Ambitious Japan searches for answers after World Cup exit

HOUSTON — Japan will never win the World Cup unless soccer becomes the country's No 1 sport, midfielder Daichi Kamada warned after its heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to Brazil on Monday.

Asia's best side arrived in North America with ambitions of winning the tournament, and it was touted as an outside favorite to go far.

But, it was knocked out in the last 32 and has now failed to win a World Cup knockout game in five attempts.

Soccer has to compete with baseball and a host of other sports in Japan, and Kamada thinks that has to change if they want to progress.

"To become a country with serious ambitions of lifting the trophy, you need to have more quality, and there are areas where we're still lacking," the Crystal Palace player said.

"We have to keep hyping up Japanese soccer and making it better, and I feel that, if it doesn't get to a level where it's Japan's national sport, we won't be able to win it."

Japan took the lead in the first half against Brazil, but conceded an equalizer 11 minutes after the break.

As extra time seemed likely, Gabriel Martinelli struck in the 95th minute to send Brazil through and leave Japan wondering what it has to do to join world soccer's elite powers.

"It's a shame we lost, but if you look at the process leading up to the game and the three-and-a-half years leading up to this World Cup, I don't think there was anything negative or lacking or wrong," said defender Shogo Taniguchi.

"That's how positive and confident I was coming into this."

'A little naive'

Japan breezed through the World Cup's Asian qualifiers and was the first team to book its place at the tournament.

It tuned up by claiming first wins over Brazil and England in friendlies, but was then struck by injuries, losing key players Kaoru Mitoma, Takumi Minamino and Wataru Endo ahead of the tournament.

Japan still impressed in North America, though, drawing with the Netherlands and Sweden and beating Tunisia comfortably to finish Group F as runner-up.

Goalkeeper Zion Suzuki said there was room to improve.

"There are still areas where we're a little naive, and I strongly feel that we need to grow," said the 23-year-old, who only enhanced his reputation with a series of outstanding displays at the tournament.

"I don't think it is wrong to approach games against the big teams with the mindset of underdogs, and I think if we keep on this path, a great view awaits us at the end."

Japan's next assignment is the Asian Cup, which kicks off in Saudi Arabia in January.

It has won the tournament a record four times, but its last title was in 2011.

"The next tournament for us is the Asian Cup, and we will focus on winning that," said Japan boss Hajime Moriyasu, whose future with the team remains unclear after eight years in the job.

"Even if we win the Asian Cup, I don't think it will wash away the pain of losing at the World Cup."

Getting closer

Moriyasu, however, said that Japan has proved it has what it takes to one day win the World Cup.

He said that pushing five-time champion Brazil close was proof it was getting nearer to achieving the ultimate goal in global soccer.

"The strength of the national team has definitely risen," said the coach. "Even in friendlies, we've managed to beat opponents we'd never beaten before.

"Those efforts by the players have unquestionably led to the national team's improvement, and I believe they have changed Japan's place in the global soccer landscape."

Moriyasu, who had always said he wanted to win this World Cup, added: "We knew that, as a dark horse, we still had a chance to become No 1.

"I think we played a match today that will make people say: 'If they'd won, who knows what might have happened?'

"And by doing so, what happens is that people recognize that we are truly raising our level.

"Even people who don't really know, or pay much attention to, soccer have come to see that Japan is fighting to become a world champion, and is growing and challenging itself."

Moriyasu, who oversaw Japan's exit from the round of 16 in Qatar three-and-a-half years ago on penalties to Croatia, took personal blame.

"This time, we weren't able to achieve our goal of becoming world champions, and, as the coach, I feel deeply sorry about that," he said.

"I felt we had chances. In this match we played believing we had a chance to win, and in reality we did have chances we couldn't take.

"That's why I feel that, mostly, my own abilities as a coach were the reason we fell short."

Reflecting on his future in the job, the 57-year-old said: "Nothing has been decided yet regarding my own position."

AFP