Japan announce squad for March international break; Kaoru Mitoma included

The Samurai Blue will take on Bahrain and Saudi Arabia in the World Cup qualifiers.

An early entry to the 2026 World Cup edition is up for grabs. Japan manager Hajime Moriyasu announced a familiar-looking lineup on Thursday for next week’s World Cup qualifiers.

Group C toppers Japan can defeat Bahrain in their Asian final-round qualifier at Saitama Stadium on March 20 to secure an eighth consecutive World Cup finals spot with three games remaining. Moreover, depending on other outcomes, a draw would potentially suffice.

Regular call-ups included Kaoru Mitoma and Takefusa Kubo, while Feyenoord forward Ayase Ueda was brought back following a stint on the sidelines.

Since joining Rennes from Celtic in January, Kyogo Furuhashi, a forward, has maintained his position despite seeing little action.

Hiroki Ito, a defender for Bayern Munich, was also called up after he recovered from a long-term injury sustained shortly after joining the German powerhouses in the summer.

On March 25, Samurai Blue will meet Saudi Arabia at Saitama Stadium. This match could be a dead rubber for the home team and could provide them a chance to try out new players.

However, Masakuni Yamamoto, the director of the national team, stressed that every result counts in terms of FIFA rankings, which will affect the seeding for the finals draw in the US, Canada, and Mexico.

Moriyasu, who only named 25 Japan players instead of his customary 27, also alluded to additional call-ups following the weekend.

Japan announce squad for March international break

Goalkeepers: Keisuke Osako (Sanfrecce Hioshima), Kosei Tani (Machida Zelvia), Zion Suzuki (Parma)

Defenders: Yuto Nagatomo (FC Tokyo), Ko Itakura (Borussia Monchengladbach), Hiroki Ito (Bayern Munich), Ayumu Seko (Grasshoppers), Yukinari Sugawara (Southampton), Hiroki Sekine (Reims), Kota Takai (Kawasaki Frontale)

Midfielders: Wataru Endo (Liverpool), Junya Ito, Keito Nakamura (Reims), Takumi Minamino (Monaco), Kyogo Furuhashi (Rennes), Hidemasa Morita (Sporting CP),

Forwards: Daichi Kamada (Crystal Palace), Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton), Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate (Celtic), Ritsu Doan (Freiburg), Ayase Ueda (Feyenoord), Ao Tanaka (Leeds), Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad), Joel Chima Fujita (Sint-Truiden)

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— サッカー日本代表 🇯🇵 (@jfa_samuraiblue) March 13, 2025

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