Japan World Cup Squad

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Japan's 23-man World Cup squad

Goalkeepers: Eiji Kawashima (Metz), Masaaki Higashiguchi (Gamba Osaka), Kosuke Nakamura (Kashiwa).

Defenders: Yuto Nagatomo (Galatasaray), Tomoaki Makino (Urawa), Wataru Endo (Urawa), Maya Yoshida (Southampton), Hiroki Sakai (Marseille), Gotoku Sakai (Hamburg), Gen Shoji, Naomichi Ueda (Kashima).

Midfielders: Makoto Hasebe (Eintracht Frankfurt), Keisuke Honda (Pachuca), Takashi Inui (Eibar), Shinji Kagawa (Borussia Dortmund), Hotaru Yamaguchi (Cerezo Osaka), Genki Haraguchi, (Fortuna Düsseldorf), Takashi Usami (Fortuna Düsseldorf), Gaku Shibasaki (Getafe), Ryota Oshima (Kawasaki).

Forwards: Shinji Okazaki (Leicester), Yuya Osako (Werder Bremen), Yoshinori Muto (Mainz).

[True Blue]

Favorite Asian national team, hope they do well. Tough group but hope they can qualify for the next round.

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2 minutes ago, True Blue said:

Favorite Asian national team, hope they do well. Tough group but hope they can qualify for the next round.

Same here. Well, at least from those Asian nations that have qualified. Quite a few Bundesliga players in the squad as well, will be definitely keeping an eye on them.

[True Blue]

Just now, nudge said:

Same here. Well, at least from those Asian nations that have qualified. Quite a few Bundesliga players in the squad as well, will be definitely keeping an eye on them.

I fancy South Korea too, but Japan is my favorite. Always dreamed to live in Japan, perfect country and perfect people. 

[Mel81x+]

one of the best national team kits for this World Cup hands down. 

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8 minutes ago, True Blue said:

I fancy South Korea too, but Japan is my favorite. Always dreamed to live in Japan, perfect country and perfect people. 

Haha, wouldn't call any country or people perfect, but yeah, I get the appeal.

[Mel81x+]

13 minutes ago, nudge said:

Same here. Well, at least from those Asian nations that have qualified. Quite a few Bundesliga players in the squad as well, will be definitely keeping an eye on them.

Is there any special reason why so many Japanese players are in the Bundesliga? Easier to move over?

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2 minutes ago, Mel81x said:

Is there any special reason why so many Japanese players are in the Bundesliga? Easier to move over?

I think there are a few reasons. Bundesliga was the place for the first Japanese (and South Korean) players to start their careers in Europe a few decades ago already, when the majority of European clubs weren't very keen on Asian players, I think the style of play (less physical, more technical) suits them very well. Also, I think Japanese and German cultures mesh well and there are a lot of similarities, so it's easier for the players to adapt and fit in.

[Mel81x+]

Just now, nudge said:

I think there are a few reasons. Bundesliga was the place for the first Japanese (and South Korean) players to start their careers in Europe a few decades ago already, when the majority of European clubs weren't very keen on Asian players, I think the style of play (less physical, more technical) suits them very well. Also, I think Japanese and German cultures mesh well and there are a lot of similarities, so it's easier for the players to adapt and fit in.

There have been some great Asian players through the times and I never really questioned why they would go there but it makes sense now. Thanks for that.

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1 minute ago, Mel81x said:

There have been some great Asian players through the times and I never really questioned why they would go there but it makes sense now. Thanks for that.

I don't know if the up-to-date figures are still the same, but at some point, Japan was third when it comes to non-German players in the league, and only Austria and Switzerland had more, which is not surprising, considering the proximity and the language, so I think it's really extraordinary.

[Stan]

all hail Shinji (Okazaki)

[God is Haaland]

https://twitter.com/JohnSulo/status/1010954239999401984/video/1

Weebs everyone...