

Japan, known as the 'European killer,' is set to challenge for its first World Cup victory against the Netherlands. Lee Young-pyo (50), a KBS commentator, stated that Japanese football has evolved from being a 'challenger' to a 'competitor' of top-tier teams, describing the upcoming match as a "true test to gauge the growth of Japanese football."

The Japan national football team, led by head coach Hajime Moriyasu, will face the Netherlands in the first match of Group F in the 2026 FIFA North American World Cup group stage at Dallas Stadium in the United States at 5 a.m. Korean time on the 15th.

Japan has recently shown strong performances against European teams. After defeating Germany and Spain at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, the team has secured three consecutive victories against European nations in recent A-match fixtures, beating Scotland, England, and Iceland.

However, injuries to key players are a setback. Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton) has been ruled out due to a hamstring injury, and captain Wataru Endo (Liverpool) was also excluded from the final roster due to a recurrence of foot pain.

Nevertheless, the squad remains solid. Players such as Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad) and Hiroki Ito (Bayern Munich), who are active in major European leagues, are prominently featured. Veteran Yuto Nakatomo (FC Tokyo) is set to make his fifth consecutive World Cup finals appearance, becoming the first Asian player to achieve this feat.

The Netherlands, coached by Ronald Koeman, aims to overcome the disappointment of three previous runner-up finishes (1974, 1978, 2010) and secure their first-ever World Cup title.

The core of the Netherlands squad consists of players from the English Premier League (EPL). World-class talents including captain Virgil van Dijk and Cody Gakpo (both Liverpool), Tijjani Reijnders (Manchester City), and Micky van de Ven (Tottenham) are ready to take the field.

According to the public relations agency 'PR Jam,' Lee Young-pyo, who arrived in Dallas, USA, for the match, views this game as a true test for the Japan national team.

Commentator Lee Young-pyo stated, "The first match of Group F between Japan and the Netherlands will be an important test to gauge how far Japanese football has grown. However, recent injuries have caused significant losses in the squad, which will place a considerable burden on the Japan national team."

He continued, "Another variable is that traditional powerhouses that have experienced Japan's rapid growth now recognize the country not as an easy opponent but as a formidable competitor. Consequently, Japan is likely to face much stronger checks and challenges in this World Cup than before, and these factors will pose significant threats from the group stage onward."

Meanwhile, football statistics media Opta predicts the win probability for this matchup as 50.2% for the Netherlands, 24.5% for Japan, and 25.3% for a draw, forecasting a Dutch advantage.

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*This content was translated by AI.