Did you lose to Brazil? "So what? No excuses for the championship goal"... Calls for Japan's Moriyasu to step up grow heated

*This content was translated by AI.

Not all praise has been directed at Hajime Moriyasu's leadership as head coach of the Japanese national football team. Within Japan, voices are also rising that question whether Moriyasu should remain in his post.

On June 30 (Korean time), Football Channel stated, "The Japanese national team was not the strongest in history. Should we really keep Coach Moriyasu?" and pointed out, "We must face the reality of falling far short of our goals."

Japan received a disappointing result sheet at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, being eliminated in the Round of 32. In the Round of 32 match against Brazil held at Houston Stadium in Texas, USA, Japan lost 1-2 after leading initially. Although Japan took the lead first, they conceded consecutive goals in the second half. Particularly painful was conceding a dramatic comeback goal just five minutes into stoppage time in the second half.

Earlier, Japan advanced to the Round of 32 as the second-place team in Group F of this tournament's group stage with one win and two draws (five points). Although they passed through undefeated, their draw was unfavorable. Their next opponent was Brazil, "the eternal championship favorite." Japan did not fall far behind against Brazil but ultimately failed to overcome the final hurdle and bowed their heads.

Because of this, despite Japan's disappointing World Cup performance, opinions are emerging that Coach Moriyasu should continue to be trusted and remain as the team's leader. In fact, under Coach Moriyasu, Japan achieved an impressive record of 17 wins, six draws, and three losses from the third round of Asian qualifiers through to the Round of 32 at the North American World Cup. During this period, they also defeated world-class powerhouses such as England and Brazil in official A-matches. In this tournament's Round of 32, Japan played an even match against Brazil but narrowly lost 1-2.

However, there are critical perspectives. While it is true that the Japanese national team's strength has improved, critics point out that they failed to achieve their intended results on crucial stages.

Japan has passed through the group stage five times in World Cup history, including this tournament, but has never won a single match in the knockout rounds. They reached the Round of 16 in the 2002, 2010, 2018, and 2022 tournaments but failed to advance past the first knockout round each time. Even at the North American World Cup held with a 48-team format, Japan collapsed in the Round of 32. They also missed out on championships in other major tournaments such as the Asian Cup.

Football Channel reported, "The history of the Japanese national team has not changed. Although called 'the strongest in history,' they did not see the 'championship' set as their goal or the 'best scenery.' When they scored the first goal against Brazil, it sparked a small hope." It continued, "However, in the second half, they were only able to focus on resisting Brazil's pressure. In the end, they collapsed. Ultimately, this made them realize the gap with the world."

Of course, many misfortunes occurred for Japan ahead of the World Cup. The injuries and departures of key players such as Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad), Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton), and Wataru Endo (Liverpool) were undoubtedly a major blow. Additionally, it was bad luck that despite passing through the group stage undefeated in second place, they immediately faced Brazil in the Round of 32.

However, Football Channel did not accept these excuses. The media stated, "You can make as many excuses as you want," but also pointed out, "Since 'championship' was mentioned on official occasions, such excuses will not work. Only teams that secure victory under any circumstances can reach the top."

Coach Moriyasu's victories over Brazil and England in friendly matches were acknowledged. However, the media focused on official tournament results. Football Channel explained, "It is true that Japanese football has definitely become stronger under Coach Moriyasu. But the harsh reality is that they have not achieved results worthy of being called 'the strongest in history' in official tournaments." It added, "At the Asian Cup, Japan failed to lift the championship trophy for two consecutive tournaments. At the World Cup, although they succeeded in passing through the group stage for two consecutive times, they failed to overcome the barrier of the first knockout round."

It further stated, "From a global perspective, friendly match results do not have much impact. The fastest way to gain worldwide recognition is by delivering results on major stages like the World Cup." It pointed out, "Japan did not achieve any special results at the World Cup. This tournament will also end with the evaluation that 'Brazil won smoothly' in the eyes of the world."

It then emphasized, "The goal of winning the World Cup was far from being achieved. If the goal is not reached, it is only natural for the leader to be replaced." It stressed, "The current Japanese national team has already passed the stage where they can find comfort in saying 'they fought well against strong teams,' so-called 'lost but fought well,' and become satisfied."

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*This content was translated by AI.