Japan's World Cup Aspirations: Last 16 Jinx or Breaking Barrier? The Samurai Blue have been a thorn in the side of many top teams since 2022, beating Germany, Brazil, England, and Spain among others.
This success has raised questions about whether they can sustain a genuine title push at the 2026 World Cup.
Their current crop of players is undoubtedly the most talented in their history, but injuries to key players like Kaoru Mitoma have raised concerns about their depth.