Mitoma's injury nightmare

Mitoma suffered an injury ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

On May 14th, Brighton confirmed that Mitoma will miss the final two Premier League rounds after suffering a hamstring injury in the 3-0 victory over Wolves last weekend. What worries Japanese fans even more is the possibility that the 28-year-old star may not recover in time for the 2026 World Cup.

However, NHK reported that Mitoma could still be included in coach Hajime Moriyasu's 26-player squad for the 2026 World Cup. He may miss the three group stage matches but is expected to be fit to return if Japan advances to the knockout round.

This isn't the first time Mitoma has faced fitness issues right before a major tournament with the national team. Prior to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, which took place in the summer of 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the midfielder also went through a difficult period.

Mitoma is prone to injuries before major tournaments.

At that time, the 2021 AFC Champions League group stage was held in Uzbekistan to limit travel between countries. Mitoma had to play six consecutive matches in 16 days for Kawasaki Frontale and suffered a thigh injury due to the intense schedule. He was then forced to self-isolate after a COVID-19 case was detected within the team.

As a result, Mitoma participated in the Olympics on home soil in a less than optimal physical condition. Japan played a total of 6 matches and finished in 4th place, while Mitoma only played a mere 67 minutes. His biggest highlight was the consolation goal in the bronze medal match, which Japan lost 1-3 to Mexico.

A similar scenario unfolded before the 2023 Asian Cup, which took place in Qatar in early 2024. In the 1-1 draw between Brighton and Crystal Palace at the end of December 2023, Mitoma suffered an ankle injury after several aggressive tackles from opponents.

Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi revealed at the time that Mitoma needed four to six weeks to recover and admitted he was surprised that the player was still called up to the Japanese national team for the Asian Cup.

Despite missing the entire group stage, Mitoma still came on as a substitute in the round of 16 against Bahrain and in the quarter-final loss to Iran.

For Mitoma, every major tournament seems to be fraught with the specter of injury. The Japanese national team can only hope that this nightmare won't once again claim one of their most important stars for the 2026 World Cup.