Japan big soccer. Japan’s Soccer Revolution: The Rise of Japanese Players in European Leagues

How has Japan become a leading exporter of soccer talent to Europe. What factors have contributed to the increasing number of Japanese players in top European leagues. How has this shift impacted Japan’s national team performance.

The Transformation of Japan’s National Soccer Team

Japan’s national soccer team has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past two decades. In 1998, when Japan made its World Cup debut in France, the entire squad consisted of players from the domestic J. League. Fast forward to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and the picture looks drastically different. Of the 26-man roster, a staggering 22 players either currently play or have played for European clubs. This shift represents a seismic change in Japanese soccer and has had profound implications for the national team’s performance on the world stage.

Japan’s World Cup 2022 Performance

The strategy of relying heavily on Europe-based players paid off handsomely for Japan in the 2022 World Cup. Despite being placed in the formidable “group of death,” the team exceeded all expectations. They achieved stunning victories over former champions Germany and Spain, securing their fifth appearance in the round of 16. Even in their eventual loss to Croatia, a perennial title contender, Japan held its own before succumbing in a penalty shootout.

The Evolution of Japan’s Soccer Exports

The trend of Japanese players moving to European clubs has been a gradual but steady one. Let’s look at the progression:

• 1998 World Cup: 0 Europe-based players
• 2002 World Cup: 4 Europe-based players
• 2014 World Cup: 12 Europe-based players
• 2018 World Cup: 16 Europe-based players
• 2022 World Cup: 22 Europe-based players

Today, playing for a European club has become almost a prerequisite for making it to Japan’s national team. The competition is fierce, with over 100 Japanese players currently playing for first-division teams across Europe.

Japanese Stars in European Leagues

Several Japanese players have made significant impacts in top European leagues. Names like Kubo Takefusa, Kamada Daichi, and Mitoma Kaoru are now familiar to fans of the “big five” European leagues in England, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. Other stars like Maeda Daizen and Ueda Ayase have made impressive showings in top-flight competitions in other European countries.

The Kagawa Effect: A Turning Point for Japanese Soccer

While Japan’s success in developing domestic talent has undoubtedly contributed to the current demand for Japanese players in Europe, one player, in particular, played a pivotal role in opening the floodgates: Kagawa Shinji.

Kagawa’s journey to Europe began differently from his predecessors. Instead of proving himself through long stints in the J. League, Kagawa caught the eye of European scouts as a standout youth player at second-tier club Cerezo Osaka. In 2010, at the age of 21, Kagawa transferred to German Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund for a modest fee of €350,000.

Kagawa’s Impact at Borussia Dortmund

Kagawa’s success at Dortmund was immediate and impressive. He played a crucial role in the club’s back-to-back Bundesliga titles in 2011 and 2012. His outstanding performance in his second season earned him a place in the Bundesliga XI, the league’s all-star team. This success ultimately led to a high-profile move to Manchester United in the English Premier League.

The German Connection: A New Pipeline for Japanese Talent

Kagawa’s success in Germany opened the eyes of Bundesliga clubs to the potential of Japanese players. They discovered that Japan was a rich source of technically skilled, tactically aware, and highly motivated footballers. But what made Japanese players particularly attractive to German clubs?

• Technical proficiency
• Tactical understanding
• Strong work ethic
• Adaptability to European playing styles
• Relatively low transfer fees compared to European or South American players

This recognition led to an influx of Japanese players to the Bundesliga, creating a pipeline that continues to thrive today.

The Impact on Japanese Soccer Development

The increasing number of Japanese players in European leagues has had a profound impact on soccer development in Japan. How has this trend affected the domestic game and the national team?

Benefits for the National Team

The exposure to high-level European football has significantly improved the quality of the Japanese national team. Players returning from Europe bring with them:

1. Experience against world-class opponents
2. Exposure to different tactical systems
3. Improved physical conditioning
4. Mental toughness developed in high-pressure environments

These factors have contributed to Japan’s improved performances in international competitions, as evidenced by their success in the 2022 World Cup.

Challenges for the J. League

While the exodus of top talent to Europe has benefited the national team, it has presented challenges for the domestic J. League. Has the league’s quality suffered as a result of losing its best players to European clubs?

Interestingly, the J. League has shown resilience in the face of this talent drain. The league has focused on developing young players and creating a competitive environment that prepares players for potential moves to Europe. This has resulted in a constant stream of new talent emerging to replace those who leave, maintaining the league’s overall quality.

The Future of Japanese Soccer in Europe

As Japanese players continue to make their mark in European leagues, what does the future hold for this trend? Several factors suggest that the flow of Japanese talent to Europe is likely to continue and possibly increase:

• Growing reputation of Japanese players in Europe
• Improved scouting networks focusing on Asian talent
• Increased investment in youth development in Japan
• Success of Japanese players inspiring the next generation

However, this trend also raises questions about the long-term impact on Japanese soccer. Will the continued exodus of top talent eventually harm the domestic game? Or will it drive further improvements in player development and raise the overall standard of Japanese soccer?

Comparing Japan’s Soccer Exports to Other Nations

Japan’s emergence as a significant exporter of soccer talent to Europe invites comparisons with other nations known for producing players for top European leagues. How does Japan’s soccer export model compare to countries like Brazil, Argentina, or African nations with established pipelines to Europe?

Similarities and Differences

While there are similarities in terms of the volume of players moving to Europe, there are also key differences:

• Age of export: Japanese players often move to Europe at a slightly older age compared to South American or African players
• Playing style: Japanese players are often valued for their technical skills and tactical understanding, while players from other regions might be prized for physical attributes or flair
• Cultural adaptation: Japanese players often face unique challenges in adapting to European cultures, which can affect their success rates

Understanding these differences can help in predicting the future success of Japanese players in Europe and in developing strategies to support their transitions.

The Role of Cultural Factors in Japanese Players’ Success

The success of Japanese players in European leagues is not solely due to their technical abilities. Cultural factors play a significant role in their adaptation and performance. What aspects of Japanese culture contribute to these players’ success in Europe?

Key Cultural Traits

• Discipline and work ethic
• Respect for authority and willingness to learn
• Teamwork and collective mindset
• Attention to detail
• Adaptability and resilience

These cultural traits often align well with the demands of professional soccer in Europe, particularly in leagues like the Bundesliga where tactical discipline and team cohesion are highly valued.

However, cultural differences can also present challenges. Japanese players may struggle with more individualistic or confrontational aspects of European soccer culture. Overcoming these cultural barriers is often a key factor in determining a player’s long-term success in Europe.

The Economic Impact of Japan’s Soccer Exports

The increasing number of Japanese players in European leagues has significant economic implications for both Japanese and European soccer. How has this trend affected the financial aspects of the sport?

Financial Benefits for Japanese Clubs

J. League clubs have benefited from transfer fees and potential sell-on clauses when their players move to Europe. This influx of funds can be reinvested in youth development and club infrastructure, creating a virtuous cycle of talent production.

Market Opportunities in Europe

European clubs signing Japanese players often gain access to new market opportunities in Asia. This can lead to increased merchandise sales, broadcasting rights, and sponsorship deals, making Japanese players attractive not just for their on-field abilities but also for their marketing potential.

The economic aspects of this trend raise interesting questions about the future of soccer as a global business. Will we see more strategic partnerships between Japanese and European clubs? How might this affect the competitive balance between leagues in different continents?

As Japanese soccer continues to evolve and more players make their mark in Europe, these questions will become increasingly relevant. The story of Japan’s soccer exports is not just about sport, but about globalization, cultural exchange, and the changing face of international football.

Football Dreams: Growing Number of Japanese Soccer Players Set Sights on Europe

The Japanese men’s national soccer team at the 1998 World Cup in France was made up entirely of players from the domestic J. League. By contrast, the squad that went to Qatar in 2022 was dominated by players based in Europe. What has driven the continent’s rise as a destination for Japan’s top footballers?

Soccer Exports

At last year’s World Cup in Qatar, Japanese men’s national soccer team manager Moriyasu Hajime looked to Europe to fill his squad. Of the 26-man roster, 22 currently or at one time played for clubs on the continent. Moriyasu’s strategy was a resounding success. Competing in the “group of death,” the Japanese team surpassed all expectations by downing former champions Germany and Spain to earn its fifth appearance in the round of 16, where it held its own against perennial title contender Croatia before a disappointing loss on penalties.

This reliance on players with European experience made Japan something of an outlier compared to other Asian competitors at the tournament. Iran, for instance, tapped 13 players based in Europe, South Korea 7, and Saudi Arabia none at all. Even Australia, with its strong ties to British soccer, called up just 15 of its internationals playing for European clubs.

Japan’s shift to Europe-based players has been a gradual one. When it made its World Cup debut in France in 1998, the team consisted wholly of players from the domestic J. League. When Japan cohosted the tournament with South Korea in 2002, four on the squad played in Europe. This number would remain more or less steady over the next several tournaments. At the 2014 finals in Brazil, though, it shot up to 12, increasing further to 16 for the team’s campaign in Russia in 2018. As things stand now, a spot at a European club is almost a prerequisite for a player to make the national team.

Competition is fierce, too, with upward of 100 Japanese playing at first-division teams in Europe. This includes the likes of Kubo Takefusa, Kamada Daichi, and Mitoma Kaoru at clubs in the big five European leagues in England, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain as well as such stars as Maeda Daizen and Ueda Ayase who have made a splash in top-flight competitions in other countries. Japanese footballers have been heading to Europe at a growing pace over the past 10 years, turning Japan into the leading exporter of soccer talent in Asia and even drawing comparisons among some circles with Brazil and nations in Africa that have long sent players to teams on the continent.

The Kagawa Effect

Without question, Japan’s success in developing domestic talent has helped fuel the current demand in Europe for Japanese players. However, early on, the road was extremely steep, requiring footballers to first prove their worth with long stints in the J. League. This changed with Kagawa Shinji, who turned heads as a stand-out youth player at second-tier club Cerezo Osaka.

In 2010, Kagawa was called up to the Japanese national team but failed to make the final cut for that year’s World Cup in South Africa. Nevertheless, the 21-year-old midfielder drew the attention of German Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund with his play, including claiming top scorer honors in 2009 to help Cerezo win promotion to the first division. At the end of the season, a special agreement saw Kagawa transfer to Dortmund for a modest fee of €350,000.

Kagawa Shinji takes the field for Dortmund on March 25, 2012. (© AFP/Jiji)

I visited Dortmund’s preseason training camp in the outskirts of Graz, Austria, shortly after Kagawa moved to the club and was surprised at how young and unexperienced the squad seemed, an impression strengthened by the absence of players who had participated in the World Cup. Even to an untrained eye, Kagawa was heads and shoulders above his teammates, both in the quality of his play and his technical prowess. His fellow players struggled to anticipate his carefully timed runs or position themselves to receive his pin-point passes. Although Kagawa let his disappointment in his performance show, saying after the training session that “I just need a little more time to settle in,” I had no doubt that he would succeed in Europe.

Just as I had anticipated, Kagawa found his footing. He was instrumental in Dortmund’s back-to-back Bundesliga titles, in 2011 and 2012, and his standout second season with the club saw him named to the league’s all-star team, the Bundesliga XI. His performance brought Manchester United calling, and after two years, Kagawa bid farewell to Dortmund and moved to the powerhouse Premier League side.

After Kagawa, German clubs started to take notice of Japanese players, discovering in Japan an abundance of top-notch footballers with the technical skills, game sense, and a strong desire to win. What is more, the players were a steal, with transfers fees typically being far below the going rate for European leagues.

Around the same time that Kagawa made his move to the Bundesliga, other Japanese internationals like Honda Keisuke, Nagatomo Yūto, Okazaki Shinji, and Hasebe Makoto were also making an impact at top clubs in Germany and elsewhere, fueling further demand for players from Japan.

The flood of Japanese soccer talent to Europe suggests a dramatic uptick in the level of play in Japan, but Philippe Troussier, who managed the men’s national team from 1998 to 2002, says nothing could be further from the case. He instead ascribes the situation to European clubs being overly focused on snapping up star players from Brazil, Argentina, and African countries, a bias that prevented them from capitalizing on the pool of talent available in Japan. He says that following Japan’s first appearance at the World Cup in 1998, it took a decade for teams to warm to the idea of signing Japanese internationals.

Pioneering Career

Japan’s Europe-based players have a forebearer in Okudera Yasuhiko, who became the first Japanese footballer to join a European team when he signed with West German side FC Cologne in 1977. Okudera had made a name for himself as a midfielder for Furukawa Electric (now JEF United Ichihara Chiba) of Japan’s corporate soccer league and as a member of the Japanese national team. During a trip to Germany to train with Bundesliga clubs, he caught the eye of legendary Cologne manager Hennes Weisweiler, who offered him a contract.

Although he struggled to adjust to his new environment, Okudera eventually found his footing, helping the team win its second-ever league championship in 1977. He was also pivotal in the team’s campaign at the 1978 European Championship (now the UEFA Champions League), including scoring a dramatic tying goal against British First Division side Nottingham Forest in the first leg of the semifinals. He would spend a total of nine seasons in Germany, including stints at Hertha BSC and Werder Bremen, where he won a second Bundesliga title.

Okudera Yasuhiko (at center) makes his return to Japan with Cologne in a Japan Cup (now Kirin Cup) match at the National Stadium in Tokyo on May 27, 1978. (© Jiji)

Two others followed in Okudera’s footsteps in the 1980s, Ozaki Kazuo and Kazama Yahiro. The pair spent several seasons in Germany, but arguably were not as successful as their predecessor. Their return to Japan marked the beginning of a long dry spell of Japanese players heading overseas. Aside from Miura Kazuyoshi, who quit school and traveled to Brazil at the age of 15 intent on becoming a professional player, no Japanese footballer of note went abroad until Nakata Hidetoshi, buoyed by his performance at the World Cup in France, moved to Perugia of Italy’s Seria A in 1998.

The situation was not as desperate as it seemed, though. The early 1990s heralded the start of a new era for Japanese domestic soccer. The J. League focused attention on the sport when it launched in 1993, with teams bringing in international stars like Zico, Gary Lineker, Pierre Littbarski, and Dragan Stojkovic to woo fans and raise the level of play. Governing body Japan Football Association made youth development a priority, a decision that paid immediate dividends with Japan putting in a strong showing at the 1994 AFC Youth Championships to earn its first-ever trip to the World Youth Championship (now the U-20 World Cup) held the following year, where it reached the quarterfinals.

Despite these encouraging signs of progress, few if any Japanese players during this era were at a level that would draw the attention of clubs in Europe. In fact, Japanese soccer fans at the time considered the top-flight European leagues as being far beyond the reach of domestic stars. The lone exception was Nakata, who was admired for his world-class skills and game sense.

Nakata Hidetoshi after moving to powerhouse Roma plays in a match against Milan on January 30, 2001. (© AFP/Jiji)

As the first wave of Japanese internationals began to head abroad in the early 2000s, new issues emerged that were wholly separate from soccer ability. Having never stepped outside the comforts of their native culture, many struggled to adjust to the demands of living and playing overseas, particularly the need to express themselves in foreign languages. Some were able to circumvent such hurdles, such as Nakamura Shunsuke, who won the full confidence of his manager as he thrived at Scottish club Celtic, and Matsui Daisuke and Kagawa, both of whom were able to express their talents as part of young, close-knit teams. Players who were less outgoing or had never lived on their own, however, had a harder time adapting.

Honda Keisuke plays for AC Milan in a match against Sampdoria on February 23, 2014, in Genoa. The midfielder’s signing with the club, one of the biggest in European soccer, was major news in Japan. (© AFP/Jiji)

Today, players consider moves to Europe in a vastly different light. The success of stars like Kagawa, Honda, and others have made it a less daunting prospect, giving hopefuls greater confidence that they can succeed in the challenging environment. Many players now lay the groundwork for living and playing overseas by taking classes to boost their communication skills in English and other languages.

There was a fear that the level of the J. League would suffer as more and more of its stars headed abroad, but the opposite has proven to be the case. Japanese teams are regular contenders in the AFC Champions League, the premier club competition in Asia, with Gamba Osaka, Kashima Antlers, and Urawa Reds having claimed the title, the latter a total of three times.

One can expect to see more J. League players moving to Europe and elsewhere in the coming years, which will drive demand up even further for Japanese soccer talent, raising the level of the sport to ever higher heights.

(Originally published in Japanese. Banner photos: Kubo Takefusa (left) plays following his move to Spanish La Liga club Real Sociedad and Mitoma Kaoru moves the ball for Brighton of the Premier League. © AFP/Jiji.)

World Cup: Support for Women’s Soccer Lags in Japan

The head of Japan’s professional female football league said support for women’s sports still lags behind other countries, even as global interest is rising.

Haruna Takata, who chairs the two-year-old WE League, came into the spotlight recently when she floated an idea to start a crowdfunding campaign to fund the broadcast rights to avoid a TV blackout for the upcoming Women’s World Cup.

Public broadcaster NHK stepped in at the last minute to air the tournament, set to start in Australia and New Zealand on July 20. Takata said the saga helped raise awareness of the problems facing women’s football in Japan.

Even though Japan won the title in 2011, media portrayals of female athletes in Japan don’t help, said Takata, who is also vice president at the Japan Football Association and was formerly the president of second-tier men’s league club V-Varen Nagasaki.

Read More: A Viral French Ad Shows How Women’s Soccer Can Be Just as Exciting as Men’s

“In Japan the tendency is particularly strong to focus on the visual appeal and cuteness of female sports players,” she said. “No matter how much football’s competitiveness improves, it’s hard to get people to feel interested in that aspect of it.”

“I think that people around the world are not really aware of the extent to which the gender gap index in Japan is reflected in the current issues surrounding women’s sports in Japan,” said Takata. “I think it is amazing that every country is so far ahead of the times in terms of the gender gap.”

Japan ranks 116th in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index, and is the only Group of Seven country outside of the top 100.

Read More: Japan Sends Male Minister to Lead G7 Meeting on Women’s Empowerment

“If Japanese society didn’t have such a big gender gap, and if it were more enlightened about women, I think women’s football would also be more accessible for viewing,” said Takata.

The 2011 win for the Nadeshiko, as the team is known, was particularly significant as it came just months after the massive earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan’s northeast.

“They were determined to give courage to the people of Japan by doing their best after the Great East Japan Earthquake,” said Takata.

The team came second after losing to the U.S. in 2015. However, momentum behind women’s football in Japan has stalled in the years since, even as global interest in women’s sport accelerates. Ticket sales for the Women’s World Cup already hit a record 1.25 million, while viewership and the number of sponsors have reached new heights in recent years.

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“I wish we had seized the opportunity when we won the World Cup, and invested more in the business side of it,” said Takata, who assumed the position at the women’s league last year.

Still, vast inequities remain in salaries and prize money, which are ultimately dependent on the ability of women’s sport to generate TV revenue.

Japanese broadcasters had shown previous Women’s World Cup tournaments, but this year is the first time the rights are being sold independently and not bundled with the men’s event. European broadcasters had also initially been reluctant to pay for TV rights, putting in bids as low as less than 1% of the winning bid for last year’s Qatar World Cup. A European broadcast deal was finally reached in mid-June.

Japanese online platform Abema streamed the Qatar World Cup in November for free, with the national team’s unexpected progress out of the group stage pushing the service to have to restrict access due to overwhelming demand.

The Nadeshiko will play their first match against Zambia on July 22 in New Zealand. The U.S., who are aiming to win their third straight championship and fifth title overall, are the favorites.

Read More: Megan Rapinoe Fights for Equality—and a Third World Cup Title

Whether or not Japan repeat their 2011 success, Takata said she believes it’s still important to seize the opportunity to raise the value of women’s football overall with players becoming inspirations for young women.

“I believe that if we can pave the way, we can definitely have an impact on other women’s sports,” she said.

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How Japan will win the World Cup until 2050, the development of football in Japan

Giant progress in the past 30 years.

“Nothing is a miracle” – this is how Japan’s central broadcaster NHK reacted on social networks to the victory over Germany (2:1).

After a 2-1 victory over Spain, midfielder Ritsu Doan, who launched both comebacks after substitute appearances, added: “I think people in Japan have now realized that winning the first round was an inevitability, not a miracle. We haven’t changed history yet, but we’ve crossed a big hurdle. We fought a lot together to achieve this result.”

Ao Tanaka, scorer of the winning goal against the Spaniards, agrees: “Everyone says ‘surprise’ or ‘miracle’, but we don’t think about it because we did it ourselves. I wasn’t surprised.”

A breakthrough in the playoffs from a group with two world champions, and even from the first place, is still called the Japanese miracle all over the world. But the position of Doan and Tanaka is understandable – this is not just an accident or luck, local football went to this success for a long time, patiently and purposefully.

Never Forget Doha. Qatar-1993 – Maribor of the Japanese, after which the country did not miss a single World Cup

The current confidence of the Japanese team is largely due to the 54-year-old coach Hajime Moriyasu, who even before the start of the tournament said that their minimum goal was the quarter-finals in order to update the best result of Japan.

He was not embarrassed either by the presence of the Spaniards with the Germans in the group, or the established tradition with alternating Japanese appearances in the World Cup playoffs:

1998: did not leave the group

9First a step has been taken – in Qatar, the team for the first time made it to the playoffs at the second World Cup in a row. Moreover, Moriyasu is involved in both tournaments. The ex-coach of the Japanese Olympic team came to the main team just in 2018 – to help Akira Nishino at the World Cup in Russia. There, the only team from the Asian teams reached the playoffs, but after the tournament, Nishino resigned, and Moriyasu took his place. Under him, the Japanese have already reached the final of the 2019 Asian Cup, where they lost to the hosts of the tournament – Qatar (1:3).

In general, Doha is a symbolic place for Moriyasu. This story has been going on since October 1993, when Japan dramatically failed to qualify for the 1994 World Cup.

Before the decisive qualifying round, which took place in Qatar, the Japanese were leading the group. In the match with Iraq, they were satisfied with a victory, and in some cases even a draw. In the 80th minute, Japan took the lead 2:1 – and as close as possible to the first World Cup in history. But in the 91st minute, the Iraqis played a corner and unexpectedly leveled the score. From misfortune, the Japanese immediately fell on the field, and after the final whistle they sobbed for a long time.

In parallel matches, South Korea and Saudi Arabia won, at the very last moment taking away a ticket to the World Cup from Japan. For the Japanese, this draw is as traumatic as Filimonov-1999 or Maribor-2009 for the Russians.

If the Koreans call that match “The Miracle in Doha” (they got to the World Cup only due to the better goal difference), then the Japanese call it “The Tragedy in Doha” or “The Agony in Doha”. The phrase “Never forget Doha” has become a part of the country’s sports culture, warning that no one should be underestimated.

The event has taken hold in pop culture:

• In the manga and anime series Space Brothers, the protagonist’s date of birth is October 28, 1993. This is the day of that very game – and it is on this date that the character likes to explain all his failures.

• The phrase “Agony Doha” in the anime film “Eureka 7” refers to a secret military experiment that ended tragically.

Midfielder Hajime Moriyasu played a key role in the outcome of that match – he spent the whole game on the field and could not prevent the Iraqis from equalizing. In December 2018, the Japan Football Federation published in the newspaper a letter from the national team coach, written to himself in his youth.

In it, Moriyasu reimagined the events of 1993:

“To you, whose dream was shattered that day,

35 caps and one goal – my numbers are not impressive, but every game helped me grow. And each was fraught with disappointment.

My first appearance for the national team happened in May 1992. I was still nobody, we played with Argentina and lost on all counts. It was disappointing. As a player, I didn’t want it to end like this. I wanted to do everything to reduce this class difference. I wanted Japan to be able to compete with the best in the world. No, I wanted to be even better. I lost and found a dream. She became everything and turned into an obsession. After overcoming so many difficulties, I reached the door to the world, but the dream ruthlessly collapsed.

October 1993 Doha, Qatar. At the 90th minute, the ball flew past my head, the opponent hit and, like in slowmo, the ball flew into the net. All I could do was follow the ball with my eyes. After that, I don’t remember much. Did we say goodbye right? Who did I talk to? How did you get back to the hotel? When I came to, I found myself sobbing on the veranda of the hotel. I lamented so much, I blamed myself so many times. And this is what I realized in the middle of the biggest failure in life – you have nothing if you do not win. You don’t get anything.

25 years later, I’m in charge of the Japanese national team. Our challenge continues to make the dream I left halfway a reality. And fate again leads us to this place – to Qatar.

Finally, I want to say a few words to those whose dream was also shattered that day. Make Japan stronger and conquer the world. We’ve shed enough tears of regret.”

“Agony in Doha” divided the history of the Japanese team into before and after. Dutch coach Hans Oft was immediately fired, a number of players ended their careers in the national team, and the long-awaited World Cup at 19In 1998, only two players from the squad that played against Iraq in Doha went.

Japan hasn’t missed a single World Cup since then. All this is the result of reforms, the belief in which only strengthened after Doha. Just in 1993, the era of professional football began in Japan.

J-League – Asian Premier League. The Japanese created a pyramid of 60 professional clubs throughout the country in 30 years (the goal is 100 such clubs)

Football appeared in Japan at the end of the 19th century, but for a long time was inferior in popularity not only to baseball, but also to sumo. The first championships were held more than 100 years ago, but the league that united the whole country was created only 19 years ago. 65th. This is the Japanese Soccer League (JSL), where the teams were owned by companies and played by amateurs who played football in their free time. Clubs known to us by the names of world-famous companies became champions in that league: Mitsubishi, Hitachi, Nissan, Yamaha.

The emergence of the J-League in 1993, Japan’s first professional championship, was a revolution. The third economy in the world and the population of 125 million disposed to build a commercially successful product.

It all started loudly: Zico and Gary Lineker arrived in Japan to finish the game, attendance soared to 20 thousand, but the increased interest in football was quickly beaten by the Asian crisis and the subsequent slowdown in the Japanese economy.

Something similar happened recently, when stars like Iniesta, Villa, Torres and Podolski re-entered the league after a long break, the average attendance exceeded 20 thousand, but now the pandemic has stopped the rise.

Still, the J-League, billed as the Asian Premier League, looks attractive in the region. For example, it is very popular in Thailand. In 2017, the league signed a 12-year, $2.1 billion contract with international streaming service DAZN. From the 2002 World Cup at home, Japan inherited the infrastructure that helps to attract spectators both to the stadiums and to the screen.

In 1993, the J-League struggled to gather 10 professional clubs, and now the country has 60 such teams, covering 41 of the country’s 47 prefectures. This is what helped the Japanese hope for success both in club football (the club World Cup final and three 3rd places) and at the national team level.

But this is only part of the journey. The Japan Football Association has developed a long-term strategy for 100 years, according to which in 2092 there should be 100 professional teams in the country. And in 2005, the federation presented a plan according to which the Japanese team should become the world champion by 2050.

Coach Moriyasu said the same thing recently: “Spain and Germany were world champions. Japan is also aiming to become world champion by 2050.”

It sounds ambitious, but the Japanese know how to solve the tasks. Thai coach Witthaya Laohakul, who worked in the J-League in the early 90s, described how the Japanese wanted to get to the first World Cup: “During the 1990 World Cup in Italy, the Japan Football Association sent league coaches (two people from each team) to Italy to analyze the matches. After returning, we developed a plan to achieve the goal of reaching the World Cup.”

Here is an example of women’s football, where progress can be seen more quickly. At the first World Cup in 1991, the Japanese lost all matches in the group with a total goal difference of 0:12 and took last place. And already in 2011, they became world champions, defeating the formidable Americans in the final. At the next World Cup in 2015, Japan was stopped only in the final – the same Americans.

The Japanese understand that it is important for the development of football that clubs and academies cover the entire territory of the country as much as possible. Now the J-League already manages three professional divisions – 18 clubs play in the highest (from 2024 – 20). Next comes the semi-professional fourth division and below it are many regional amateur leagues.

Columnist Devon Rowcliffe (author of a book about football in South Korea) writes that in terms of multi-stage and development, the Japanese club pyramid is now inferior, perhaps only to the English one. For example, the Chiamo Hirakata club has taken off from the 11th division to the 4th in 18 years since its inception. Iwaki made an even sharper jump – in 2014 he played in the 9th league, and 2023 will start in the 2nd.

In order for a club to move from the fourth division to the professional third, it must enlist the support of the city and refuse to associate with the sponsoring company. But not everyone is ready for such sacrifices. British journalist Chris Hough , one of Japan’s top football guides, told Sports.ru this story:

“There is a club in the fourth division called Honda, which is owned by Honda. They have a very good team, I would say that this is generally one of the best teams in Japan. But they can’t get promoted to the third division because J-League clubs don’t have the right to be named after companies. That is, they need to throw out the word Honda and name themselves after Hamamatsu, the city in which they are based. But Honda doesn’t want to do this, so they continue to play in the fourth division and win it almost every year, because they are head and shoulders above everyone else. Moreover, in the Emperor’s Cup they constantly beat teams from the major leagues, every single year.

There are more Japanese players in the Bundesliga than in the J-League. The Japanese are attracted by their discipline and desire to learn

When until the beginning of the 90s there was only an amateur championship in Japan, rare professionals went abroad – the first such was Yasuhiro Okudera, who in 1977 signed a contract with Cologne and immediately won the German championship. Japan has a long association with German football.

Back then it was hard to imagine that in 2022 19 out of 26 players will come to the World Cup from European clubs. And three of those seven J-League players have already played in Europe, and Huddersfield’s Yuta Nakayama was injured at the last moment (he was replaced in the application for a player from the championship of Japan). The Bundesliga has delegated more players to the national team (8) than the J-League (7). Therefore, the players did not experience any trepidation when they came out against Neuer and Muller.

The movement to the west turned out to be gradual. Japan came to the first World Cup in 1998 with a completely home team, in 2002 there were already 4 legionnaires in the application, in 2006 – 6, and a real breakthrough happened in 2014 -12. For the 2018 World Cup, 14 players have already arrived from European clubs, plus Keisuke Honda from the Mexican Pachuca.

There are several reasons for the Japanese invasion of Europe.

1. Incredible desire for knowledge. When Zico came to Japan in the early 1990s and pointed out mistakes to his partners, the Japanese diligently wrote down his words for introspection. “Minutes before the next match, they took out these notes and reviewed them as if they were preparing for a test,” wrote Sebastian Moffett, author of The Japanese Rules.

Even after defeating Germany at the World Cup, coach Moriyasu thanked his opponent for the lesson: “Many Germans and many brilliant players and coaches have contributed and helped Japanese football. Japan has won today. Nevertheless, Japan wants to continue learning from Germany and the rest of the world. This is our plan for the future.

We believe that foreign leagues have contributed to the development of the abilities of our players, so we are very grateful and respect this. But regardless of the opponent, we strive to win.”

2. Mentality. Moriyasu noted the desire to win, but this was not always the case. Japanese football, which developed out of corporate leagues, was initially accused of lacking this aspiration. The same Zico was very angry that the players calmly had fun after the defeats and did not consider this a reason for frustration. The Brazilian asked the translator to raise his voice after him in order to change the attitude of the players to victories and defeats.

Another difficulty with mentality is respect for age. For a long time, a young player could not break into the base just because there is an older player in the squad. Therefore, no one was in a hurry – many took a break in their careers and graduated from universities. So, by the way, did Kaoru Mitoma from Brighton, who turned professional only at the age of 22 after studying at the university.

“To be honest, at that time I didn’t have the confidence that I would become a professional,” said Mitoma. – I saw Miyoshi and Itakura, who played in a team a year older than me, and did not feel confident playing at the highest level. Because of that, when thinking about the future, I thought it would be better to go to the University of Tsukuba.”

But Mitoma is only a few months younger than Miyoshi and Itakura. In the end, everything turned out well – everyone plays in Europe, and Mitoma and Itakura at the World Championships.

But in previous years, everything could have turned out differently – money helped break the tradition of ignoring young people. If earlier European clubs bought 25-26-year-old Japanese, now they are looking for more and more young players. Now Japanese clubs have seen the youth as an opportunity for growth, and the league has launched the 2030 Vision DNA Project, which aims to help develop young players and coaches.

Former J-League President Mitsuru Murai actively encouraged players to leave for Europe, hoping that one day they would return and enrich the league with experience. Here we return to the fact that the Japanese are turned to study.

“Good quality,” says Richard Allen, CEO of Yokohama. “It’s a double-edged sword – you want your best players to travel and play in Europe, but ultimately it has an impact on the league as well.”

In 2016, Japanese football officials went on a tour of Europe to learn from the best academies. Among them was West Ham, with whom the Japanese established close relations. And soon the boss of the London academy, Terry Westley, was offered the position of technical director of the J-League. And he agreed.

“Mentality is the number one reason,” Westley tells The Athletic about what attracts European clubs to Japanese players. “You get a player who wants to progress. If a young Japanese player is told to work, he will never get tired of it.

In Japan, we told the clubs from the very beginning that you can put a 17-year-old player in the starting lineup, that was unusual here. Now young players are already debuting at a younger age. Clubs are beginning to realize that there is a great return on investment in this.”

3. Price. In Japan, you can find promising players for little money. Tomiyasu went to Belgium for 800 thousand euros, and last summer Arsenal laid out 18.6 million for him.

The performance in Qatar will definitely further increase the attention of the top leagues to Japan. After the tragedy in Doha, the country could hardly imagine such a thing.

Photo: Gettyimages.ru/Etsuo Hara / Stringer, Adam Pretty, Todd Korol / Stringer, Martin Rose; REUTERS/Dylan Martinez, Issei Kato, Lee Smith; globallookpress.com/Chen Shaojin/Xinhua, Ken Asakura/AFLO, Naoki Nishimura/AFLO, Tom Weller/dpa

The best Japanese football players – the top players in Japan

Japanese football was a mystery for some time, hard-working talents periodically appeared from there, who declared themselves, but did not make a general idea of ​​the level of Japanese sports. However, among the football performers from Japan, there were also bright talents. Moreover, at the European club level, they literally shone.

1 Takefusa Kubo

Barcelona is a world-class club of influence. It is difficult to imagine how the Spanish breeders managed to see this football player in the modest Japanese club Persimmon. True, it did not work out right away to take possession of this talent: FIFA restrictions on age interfered.

But a little later, the player signed a contract with Real Madrid. However, he did not stay here yet, going on loan to the Villarreal club.

Watch this video on YouTube

2 Shinji Kagawa

A well-known midfielder who was first noticed by Borussia Dortmund. There he performed quite brightly for two seasons, after which he moved to Manchester United at the personal insistence of Alex Fergusson.

In the English championship, he won the national championship, but did not stay long and returned to the Bundesliga again. However, this time the midfielder’s game began to fade gradually. Soon he went to Besiktas, and now he plays for Real Madrid. Only not from Madrid, but from Zaragoza.

3 Yuji Nakazawa

The path of this defender to big football, who became the captain of the national team, was geographically complex. To gain playing wisdom, he had to go to the Brazilian championship. There, for some time he played for the team “Americo” from the state of Mineiro.

The club obviously didn’t have enough stars from the sky, but it gave decent professional training. Nakazawa has clearly improved not only in technique, but also in the ability to choose a position on the football field. As a result, he is now one of the best defenders in the Japanese championship.

4 Shinji Okazaki

This football player is one of the best scorers of the national team, he played in the Bundesliga and the Spanish championship. But he managed to achieve the greatest success in the English championship, when he sensationally won gold medals with the little-known club Leicester City.

Many football players of the champion squad then moved to star clubs, but Okazaki chose Malaga from the second league, and very unsuccessfully. For this Spanish club, he did not play a single match, as he could not be declared due to financial restrictions. Now he also plays for the Spanish club Huesca, which for the first time in its history managed to break into the Example.

5 Takumi Minamino

A midfielder who also managed to win English Championship gold medals. But before that, as part of the Red Bull team, he won the Austrian championship five times.

Already scored 81 goals in 280 matches during his club career. Over the course of five years, he scored 11 goals for the national team, one of them in the final of the last Asian Cup. True, the Japanese team then still lost to Qatar with a score of 1:3 and won silver medals.

Watch this video on YouTube

6 Kazuyoshi Miura

This footballer also went to Brazil to get his football education, and he did very well there: for his magnificent goals, he was nicknamed Emperor Kazu there. In fact, he became the first bright star of Japanese football. True, later he did not shine either in Dinamo Zagreb or in Genoa. But, regularly returning to Japan, every time he turned out to be the idol of the fans.

At forty-five years old, he still continued to play for Yokohama, which is an age record for the local championship.

7 Keisuke Honda

Another such player. probably not in the world – he is both a player in the Brazilian club Botofago and the coach of the Cambodian national team. Moreover, this has happened since the time when he played in the Australian Championship.

And he declared himself in a rather modest Dutch club “Venlo”, which he literally pulled into the top league of the national championship. The player attracted the attention of many eminent clubs, but unexpectedly the transfer battle was won by CSKA Moscow, for which Honda played very brightly and left only for Milan.

8 Shunsuke Nakamura

This talented player was said to be able to do everything with his left foot, even open cans.