Japan registers 20 players to play in Europe for Asian Cup 2023

At noon today (January 1), the Japanese team defeated Thailand 5-0 in a friendly match in Tokyo. After the match, coach Hajime Moriyasu announced the list of 26 players participating in the 2023 Asian Cup, taking place in Qatar from January 14 to February 10.

Japan defeated Thailand 5-0 in a friendly match at noon on January 1 in Tokyo (Photo: AP).

Notably, Japan's top football star Kaoru Mitoma is still on the list. The player currently playing for Brighton (England) is injured and is expected to need a month to recover, however coach Moriyasu believes Mitoma will return after the end of the Asian Cup group stage.

In the list of 26 Japanese players, the two most regrettable absentees are Ao Tanaka and Daichi Kamada. Ao Tanaka scored the winning goal in the 2-1 victory over Spain in the 2022 World Cup group stage, while Daichi Kamada is playing for Lazio Roma in Serie A.

Japan's squad for the 2023 Asian Cup has 20 players playing in Europe, including England, Germany (4 players), France, Belgium (3), Scotland, Netherlands (2), Spain, Portugal (1). The remaining 6 players include one player playing in Qatar and 5 players playing domestically.

Japan brings to the 2023 Asian Cup a squad of 20 players currently playing in Europe (Photo: AP).

At the 2023 Asian Cup, Japan is in Group D with Iraq, Vietnam and Indonesia. Coach Hajime Moriyasu's team will play the opening match against the Vietnamese team on January 14.

Compared to the 2019 Asian Cup in the UAE, Japan now has only 5 players: Takehiro Tomiyasu, Wataru Endo, Takumi Minamino, Junya Ito and Ritsu Doan. On the FIFA rankings, Japan is at the top of Asia, above Iran, South Korea, Australia, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

In the history of the Asian Cup, Japan won the championship 4 times in 1992, 2000, 2004 and 2011. They are the current runner-up when at the 2019 Asian Cup, Japan unexpectedly lost 1-3 to Qatar.

List of 26 players of Japan national team for Asian Cup 2023

Goalkeepers (3) : Zion Suzuki (Sint-Truidense), Daiya Maekawa (Vissel Kobe), Taishi Brandon Nozawa (FC Tokyo)

Defenders (9) : Takehiro Tomiyasu (Arsenal), Shogo Taniguchi (Al-Rayyan), Ko Itakura (Borussia Monchengladbach), Yuta Nakayama (Huddersfield Town), Hiroki Ito (VfB Stuttgart), Yukinari Sugawara (AZ Alkmaar), Koki Machida (Union SG), Seiya Maikuma (Cerezo Osaka), Tsuyoshi Watanabe (Gent)

Midfielders (10) : Wataru Endo (Liverpool), Takumi Minamino (Monaco), Junya Ito, Keito Nakamura (Reims), Ritsu Doan (SC Freiburg), Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad), Hidemasa Morita (Sporting CP), Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton & Hove Albion), Reo Hatate (Celtic), Kaishu Sano (Kashima Antlers)

Strikers (4): Takuma Asano (VfL Bochum), Daizen Maeda (Celtic), Ayase Ueda (Feyenoord), Mao Hosoya (Kashiwa Reysol).

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/nhat-ban-dang-ky-20-cau-thu-thi-dau-tai-chau-au-du-asian-cup-2023-20240101193457434.htm