Japan starting lineup vs Brazil confirmed for FIFA World Cup 2026 clash

Can Asian powerhouse Japan pull off the biggest upset of FIFA World Cup 2026 against Brazil?

Japan have been phenomenal so far in the FIFA World Cup 2026. Despite being drawn alongside two European teams like Sweden and three-time World Cup finalists, the Netherlands, the Blue Samurai not only advanced past the group stages but also went on to remain unbeaten and finish second with five points.

Their defence has been rock solid. They faced world-class offensive players like Gyokeres, Isak and Cody Gakpo in the group stages, yet they conceded just three goals.

Their attacking unit looked lethal, scoring four against Tunisia, the same team that defeated France in 2022 World Cup. Moreover, when they faced an elite Dutch defence boasting Van de Ven and Virgil van Dijk, they still went on to score twice.

The game against Brazil won’t be easy. After all, the South American giants are in terrific form and scored seven goals too, while conceding only once. But Japan have previously pulled a lot of upsets and they can repeat that again in Houston.

Let’s look at the Japan confirmed lineup for the FIFA World Cup 2026 match against Brazil:

Japan (3-4-2-1): Zion Suzuki; Takehiro Tomiyasu, Shogo Taniguchi, Hiroki Ito; Ritsu Doan (c), Kaishu Sano, Ao Tanaka, Keito Nakamura; Junya Ito, Daizen Maeda; Ayase Ueda.

Substitutes: Keisuke Osako, Tomoki Hayakawa, Ko Itakura, Yukinari Sugawara, Yuto Nagatomo, Tsuyoshi Watanabe, Ayumu Seko, Junnosuke Suzuki, Junya Ito, Yuito Suzuki, Shuto Machino, Koki Ogawa, Kento Shiogai, Keisuke Goto.

Thoughts on the lineup

Japan have fielded a very balanced lineup. Gone are those days when the Samurai Blue had players from just the top Asian leagues. Now, several players in their lineup compete in top European leagues.

Parma custodian Suzuki has been phenomenal between the sticks for Japan, conceding just three goals and keeping a clean sheet. Their defence boasts Bayern Munich defender Ito and Tomiyasu from Ajax. It is a three-man defence, and that could likely be a concern as Brazil have one of the fastest wingers.

The midfield looks very solid on paper, and Reims midfielder Nakamura has been in top form alongside Leeds midfielder Tanaka. This midfield looks well equipped to battle it out against Brazil’s midfield duo of Casemiro and Bruno Guimaraes.

Their offence has been ruthless too. They scored twice against Holland, netted four against Tunisia and also scored against Sweden in the last game. Feyenoord striker Ueda has scored two goals and Crystal Palace midfielder Kamada has been in top form too.

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