Japan Organization will not allow the National Team to fail in a decisive game

Japan drew 1-1 with Sweden this Thursday (25), came second in Group F and confirmed that they will be Brazil's opponents in the next phase of the World Cup. It's a tactical team, very organized, but Brazil can stand out individually and confirm favoritism if they avoid mistakes.

Formerly seen as a lesser selection, today the blue samurai can boast of having players who play for European teams such as Celtic, Crystal Palace and Real Sociedad. But they are still not teams of the caliber of Arsenal, Barcelona and Real Madrid, where some of the Brazilian team's main stars play.

The match takes place next Monday (29), at 2pm (Brasília time), in Houston, Texas, United States. Whoever wins guarantees a place in the round of 16 of the World Cup, whoever loses goes home.

Recent victory history
Japan has beaten several tough opponents in recent years. For the first time in history, they defeated England 1-0 in London, in March this year. They beat Germany 4-1 in 2023. At the World Cup in Qatar in 2022, they beat Spain even with just 18% possession - a game that highlights the thesis of a disciplined team, efficient on the counterattack and that doesn't need the ball to kill the game.

Against Brazil, the record is favorable to Brazil: out of 14 games, there were 11 victories for the Seleção, two draws and only one defeat. But the only time Japan won was precisely the most recent, the friendly match in October last year.

Since the game against Brazil, Japan has been unbeaten for eight matches. In the last two World Cups, the blue samurai almost faced the Seleção. In 2018, the Japanese took a 2-0 lead against Belgium in the second half, but conceded goals in counterattacks and in stoppage time Belgium secured a 3-2 comeback victory. Belgium went through and faced Brazil in the quarterfinals. And in 2022, Japan lost to Croatia on penalties and then it was Brazil's turn, who were also defeated on penalties by the Croatians in the quarter-finals.

But Brazil's defeat last year is not a good basis for comparison for Monday's game. Despite a midfield and attack similar to that of the friendly - Casemiro, Bruno Guimarães, Vinícius, Paquetá, Luiz Henrique and Martinelli played in the last game - the Brazilian defense today is very different.

In the 2025 friendly, Brazil started with Hugo Souza in goal, Paulo Henrique, Fabrício Bruno, Lucas Beraldo and Carlos Augusto in the defense line. Today the defensive system has Alisson; Danilo, Marquinhos, Gabriel Magalhães and Douglas Santos; Casemiro, Bruno Guimarães and Lucas Paquetá. Therefore, Brazil maintains an attacking force similar to the one that scored two goals, but a different defense to the one that conceded three in the last match.

Why is Japan dangerous?
The Japanese style of play is based on defensive organization, with intensity in marking, speed on the flanks and quick transitions to the attack. It is a team with tactical obedience and chemistry, with extremely disciplined players, a reflection of some of the most striking traits of Japanese society.

The team has a well-established identity, they have been playing together for some time and 13 also participated in the Qatar Cup in 2022. The coach, Hajime Moriyasu, has been the same since 2018, so almost eight years of work with the same style of play.

In the case of Brazil, 15 players also played in the last World Cup, but in a team that went through four coaching changes in the last cycle and with Carlo Ancelotti still trying to understand how to best fit the squad.

Players
Japan has a team that plays with three defenders and offensive wingers, mixing Japanese discipline with fast and lethal attacks. Among the prominent players are: Zion Suzuki, who plays as goalkeeper for Parma, in Italy; Takefusa Kubo, attacking midfielder for Real Sociedad in Spain; Daichi Kamada, midfielder from Crystal Palace (England); and Daizen Maeda, striker, who plays for Celtic, in Scotland.

Japan barely dribbles, but they are a team that goes into the game, which could be good for Brazil, which is growing on the counterattack.

Japan has important players, who play for European teams, but for smaller teams. While Maeda plays for Celtic, Vini Jr. for Real Madrid; Kubo at Real Sociedade, Casemiro at Manchester. Even Brazilian reserves, such as Arsenal's Gabriel Martinelli, play in teams that are more competitive than the Japanese starters.

Both teams arrive with power, but Brazil has tradition and individual quality that speak louder. The team has been evolving in the competition with each game and a team

structured could be the perfect incentive for Brazil to organize itself better and present cooperation at a level more compatible with that of a World Cup.

Be careful with the defense, attack on the rise
The main warnings for Brazil should be in the defensive system. Casemiro will need a more incisive performance in the central corridor to prevent Japan's speedy midfielders from triangulating easily. Danilo and Douglas Santos will have their work cut out to contain Japan's surgical full-backs.

On the positive side, Brazil arrives more confident after the good performance of Vini Jr., the consolidation of Matheus Cunha in leading the attack and the entry of Rayan, who fit very well into the team replacing Raphinha.

Both Neymar and Endrick are expected to start on the bench against Japan, serving as heavy substitutions for the second half. Neymar is seen as a luxury option. The coaching staff prefers not to wear Neymar out from the start, but he is seen as a luxury option and a novelty factor for the second stage. And Endrick can be used late in the game, as has been the case, to take advantage of the opponents' fatigue with his explosion.

Confident
Forward Daizen Maeda said in a press conference this Thursday (26) that he is confident of victory. "If we can play our game and execute, we can win, even if it's Brazil."

Coach Moriyasu highlighted that his team beat Brazil in the 2025 friendly and said that, therefore, he believes that Brazilian motivation will be higher. "I'm looking forward to facing Brazil who will come with maximum strength and totally determined to fight", he also stated this Thursday, after the draw with Sweden.

Моriyasu even said that his objective in this World Cup is to lift the trophy in New Jersey and bring forward 24 years the goal set by the country's federation, of achieving its first title by 2050.

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Source: CNN