Japan coach: 'We have a chance to beat Brazil'

USA - Hajime Moriyasu views the 2025 friendly win against Brazil as the basis for confidence before reuniting with the South American team in the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup.

Coach Hajime Moriyasu applauds fans after Japan's draw with Sweden in the final match of Group F at the 2026 World Cup in Arlington, Texas, USA on June 25, 2026. Photo: Reuters

Drawing 1-1 with Sweden in the final match, Japan finished second in Group F and will face Brazil in the round of 16 at NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas on June 29. Moriyasu believes this will be a balanced match and his team is capable of causing an upset.

"I think the chances are 50-50," he said. "In our last meeting with Brazil, we showed our qualities and proved that we are a competitive team. We respect Brazil a lot and know their strength, but we are also confident that Japan has every chance of winning."

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The meeting Moriyasu referred to was the 3-2 victory in a friendly match in October 2025. That was the first time Japan defeated Brazil after more than 30 years of only draws (2) or losses (7).

When asked which team is the strongest in the 2026 World Cup, the Japanese manager was cautious before mentioning Argentina and Brazil. "I don't know which team to choose," he said. "Lionel Messi is a great player; any team would want a player who scores so easily. Argentina are the defending world champions and are still performing very well, but Brazil are also very strong."

Moriyasu then said that facing Brazil at the World Cup is a great experience and remained confident about their chances of winning. The 57-year-old coach also praised his counterpart Carlo Ancelotti - who possesses a massive trophy collection with 5 Champions League titles along with league titles in all 5 of Europe's top leagues. "Leading the Brazil national team is not easy, but Carlo is achieving good results and proving his capability," he expressed.

*Japan opened the scoring against Sweden.

Japan is currently the first Asian representative to secure a spot in the knockout stage of the 2026 World Cup. South Korea once had the advantage, but an unexpected loss to South Africa forced them to wait for a wildcard spot as one of the best third-placed teams.

This year marks the third consecutive time Japan has advanced past the World Cup group stage, while also extending their unbeaten run in the tournament to five matches, including three wins and two draws. This achievement makes them the second Asian team in history to reach a five-match unbeaten streak at the World Cup, after South Korea with 6 consecutive matches in the 1998-2002 period.

According to Moriyasu, advancing in second place is testament to the progress of Japanese football. He said: "We deserved second place, earning it by our own efforts. That shows the strength of Japanese football. We represent our country after passing the Asian qualifiers, and now we also carry the expectations of all Asian football at the World Cup."

*Sweden equalized 1-1

Confidence was also shown by the Japanese players ahead of the clash with Brazil. Forward Daizen Maeda asserted that his team is capable of causing an upset if they maintain their current form. "This will be a very difficult match, but if we play exactly as prepared, I think we can beat Brazil. The important thing right now is to recover physically and prepare the best we can," he said.

Veteran defender Yuto Nagatomo, who is participating in the fifth major tournament of his career, also expressed optimism. "We have a quality squad and need to step onto the pitch with the belief to win," the former Inter Milan player said. When asked about Neymar, the number 5 defender admitted the Brazilian forward is a major threat but emphasized that Japan must beware of the whole team, not just any individual.

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