Japan midfielder Kaoru Mitoma (7) controls the ball as USMNT midfielder Luca de la Torre (14) defends at Decrease.com Area in Columbus, Ohio on Sept. 9, 2025. Credit score: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Pictures Japan left injured midfielder Kaoru Mitoma off the 26-man World Cup roster introduced by coach Hajime Moriyasu on Friday.
Mitoma suffered a hamstring damage throughout Brighton’s Premier League match in opposition to Leeds on Saturday, leaving his World Cup standing in severe doubt. That was confirmed with Friday’s reveal of Japan’s roster.
“The medical staff assessed that it will be troublesome for him to get again to health through the event,” Moriyasu informed reporters Friday.
Monaco ahead Takumi Minamino additionally will miss out on the World Cup after the 31-year-old suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in December.
Moriyasu did take an opportunity on another gamers coping with damage points, with Wataru Endo, Ko Itakura and Takehiro Tomiyasu included on the roster. Ajax defender Tomiyasu has handled a number of accidents which have led to him not showing for Japan for practically two years, whereas Liverpool midfielder Endo has solely performed in eight Premier League matches this season attributable to an ankle damage.
Sporting CP defensive midfielder Hidemasa Morita didn’t make the roster after totaling seven appearances in World Cup qualifiers.
In the meantime, defender Yuto Nagatomo will make his fifth World Cup look.
“I used to be capable of choose solely 26 gamers, however I really feel sorry that I could not choose many different gamers,” Moriyasu informed reporters Friday. “Nonetheless, I chosen these 26 primarily based on their previous performances and thru conversations with the teaching workers, believing that that is our greatest squad proper now. I believe I’ve chosen the very best 26 gamers to ensure that Japan to win on the world stage at this second.”
Mitoma, 28, has 9 targets in 31 appearances for Japan.
Japan has received 5 consecutive matches forward of its remaining pre-World Cup pleasant in opposition to Iceland in Tokyo on Could 31. The Japanese will then journey to the staff’s base camp in Nashville, Tenn., the place they’ll prepare on the Nashville SC Coaching Heart.
They start their Group F play in opposition to the Netherlands in Arlington, Texas on June 14, adopted by matches in opposition to Tunisia in Monterrey, Mexico on June 20 and Sweden again in Arlington on June 25.
JAPAN WORLD CUP ROSTER
Goalkeepers: Tomoki Hayakawa, Keisuke Osako, Zion Suzuki
Defenders: Ko Itakura, Hiroki Ito, Yuto Nagatomo, Ayumu Seko, Yukinari Sugawara, Junnosuke Suzuki, Shogo Taniguchi, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Tsuyoshi Watanabe
Midfielders: Ritsu Doan, Wataru Endo, Junya Ito, Daichi Kamada, Takefusa Kubo, Keito Nakamura, Kaishu Sano, Ao Tanaka
Forwards: Keisuke Goto, Daizen Maeda, Koki Ogawa, Kento Shiogai, Yuito Suzuki, Ayase Ueda
–Area Stage Media
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