Japan’s defense, which kept a clean sheet against England in the March friendlies, faces selection dilemmas with several players returning from injury. Who will make the final cut?
On May 15, Japan’s 26-man squad for the North and Central America World Cup will finally be announced. The Samurai Blue, often called the strongest ever under manager Hajime Moriyasu, have defeated Germany, Brazil, and England in recent friendlies but have been hit by a wave of injuries. Who will be called up, who will be left out, and could there be surprise inclusions? Three veteran journalists covering the Japanese national team—Kei Sato, Tatsuya Takeuchi, and Wataru Funaki—sat down to predict the final roster in a roundtable discussion. This first part covers goalkeepers, defenders, and defensive midfielders.
The current goalkeeper group features the potential world-class talent of Zion Suzuki (right), supported by Hayakawa (center) and Osako (left). It’s hard to imagine breaking up this strong trio.
**Goalkeepers**
**Sato:** Yuki Hayakawa, Keisuke Osako, Zion Suzuki
**Takeuchi:** Yuki Hayakawa, Keisuke Osako, Zion Suzuki
**Funaki:** Yuki Hayakawa, Keisuke Osako, Zion Suzuki
*(Listed in age order)*
All three experts agree on the same three goalkeepers: Zion Suzuki (Parma), Keisuke Osako (Sanfrecce Hiroshima), and Yuki Hayakawa (Kashima Antlers). “This trio has been consistent for a long time,” said Takeuchi. While Kosuke Gonda, Tani, and others have been called up in the past, the consensus is that Suzuki has earned Moriyasu’s trust as the starter. “The best supporting cast for Suzuki is Osako and Hayakawa, who have trained alongside him. They are solid personalities and perfect for the role,” Takeuchi added.
Compared to the 2022 Qatar World Cup, where Japan’s goalkeepers were Eiji Kawashima, Daniel Schmidt, and Shuichi Gonda, this group marks a complete generational shift. “Suzuki’s rise started when he was given the starting role at the 2024 Asian Cup. The team clearly had a roadmap to build around him,” Takeuchi noted. Funaki wondered if Japan might bring a penalty-kick specialist goalkeeper, but Sato dismissed the idea: “Hayakawa and Osako are the best in the J-League right now, and the current trio has incredible chemistry. Moriyasu won’t break that up.” Sato also believes Suzuki is the only current Japanese goalkeeper with the potential to become a world-class player, capable of starting for a top-six Premier League club.
**Defenders**
**Sato:** Shogo Taniguchi, Kou Itakura, Go Watanabe, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Hiroki Ito, Yusei Seko, Yukinari Sugawara, Junosuke Suzuki
**Takeuchi:** Shogo Taniguchi, Kou Itakura, Go Watanabe, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Tomoya Ando, Hiroki Ito, Yusei Seko, Junosuke Suzuki
**Funaki:** Shogo Taniguchi, Kou Itakura, Go Watanabe, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Hiroki Ito, Yukinari Sugawara, Junosuke Suzuki
The defenders category shows more divergence. Funaki selected seven defenders, while Sato and Takeuchi picked eight. All three included Shogo Taniguchi, Kou Itakura, Go Watanabe, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Hiroki Ito, and Junosuke Suzuki. The main differences involve the inclusion of Yusei Seko, Yukinari Sugawara, and Tomoya Ando.
Funaki’s picks included seven defenders plus Yukinari Sugawara, who can play as a right wing-back or right-back in a back-four switch. “I see the center-backs as two sets of a back-three: Suzuki and Ito on the left, Taniguchi and Itakura in the middle, Watanabe and Tomiyasu on the right. Sugawara adds tactical flexibility for changing formations during a match,” Funaki explained.
Sato chose Sugawara as a right-back and also included Yusei Seko. Takeuchi went with eight center-backs, including Tomoya Ando of St. Pauli, who has only three caps but offers aerial strength. “Ando is 190 cm and strong in the air. He’s been injured a lot but clearly the coach wants to test him,” Takeuchi said. Sato admitted he was torn over Ando, especially since Yuta Matsuda’s return from an ACL injury has been delayed. “Moriyasu usually wants to see a player in 2-3 matches before selecting them after a long injury, so Matsuda’s recovery is too slow,” Takeuchi added.
Tomiyasu, despite not playing for Japan since June 2024 against Syria, remains a lock if fit. “Moriyasu has immense trust in Tomiyasu. If he can step on the pitch, he’ll be in the squad,” the experts agreed.
The defensive midfielders and other positions will be covered in the next installment.