Analysis: Japan has less tradition, but can provide work for Brazil

Brazil's opponent in the round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup is defined: it will be Japan. The match will take place next Monday (29), at 2pm, qualifying for a place in the round of 16 of the tournament.

Of the possible opponents that Brazil had for this stage, Japan is the team with the least tradition in World Cups. This, however, does not mean that it will be an easy task for Carlo Ancelotti's men.

The Japanese team does not have as many stars as other world football powers, but it makes collective play its main strength. It is an organized, tactically disciplined team that tends to compensate for the absence of big names with intensity and movement during the 90 minutes.

Another factor that draws attention is a recent retrospective involving Carlo Ancelotti. Japan was one of the few teams that managed to defeat a team led by the Italian coach. Since taking over the Brazilian team, Ancelotti has suffered only three defeats: to Bolivia, in the qualifiers, to France, in a friendly preparatory to the World Cup, and precisely to Japan, also in a friendly before the World Cup.

In the Japanese cast, the main highlight is Takefusa Kubo. Revealed in Real Madrid's youth categories, the midfielder has established himself as one of the main players in Japanese football and has been highlighted for a few seasons in the Spanish Championship.

Neymar at the World Cup: find out which players were champions in their 4th World Cup

Source: CNN