World Cup 2026: The "Blue Samurai" Spirit

It was no surprise that Asia faltered right after the group stage of the 2026 World Cup.

Although Asia secured 9 spots, only Japan and Australia advanced to the second round; the rest lacked the quality to pose a challenge to the World Cup giants.

This further elevates the value of Japanese football. Statistics from the AT&T Stadium on June 25th show that over 70,000 fans gathered to support the match between Japan and Sweden. More than 70% of the audience were Japanese fans, but interestingly, it wasn't just Asian spectators; many Americans and Europeans also wore Japanese jerseys to cheer on the team from the Land of the Rising Sun.

The author (right) and a spectator cheering for the Japanese team.

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Even Swedish fans, when asked, praised Japan, their opponents who forced their team to share the points after a tense 90-minute match. The impact from Japan was immense. So much so that the "Blue Samurai" spirit brought joy to tens of thousands of spectators. Fans chanted "Nippon" from outside the stadium, throughout the match, and then lingered to sing along with coach Hajime Moriyasu and his team. Costumes depicting samurai characters or characters from anime comics seemed to have become commonplace, worn by fans from Asia to Europe to cheer on Japan.

In two days, Japan will face a real mountain in Brazil. Japanese fans won't waste much time, as the journey from AT&T Stadium in Dallas to NRG Stadium in Houston takes just over four hours. They are ready to provide the mental strength for the Samurai warriors to play a game of a lifetime. The 3-2 victory against Carlo Ancelotti's team in a friendly match more than six months ago remains a great motivation, and their unbeaten record in the group stage against the two giants, the Netherlands and Sweden, is enough to convince Asian fans that it's time for Japan to make players like Vinicius, Cunha, and Casemiro wary.

Don't underestimate Japan, the strongest team in Asia right now.

United States - Vietnam: Don't miss

Vietnam encourages US businesses to expand investment in high technology.On the morning of June 26th, at the Government Headquarters, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung received Mr. Jeff Place, Supply Chain Director of Coherent Group (USA). During the meeting, the Deputy Prime Minister affirmed that Vietnam encourages US businesses to expand investment, especially in high-tech, innovation, and semiconductor industries.

Encourage U.S. businesses to expand investment in high-tech sectors.Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung said that Vietnam welcomes US businesses to continue expanding their operations in Vietnam, especially in high-tech industries and sectors with high added value.

Vietnam and the United States strengthen cooperation in addressing the consequences of war.VTV.vn - On June 22, General Secretary and President To Lam received Acting Secretary of the US Navy Hung Cao.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/tinh-than-samurai-xanh-196260627182224201.htm