{"id":1418155,"date":"2025-12-17T17:47:04","date_gmt":"2025-12-17T17:47:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?p=1418155"},"modified":"2026-06-01T19:42:23","modified_gmt":"2026-06-01T18:42:23","slug":"2022-japan-team-that-beat-germany-and-spain","status":"publish","type":"cult-corner","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/cult-corner\/2022-japan-team-that-beat-germany-and-spain\/","title":{"rendered":"What happened next? 2022 Japan team that beat Germany and Spain"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Prior to 1998, Japan had never qualified for a World Cup with football being largely amateur in in the islands nation until the boom of the J League involving Arsene Wenger among others.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It&#8217;s been seven consecutive tournaments since their first in France, including a co-hosting with South Korea in 2002, with that being the first of four round of 16 appearances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Their last was their best performance though as they topped a group featuring Germany and Spain, coming from behind to beat both European giants 2-1, before falling on penalties to Croatia in the first knockout round. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The two wins are arguably the best in Japan&#8217;s football history but where is the 2022 squad now? We&#8217;ve taken a look at the careers of all 26 players. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-eiji-kawashima\">Eiji Kawashima<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Age:<\/strong> 42<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Position: <\/strong>Goalkeeper<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kawashima was Japan&#8217;s first-choice keeper at three consecutive World Cups prior to 2022 but lost his place in the lineup for Qatar. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was hardly a surprise given his age but it did bring an end to an international career that saw the stopper win 95 caps and captain his country against Poland in the 2018 tournament. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 42-year-old is still plying his trade at club level with J1 League side Jubilo Iwata having previously played home and abroad for the likes of Nagoya Grampus Eight, Strasbourg and Dundee United. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-miki-yamane\">Miki Yamane<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Age: <\/strong>31<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Position:<\/strong> Defender<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A relatively late bloomer, Yamane won all 16 of his Japan caps from March 2021 up until the finals in November and December 2022. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The right-back scored on his debut in a 3-0 friendly win over South Korea but featured just once at the World Cup, in the group loss to Costa Rica. The 34-year-old has since moved to LA Galaxy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-shogo-taniguchi\">Shogo Taniguchi<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Age:<\/strong> 34<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Position: <\/strong>Defender<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The winner of 45 caps, Taniguchi came into the Japanese side halfway through the tournament, starting in the win over Spain and the penalty shootout loss to Croatia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Away from football, he recently married model and actress Rika Izumi. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-ko-itakura\">Ko Itakura<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Age: <\/strong>28<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Position: <\/strong>Defender<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A fixture in the national team since his 2019 debut, Itakura played all four games at the 2022 World Cup and it was his long ball that kickstarted the famous comeback win over Germany. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He has since gone onto captain Japan and currently plays his club football with Ajax having started in Europe at Manchester City where he did not play a single game. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The centre-back will once again be a key part of the squad for next summer&#8217;s tournament. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/17174334\/2KYR3MT-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1419743\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/17174334\/2KYR3MT-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/17174334\/2KYR3MT-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/17174334\/2KYR3MT-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/17174334\/2KYR3MT-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/17174334\/2KYR3MT-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/17174334\/2KYR3MT-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/17174334\/2KYR3MT-90x60.jpg 90w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/17174334\/2KYR3MT-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/17174334\/2KYR3MT-40x27.jpg 40w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-yuto-nagatomo\">Yuto Nagatomo<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Age:<\/strong> 39<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Position:<\/strong> Defender<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of the greatest Japanese players of all time, Nagatomo&#8217;s 144 caps leave him second only to Yasuhito Endo in the all-time rankings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The left-back had an incredible career at both club and international level, playing over 200 times for Inter among other European giants and competing at four World Cups. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nagatomo turns 40 next September but has played twice for Japan this year and could yet feature next summer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-wataru-endo\">Wataru Endo<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Age: <\/strong>32<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Position:<\/strong> Midfielder<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Endo was into his final season as a Stuttgart player while at the last World Cup, making a move to Liverpool the following summer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While used more by Jurgen Klopp, the defensive midfielder has since become very much a squad player under Arne Slot, making just one Premier League start under the Dutchman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He is a cult hero at Anfield though, with his gumshield and all-action displays making him easy to love. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-gaku-shibasaki\">Gaku Shibasaki<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Age:<\/strong> 33<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Position: <\/strong>Midfielder<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Shibasaki is one of several Japanese players to have left their mark on European football. In his case, it was Spain where he spent six years with Tenerife, Getafe, Deportivo and Leganes either side of stints with J1 League side Kashima Antlers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A self-confessed football obsessive, the midfielder captained his country in their guest appearance in the 2019 Copa America but has not played for his country since the last World Cup. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-ritsu-doan\">Ritsu Doan<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Age: <\/strong>27<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Position: <\/strong>Midfielder<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Doan was one of the heroes of 2022, scoring the equalisers against both Germany and Spain in near-identical circumstances, coming off to strike within five minutes and spark remarkable comebacks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He will once again be a key player for Hajime Moriyasu this summer and is another Japanese star in Europe, currently playing for Eintracht Frankfurt. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-kaoru-mitoma\">Kaoru Mitoma <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Age: <\/strong>28<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Position:<\/strong> Forward<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mitoma is now arguably Japan&#8217;s star player and most recognised due to his exploits with Brighton but back in 2022, he was only breaking onto the international scene. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A sub in all four games, he provided the very controversial assist for childhood friend Ao Tanaka&#8217;s winner against Spain where VAR had originally ruled that the ball had gone out of play, before missing a penalty in the shootout defeat to Croatia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mitoma&#8217;s season has been blighted by an ankle injury but he recently made his return and is primed for a big 2026. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/17174448\/2M0M7PR-1-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1419745\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/17174448\/2M0M7PR-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/17174448\/2M0M7PR-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/17174448\/2M0M7PR-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/17174448\/2M0M7PR-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/17174448\/2M0M7PR-1-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/17174448\/2M0M7PR-1-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/17174448\/2M0M7PR-1-90x60.jpg 90w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/17174448\/2M0M7PR-1-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/17174448\/2M0M7PR-1-40x27.jpg 40w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-takumi-minamino\">Takumi Minamino<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Age:<\/strong> 30<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Position:<\/strong> Midfielder<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another of Japan&#8217;s numerous attacking stars, Minamino is one of just three Japanese players &#8211; and four Asians &#8211; to win the Premier League title having lifted it with Liverpool in the 2019\/20 season. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He couldn&#8217;t find his way into Jurgen Klopp&#8217;s first-choice lineup and eventually moved to Monaco on a permanent basis after a short loan spell with Southampton. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 30-year-old is the top scorer in the current Japan squad with 26 goals and will be a key player next summer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-takefusa-kobo\">Takefusa Kobo<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Age:<\/strong> 24<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Position:<\/strong> Forward<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dubbed the &#8220;Japanese Messi&#8221; due to his fine technical ability, Kubo spent four years at Barcelona&#8217;s famed La Masia academy from the age of 10. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He returned to the homeland, playing for FC Tokyo and Yokohama Marinos, before Spain came calling again in the shape of its biggest club, Real Madrid. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The young winger never played for Los Blancos, instead going on loan to Mallorca, Villarreal and Getafe before making a permanent switch to Real Sociedad in 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of the great hopes of Japanese football, 2026 could be a major year for him both at club and international level. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-shuichi-gonda\">Shuichi Gonda<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Age:<\/strong> 36<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Position: <\/strong>Goalkeeper<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gonda played second fiddle to Kawashima for many years but usurped the legendary keeper for the 2022 World Cup, playing all four games. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He has not played for Japan since but could yet be a member of a third World Cup squad next summer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-hidemasa-morita\">Hidemasa Morita<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Age: <\/strong>30<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Position:<\/strong> Midfielder<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Signed by Ruben Amorim for Sporting in 2022, Morita has since established himself as a key player for the Portuguese giants and lifted two league titles with the Lisbon club. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The defensive midfielder is a guaranteed pick for next summer&#8217;s World Cup, and has recently added goals to his international game, scoring four times in 2024. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-junya-ito\">Junya Ito<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Age: <\/strong>32<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Position:<\/strong> Forward<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ito has been a regular in the Japan squad since his 2017 debut, winning 66 caps and scoring 14 goals by the end of 2025. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His international career was paused in 2023 following a legal suit from two women against the winger, who then countersued them before a lack of evidence saw it all thrown out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 32-year-old is likely to appear at his second World Cup next summer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-daichi-kamada\">Daichi Kamada<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Age: <\/strong>29<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Position:<\/strong> Midfielder<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kamada played in all four games of the 2022 World Cup but expressed disappointment afterwards not to have either scored or provided an assist in the tournament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was a slight surprise given his strong numbers for both his country &#8211; 12 in 47 &#8211; and his 40 goals in five seasons with Frankfurt where he won the Europa League under Oliver Glasner. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After a year with Lazio, the midfielder reunited with Glasner at Crystal Palace, where he has become a key player in a deeper midfield role, helping the club lift the FA Cup in his debut season. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He is a near-guaranteed starter next summer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/17174623\/2M0M7E1-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1419746\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/17174623\/2M0M7E1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/17174623\/2M0M7E1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/17174623\/2M0M7E1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/17174623\/2M0M7E1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/17174623\/2M0M7E1-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/17174623\/2M0M7E1-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/17174623\/2M0M7E1-90x60.jpg 90w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/17174623\/2M0M7E1-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/17174623\/2M0M7E1-40x27.jpg 40w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-takehiro-tomiyasau\">Takehiro Tomiyasau <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Age: <\/strong>27<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Position:<\/strong> Defender <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Best remembered for his four seasons with Arsenal, Tomiyasu&#8217;s career has been one severely hampered by injuries in recent years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After 83 appearances in his first three seasons in North London, the defender &#8211; capable of playing at both right-back and centre-back &#8211; suffered a serious knee injury just one game into the 2024\/25 season and has not played since. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His Gunners&#8217; contract was mutually terminated but a move to Ajax has not changed his injury luck, leaving both his World Cup dreams and career under threat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If he can regain fitness, he will likely be a key member of Japan&#8217;s 2026 squad. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-ao-tanaka\">Ao Tanaka<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Age: <\/strong>27<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Position:<\/strong> Midfielder<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another Japanese player to make a name for himself in Germany, Tanaka spent three years with Fortuna Dusseldorf before making the move to Leeds in 2024. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His debut season saw him a host of individual awards &#8211; the Players&#8217; Player of the Year and Goal of the Season &#8211; as well as the Championship title. In the Premier League, he has recently added goals, hitting a screamer in the win over Chelsea before a last-gasp equaliser against Liverpool. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The scorer of the controversial winner vs. Spain in 2022, Tanaka will be hoping to make more history in the USA, Mexico and Canada next summer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-takuma-asano\">Takuma Asano<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Age:<\/strong> 31<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Position: <\/strong>Forward<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Having just missed out on selection for the 2018 World Cup, Asano more than made up for it four years later, hitting the late winner against Germany in the opening game. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It made him a Japanese national hero but he has not featured for his country since 2024, leaving hopes of a second finals in the balance amid iffy club form. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-hiroki-sakai\">Hiroki Sakai<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Age: <\/strong>35<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Position:<\/strong> Defender<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A stalwart at right-back for both Hannover and Marseille over the course of a decade, Sakai earned the last of his 74 caps in the round of 16 loss to Croatia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is likely to be his second and final World Cup finals appearance given his age and the options available to Moriyasu. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-shuto-machino\">Shuto Machino<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Age: <\/strong>26<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Position:<\/strong> Forward<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Machino was not originally selected in 2022 but was called up after an injury to Yuta Nakayama. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He failed to feature in the tournament but will be hoping a strong second half of the season with Borussia Monchengladbach will make a strong case for starts next summer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-ayase-ueda\">Ayase Ueda<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Age: <\/strong>27<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Position: <\/strong>Forward<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ueda is likely to be Japan&#8217;s starting striker next summer despite failing to make his mark in 2022. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That is largely due to his stunning club form with Feyenoord, which sees him average over a goal a game in the Eredivisie this season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 27-year-old has also scored 16 goals in 36 caps and will be hoping to add to his tally in 2026. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-maya-yoshida\">Maya Yoshida<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Age: <\/strong>37<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Position:<\/strong> Defender<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A verified legend of Japanese football, Yoshida captained the side in 2022, leading them to two famous group wins but missing a penalty in the shootout loss to Croatia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Qatar signalled the end of his international career, which saw him win 122 caps, play at three World Cups, three Olympics and win the 2011 Asia Cup. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At club level, the defender is best known for his time at Southampton, where he made near-200 appearances. He currently plays for and captains LA Galaxy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-daniel-schmidt\">Daniel Schmidt<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Age: <\/strong>33<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Position:<\/strong> Goalkeeper<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Schmidt did not play in the 2022 World Cup and the last of his 14 caps came the following year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Back in Japan playing for Nagoya Grampus, it would be a surprise if he is called up again. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-yuki-soma\">Yuki Soma<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Age:<\/strong> 28<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Position:<\/strong> Midfielder<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Soma had just three caps before 2022 but had his best year for the Japanese national team in the one that mattered most, scoring four goals in six games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He has since been in and out of the squad but with five caps in 2025, he is in with a good chance of selection next summer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-daizen-maeda\">Daizen Maeda<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Age:<\/strong> 28<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Position:<\/strong> Forward<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With just four goals in 26 appearances for Japan, Maeda has been far from prolific at international level although he did score the opener in the last 16 clash with Croatia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He faces a battle for the no.9 spot with Ueda and will need to return to the form of last season, where he hit 33 goals for Celtic, to force his way into the starting lineup. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-hiroko-ito\">Hiroko Ito<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Age: <\/strong>26<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Position:<\/strong> Defender<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As Nagatomo and Yoshida wind down, Ito was expected to take up the mantle of Japan&#8217;s top class defender. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He was well on his way after a big-money move from Stuttgart to Bayern Munich in 2024. However, like Tomiyasu, the injury curse has struck with the 26-year-old suffering two separate metatarsal injuries which has reduced him to just 13 appearances for the Bavarian giants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ito recently returned to action and his fitness could be absolutely critical to Japan&#8217;s hopes of a first-ever quarter final appearance. <\/p>\n\n\n<h3><strong>Read more:<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/news\/\"><strong>Latest football news<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/football-tips\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Football betting tips<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/betting-sites\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Best betting sites<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/betting-sites\/best-free-bet-offers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Best free bet offers<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/football-tips\/accumulator\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Football accumulator tips<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Prior to 1998, Japan had never qualified for a World Cup with football being largely amateur in in the islands nation until the boom of the J League involving Arsene Wenger among others. It&#8217;s been seven consecutive tournaments since their first in France, including a co-hosting with South Korea in 2002, with that being the&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3577,"featured_media":1419741,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_focuskw":"","_yoast_wpseo_title":"What happened next? 2022 Japan team that beat Germany and Spain","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Here's where the 26 members of Japan's 2022 World Cup squad are today ahead of next summer's tournament.","footnotes":""},"tags":[],"squawka-category":[],"class_list":["post-1418155","cult-corner","type-cult-corner","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":{"external_featured_image_url":"","hide_featured_image_pattern":false},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.0 (Yoast SEO v28.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What happened next? 2022 Japan team that beat Germany and Spain<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Here&#039;s where the 26 members of Japan&#039;s 2022 World Cup squad are today ahead of next summer&#039;s tournament.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/cult-corner\/2022-japan-team-that-beat-germany-and-spain\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What happened next? 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