Japanese football continues to dominate the continent.

(NLĐO) - Japan has once again affirmed its position as a leading football nation in Asia by winning its 4th championship in the first 5 months of 2026.

Incredible stability

Japanese football is experiencing a near-perfect year in 2026 at the continental level. From the men's to the women's national teams, representatives from the Land of the Rising Sun are consistently reaching the top, demonstrating the incredible stability of a well-established football system built over many years.

Japanese football team to win its 4th title in 2026

In men's football, the Japanese U23 team created the most lopsided final in the history of the AFC U23 Championship. They convincingly defeated China U23 4-0, successfully defending their title and becoming the most successful team at this level.

Four months later, also in Jeddah, Japan met China again in the continental final for the U17 age group (May 23). This time, the representative of the world's most populous nation had improved significantly, fighting back after being 0-3 down in the first half. However, two goals from Wan Xiang and Zhao Songyuan were not enough to bring China back to the top after 22 years.

In the end, the Japanese U17 team claimed their 5th continental championship title, far surpassing South Korea, China, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, and Oman, who each won only 2 titles.

In addition, the "Blue Samurai" also swept individual awards such as "Top Scorer" (midfielder Maki Kitahara) and "Best Goalkeeper" (goalkeeper Kosei Oshita).

Despite their best efforts, the Chinese U17 team (in red jerseys) were unable to stop the Japanese U17 team.

The "Blue Samurai" women

In women's football, 2026 would have been a nearly perfect year for Japan if they could have pulled off an upset against the reigning U17 Women's World Champions, North Korea. However, the disparity in skill level and a heavy 1-5 defeat in the final meant the Japanese team missed the chance to win their 5th title at the U17 Women's Asian Championship.

Japanese U17 midfielder Maki Kitahara won the "Top Scorer" award with 6 goals.

Previously, the Japanese women's team completely dominated the Asian Women's Football Championship with a highly convincing victory. The "Blue Samurai" won all 6 matches, scoring 29 goals and conceding only 1.

Similarly, in the continental U20 tournament, the Japanese women's team brought home their 7th championship title, far surpassing South Korea and North Korea, who each only won 2 titles.

Notably, the reigning U20 women's world champions, North Korea, were also unable to stop the Japanese representatives, having to settle for second place after a 0-1 defeat in the final. Throughout the 6 matches, the Japanese U20 women's team only conceded 2 goals, both scored by the Australian U20 women's team.

Along with the Japanese national team hoping for a miracle at the 2026 World Cup, the country also has the U20 and U17 women's teams and the U17 men's team participating in this year's world championships. This can be seen as the clearest evidence of Japan's leading position in Asian football.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/bong-da-nhat-ban-tiep-tiep-thong-tri-chau-luc-196260523091937135.htm