JAPAN FACE PIVOTAL WEEK IN ASIAN WORLD CUP

Japan have thus far been flawless in their qualification campaign for the 2026 FIFA World Cup -- racking up eight consecutive wins and scoring 36 goals while conceding none. Hiroki Watanabe/Getty Images

Suffice to say, the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have gone according to plan thus far for Japan.

In fact, they might even have exceeded expectations -- lofty as they may be for a team often regarded as the best in the continent.

Last month, the Samurai Blue opened the third round of the Asian World Cup qualifiers with emphatic 7-0 and 5-0 victories over China and Bahrain.

If their flawless record in the previous stage is factored in, it means that Japan's current campaign has seen them rack up eight consecutive wins with 36 goals scored and none conceded.

They are well on their way to an 8th successive World Cup appearance and are doing it in style and yet, it might not be inaccurate to suggest that they have a make-or-break week ahead of them.

Perhaps not "break", but the next seven days could certainly make their progress to the 2026 World Cup -- to be held in United States, Mexico and Canada -- a virtual certainty.

On Thursday, Japan resume their campaign with a trip to Saudi Arabia which will then be followed by a home game against Australia next Tuesday.

When the draw for the third round of Asian qualifiers was made back in June, Group C immediately loomed as the 'group of death'.

Feyenoord's Ayase Ueda has been one of the stars of Japan's FIFA World Cup qualification campaign so far with eight goals -- including two in their most-recent 5-0 victory over Bahrain last month. Hiroki Watanabe/Getty Images

In Japan, Saudi Arabia and Australia, it consisted three of the six teams that had represented Asia at the last World Cup.

In a previous era, one of these usual suspects would have been at real risk of missing out.

Still, the World Cup's expansion to a 48-team tournament means Asia now have eight guaranteed qualification berths. While only the top two in each group advance automatically, the third and fourth-placed teams will still have a chance when they move on to the fourth round of qualifiying.

At present, Japan do not look at risk of being involved in the latter scenario and they most certainly do not want to wait any longer than necessary to secure their spot at the World Cup.

Nonetheless, the quality of opposition that they will face over the next seven days, as well as the expanded nature of the new qualification process, means that a couple of poor results could easily see them dragged back into a melee for a top-two finish.

A trip to Jeddah to face Saudi Arabia was always likely to be the biggest test out of Japan's ten third-round ties.

Although they do not have nearly as many players plying their trade in Europe as Japan, the Green Falcons boast considerable talent and have regularly shown they can match it with some of the strongest teams on the planet -- as they did at the last World Cup in 2022 when they inflicted an opening 2-1 defeat on Argentina, the only loss the eventual champions would suffer.

Japan and Saudi Arabia also faced off in qualification for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, with both teams sharing a victory each in their respective home ties. MB Media/Getty Images

Last month, Saudi Arabia might have been held to a shock draw by Indonesia but they then followed up with a 2-1 victory over China -- a result that was all the more impressive considering they had fallen behind and had a man sent off by the 20th minute yet somehow managed to come from behind and win.

Even for a star-studded Samurai Blue outfit, Saudi Arabia will pose quite the challenge especially if King Abdullah Sports City comes close to filling out its 62,345 capacity.

Then, there is Australia.

The Socceroos are hardly slouches on paper but their latest displays have not matched their stature.

Defeat to Bahrain and a stalemate with Indonesia in the last international window led to the departure of Graham Arnold, meaning it will be Tony Popovic who will be attempting to mastermind an upset at Saitama Stadium next week.

Recent form suggests Japan will be favourites but they will be aware of the dangers in underestimating Australia, especially given the curious-but-frequent phenomenon which sees teams often enjoy immediate improvement in the wake of a new coach arriving.

Should the Samurai Blue fail to win either tie, they could be right back in the mix. Six points, however, would see them continue on their seemingly unstoppable march to the 2026 World Cup.

Even before a ball was kicked in the third round of Asian qualifiers, this week in October would already have been identified as a crucial one for Japan.

While results from last month mean the situation might not be as tight as they would have expected, the next seven days could still prove pivotal for the thus-far perfect Samurai Blue and their quest to reach yet another World Cup.

- Gabriel Tan 

FAITH IN YOUTH CONTINUES TO PAY OFF AS JAPAN MARCH ON INTO OLYMPIC QUARTERFINALS

Japan booked their place in the Olympic men's football tournament on Saturday with a game to spare after Rihito Yamamoto scrambled home the only goal of the game in the 82nd minute for a 1-0 win over Mali. Koji Watanabe/Getty Images

 Japan are no strangers to going far in the men's football tournament at the Olympics.

Even if they are still to establish themselves among the world's top teams, Japan have finished fourth in two of the past three editions of the Games -- narrowly missing out on a coveted medal in both London and on home soil in Tokyo.

But even with the high standards they have set for themselves in recent times, the Paris Olympics are going better than expected.

With two games down and one still to go in the group stage, Japan are just one of two teams to have already booked their place in the quarterfinals -- alongside newly-crowned European champions Spain.

Granted, the Samurai Blue are hardly slouches considering they are one of Asia's traditional powerhouses and currently sit a creditable 18th in the FIFA world rankings.

Yet, the fact that Japan are the only team in the ongoing men's football tournament to have fielded an entirely under-23 team -- opting against turning to the three allowed overage players -- makes their displays so far that much more impressive.

An opening-day 5-0 rout of Paraguay was followed up by a less straightforward 1-0 win over Mali on Saturday evening.

While the emphatic triumph over Paraguay -- which was aided by an early red card for the opposition -- was a display of cohesion and panache, the victory over Mali perhaps gave a stronger indication over the legitimacy of their medal quest.

On this occasion, they faced a much tougher challenge -- especially without a numerical advantage.

It meant that, even though they still tried -- and, at times, managed -- to play with the same sort of expansiveness that they achieved against the Paraguayans, the contest was not always on their terms.

Mali, with plenty of pace down the wings and a direct approach led by spearhead Cheickna Doumbia, also caused the Japanese far more uncomfortable moments than they had endured in their campaign opener.

And still, Japan passed the test -- although it might have been a far different story if Doumbia had not missed an injury-time penalty.

Goalkeeper Leo Kokubo showed why he could be a pivotal figure -- especially for a team that is constanly looking to be on the front foot -- with a series of fine saves.

In the engine room, captain Joel Chima Fujita and Rihito Yamamoto never stopped trying to initiate the brand of football coach Go Oiwa is asking of them, with the latter eventually emerging as the match-winner with an opportunistic strike with just eight minutes remaining.

The Samurai Blue also showed they have decent depth with the likes of Ryotaro Araki and Fuki Yamada coming into the starting XI, while Kein Sato and Shota Fujio again offered an injection of energy coming off the bench.

For a squad bereft of experienced campaigners, the way they grinded out the result was exactly what will be required come the knockout round -- especially if Japan want to claim a first men's football medal since 1968.

If Tuesday's final round of group-stage action plays out as expected, the Japanese should avoid a clash with Spain and will be confident in their prospects regardless of whether it is Egypt or Dominican Republic they meet in the last eight.

Still, it could very likely be Argentina -- boasting notable names such as Julián Álvarez and Nicolás Otamendi -- that will be waiting if they reach the semis.

If they do have to settle for the third place playoff once again, it could easily be hosts France or Spain vying with them for the bronze medal.

The former, in particular, have two formidable overage attackers with Premier League experience in Alexandre Lacazette and Jean-Philippe Mateta, not to mention young starlets such as Michael Olise, Rayan Cherki and Manu Koné.

Only time will tell if Japan's decision not to bolster their team -- and their medal prospects -- with senior stalwarts of their own will come back to haunt them.

For now, however, their faith in youth is paying off.

- Gabriel Tan 

WHY HASEBE COULD BE FIRST ASIAN MANAGER OF A TOP EUROPEAN CLUB

Following a 304-game stint as a player with Eintracht Frankfurt, Makoto Hasebe will take his first steps towards management after being named the assistant coach of the Bundesliga club's U-21 team. Etsuo Hara/Getty Images

 At the end of last season, the stellar playing career of Japan international Makoto Hasebe finally came to an end.

While he might not have stolen the headlines in the way more attack-minded teammates of his generation -- such as Shinji Kagawa and Keisuke Honda -- did, Hasebe's credentials speak for themselves. A Bundesliga champion with Wolfsburg in 2009, Hasebe would captain Japan at three consecutive editions of the FIFA World Cup and win an AFC Asian Cup en route to 114 international appearances, making him Samurai Blue's seventh most-capped player.

Enjoying the most longevity at Eintracht Frankfurt, the midfielder-turned-sweeper would add a DFB-Pokal and Europa League to his trophy cabinet and hung up his boots with the accolade of being the Bundesliga's record Asian appearance maker.

The esteem he was held in at Frankfurt led to a unique arrangement where his playing contract would automatically be renewed each summer until Hasebe himself decided to retire, where a coaching deal would then be guaranteed. That agreement has now come into effect, with the 40-year-old earlier this month being announced as an assistant coach of Eintracht's under-21 team.

With that, Hasebe has taken his first step down a path that could eventually see him buck a peculiar trend in football. Be it through subconscious aversion or sheer coincidence, no Asian has taken charge of a notable European club. This, even though players from the continent have long been deemed good enough to make the grade in Europe, while Asian teams -- mostly through the World Cup -- have shown they have what it takes to match more-illustrious counterparts.

There are certainly candidates that ordinarily would have at least been in the reckoning.

While he has his fair share of critics for tactics that have at times been perceived as overly conservative, Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu did mastermind stunning wins over both Germany and Spain at the last World Cup.

Meanwhile, although Ange Postecoglou has deserved all the success he has enjoyed since his rise to prominence began at Yokohama F. Marinos, it is worth noting that the one J1 League title he won during his time in Japan was actually bettered by Toru Oniki's two with Kawasaki Frontale. Oniki, with 10 major trophies to his name, is now the most successful manager in a country currently ranked 18th in the world. Yet, few outside of Japan probably have heard of him.

On the back of the sport's ever-growing globalisation, that could soon change.

Postecoglou undeniably showed that Asian football can now be a legitimate bedrock of managerial talent. The City Football Group's expansive network -- which includes stakes in four Asian clubs including Marinos -- suggests they too believe there is untapped potential. The ever-increasing interest in the Saudi Pro League also guarantees a greater spotlight for whoever excels in those newly glamourous surroundings.

Still, perhaps Hasebe is the best chance given his distinct advantage, especially over other candidates from the Asian Football Confederation: he is already "in."

Through the credit he accumulated for himself as a player who was well-respected and regarded as a role model, his pathway has now been accelerated as he begins his coaching journey directly in Europe. There will be no need for him to work his way up back home in Japan, even if his subsequent steps may perhaps see him earn later job experience in the J1 League.

For now, Hasebe's formative steps as a coach will not only be in one of Europe's big five leagues but also at a well-established club in Eintracht, who were one of the Bundesliga's founding teams and have only spent six seasons out of the top flight in the 60-odd years since the competition was established.

This will undoubtedly stand him in good stead but, at the end of the day, it will be the managerial talent that Hasebe develops that determines his success -- and early signs are promising. Long regarded as a coach in the making, Hasebe was a leader all throughout his career -- initially as a driving force in the heart of midfield, before he became a calming presence as the last line of defence in his final few seasons. He set an example for those around him to follow and was regularly seen giving instructions and advice both on the field or from the sidelines.

Ex-Eintracht manager Adi Hütter once labelled Hasebe as an "absolute godsend" and "outstanding" as both a footballer and person, while another former coach in Oliver Glasner -- now Crystal Palace boss -- spoke of his ability to always be relied upon.

Even his teammates were said to have affectionately referred to him as "Methuselah" -- the biblical figure claimed to have lived the longest life until dying at the age of 969 -- for his longevity.

Determined and ambitious, Hasebe has made no secret about his goal to one day reach the very top, having stated at his retirement news conference back in May that his ultimate goal was to manage Eintracht.

In doing so, he will have to buck a trend and reverse an anomaly that has stymied the growth and recognition of Asian football. He may just be the best and -- eventually most well-equipped -- managerial prospect to do so.

- Gabriel Tan 

HOW DAICHI KAMADA CAN SUCCEED IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE

After a solitary season in Serie A with Lazio, Japan international Daichi Kamada has joined Premier League outfit Crystal Palace where he will reunite with manager Oliver Glasner, who he won the Europa League with at Eintracht Frankfurt in 2021-22. Piero Cruciatti/Anadolu via Getty Images

 On Monday, conjecture over the future of Japan international Daichi Kamada was finally put to rest as it was announced he had signed for Crystal Palace on a two-year contract.

For one of the Samurai Blue's most well-credentialled players, moving to the Premier League was the next logical step in his career progression following an already-creditable European journey that has seen him feature in both the Bundesliga and Serie A.

And for Japan, as one of Asian football's traditional powerhouses, having another export plying his trade in possibly the biggest league in the world further highlights the talent they are consistently producing.

But what does it truly mean for Japanese football? And how can Kamada give himself the best chance of succeeding in the Premier League?

The 'how'

For all the experience and past successes a player might boast, success in a new country is never a guarantee, especially in a competition as unforgiving as the Premier League.

One clear advantage Kamada already has is that, in Palace manager Oliver Glasner, he is reuniting with a tactician who is familiar with what he is capable of from their time together at Eintracht Frankfurt.

In Glasner's two seasons in charge of Frankfurt, Kamada's 93 appearances in all competition was a tally only bettered by goalkeeper Kevin Trapp. The fact that Glasner not only knows Kamada but also has previous history of trusting him to do the job bodes well for the Japanese midfielder.

The 3-4-3 formation that Glasner has been employing at Palace is will also be familiar to Kamada, given he operated in similar systems at both Frankfurt and, most recently, Lazio -- who he left on a free transfer after just one season to pave the way for his move to South London.

Kamada's skillset suggests that his best football could come as a No. 10 but opportunities to feature in that role have only periodically arisen while on international duty.

At club level, he has had to settle for a more traditional central midfield role and yet it has hardly hampered his attacking output.

In his two seasons under Oliver Glasner at Eintracht Frankfurt, Daichi Kamada featured prominently with 93 appearances in all competition -- racking up an impressive tally of 25 goals despite predominantly playing in central midfield. Alex Grimm/Getty Images

In his final two seasons at Frankfurt, where he played arguably his best football, Kamada racked up nine and 16 goals respectively -- impressive tallies for one who spent most of his time in the engine room rather than a more advanced position in the final third.

The energy he provides could be crucial to him thriving in the high-intensity nature of the Premier League, and his scoring instincts should make him a handy addition to Palace outfit that only got one goal from their out-and-out central midfield brigade in 2023-24.

While the physicality of the English game has, in the past, been an area in which Asian imports struggle to adapt to, Kamada should have no such issues given his previous European experience -- which also saw him win the Europa League with Frankfurt in 2021-22.

Standing at 1.84 metres, the 27-year-old may look gangly but it belies his battling nature and appetite for the contest -- traits without which surely would not have seen him achieve all his previous successes.

Hailing Kamada as "one of Europe's best attacking midfielders in recent seasons", Palace chairman Steve Parish also labelled the club's new signing "a truly exceptional talent", adding: "his experience, technical quality and commitment mark him out as an excellent addition to our already talented squad."

It is not a given that Kamada will automatically slot into Palace's starting XI given competition is high among a team that last season achieved the club's first top-half finish in the Premier League since 2014-15.

Seasoned campaigners such as Jefferson Lerma and Will Hughes will both be expecting to feature prominently, while England rising star Adam Wharton made an instant impact after arriving in the January transfer window.

Still, if Kamada can rediscover the Frankfurt form he displayed under Glasner, he could just prove impossible to leave out.

Daichi Kamada's move to Crystal Palace sees him add to Japan's Premier League contingent that already boasts Liverpool anchorman Wataru Endō and Brighton livewire Kaoru Mitoma. Markus Gilliar - GES Sportfoto/Getty Images

The 'what'

By now, Japanese football is no stranger to laying claim to some stellar names to have graced the sport.

Hidetoshi Nakata remains their biggest name to date, while Keisuke Honda, Shinji Kagawa and Shunsuke Nakamura all made their mark under the brightest lights in European football. Shinji Okazaki even claimed a miraculous Premier League title with Leicester City.

Nonetheless, recent attention has shifted to South Korea given the emergence of a certain Son Heung-Min as a genuine world-class talent.

Son's footsteps being subsequently followed by Hwang Hee-Chan and Lee Kang-In has gone some way in enhancing impression that it is South Korea who are now leading the way in Asian football, even if it is Japan who are still the continent's highest-placed nation sitting 17th in the FIFA world rankings.

It perhaps does not help Japan's case that their leading lights at present are primarily defensive players who do not steal as much of the headlines, such as Liverpool anchorman Wataru Endō, Arsenal defender Takehiro Tomiyasu, and even new Bayern Munich signing Hiroki Itō.

But where South Korea have quality -- and an undeniably top-grade one at that -- Japan can more than make up for it with quantity.

Kamada's move to Palace takes Japan's Premier League contingent to four and, as well of a defensive job as Endō and Tomiyasu perform on a weekly basis, the onus will be on him and Brighton's Kaoru Mitoma -- who did enjoy a stellar 2022-23 campaign -- to grab the attention in the attacking third.

With Samurai Blue stars featuring prominently all across Europe's top leagues, there can be no refuting that Japanese football continues to be in an extremely healthy state.

Still, should one of their own take the most heavily-scrutinised league by storm come the start of next season, it will only provide further credence to Japan's claim to being Asia's premier footballing nation.

- Gabriel Tan