Japan
The Japan national football team, also known by the nickname Samurai Blue (Japanese: サムライ・ブルー, Hepburn: Samurai Burū), represents Japan in men's international football. It is controlled by the Japan Football Association (JFA), the governing body for football in Japan. Wikipedia
| Official name | 日本サッカー協会 |
| Manager | |
| Stadium | Osaka, Japan |
| Founded | 1921 (age 105) |
| FIFA Ranking | 18 Place (+1) |
| Links | |
| Competitions |
FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC) |
| Pld | +/- | Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
0 | 0 | 0 | |
2 |
0 | 0 | 0 | |
3 |
0 | 0 | 0 | |
4 |
0 | 0 | 0 |
![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
8 | 1 | 9 |
|
6 | 8 | |
|
5 | 12 | |
|
5 | 29 | |
|
4 | 11 | |
|
4 | 12 | |
|
3 | 12 |
Goal Hiroaki Morishima 48', Tunisia-Japan 0:1
Goal P. Van Der Heyden 75', Japan-Belgium 2:2
Goal Shinji Okazaki 87', Denmark-Japan 1:3
Jon Dahl Tomasson missed penalty (Denmark-Japan 81')
Goal Jon Dahl Tomasson 81', Denmark-Japan 1:2
Goal Kaoru Mitoma 23', England-Japan 0:1
England 0 - 1 Japan Highlights
Goal Junya Ito 84', Scotland-Japan 0:1
Scotland 0 - 1 Japan Highlights
Australia 3 - 1 Japan Highlights
Goal Gilberto 59', Japan-Brazil 1:3
Goal Keiji Tamada 34', Japan-Brazil 1:0
Referee still unconscious! Serious accident keeps Japan on tenterhooks
goal.com1 hours
Getty Images SportSIDMay 01, 2026 08:22+03:00Translated by A serious accident has Japanese professional baseball on tenterhooks.Two weeks after being struck on the head by a flying bat, referee Takuto Kawakami remains unconscious in hospital
Leeds ready to make move for Japan international who played in agonising Champions League quarter-final loss to Arsenal
goal.com16 hours
Getty Images SportApr 30, 2026 17:46+03:00Leeds United have reignited their pursuit of Sporting CP midfielder Hidemasa Morita as they begin planning for a second consecutive season in the Premier League
FPL Podcast from BBC Sport - Rolling the dices - BBC Sounds
BBC Sport2 days
With just 4 gameweeks to go, Alistair Bruce-Ball, Chris Sutton and Statman Dave talk FPL strategy along with a very committed listener in Japan
Japan guaranteed to clean up at the World Cup – here is why their fans leave stadiums spotless
Yahoo3 days
The phenomenon of Japanese football fans meticulously cleaning stadiums after matches has become a global spectacle, a tradition that began at their first World Cup appearance in 1998 and continues to astonish observers worldwide
Title defended! Al-Ahli win the AFC Champions League for the second time in a row
dailysports.net5 days
On April 25 in Jeddah, the strongest club in Asia was decided. The AFC Champions League final saw the reigning champions Al-Ahli take on Japan's Machida Zelvia.
McFarland swaps Japan for Newcastle head coach role
Yahoo7 days
Dan McFarland was head coach at Ulster for six seasons [Getty Images]Newcastle Red Bulls have confirmed the appointment of Dan McFarland from Kobelco Steelers as head coach next season
Manchester United target Suzuki: ‘I like Premier League, but happy at Parma too"
Yahoo1 weeks
Japan international Zion Suzuki admits he ‘doesn’t know’ if he will remain at Parma next season, and he ‘likes the Premier League’ amid Manchester United rumours
USA 3-0 Japan (Apr 17, 2026) Game Analysis - ESPN
ESPNsoccer.net2 weeks
COMMERCE CITY, Colo. -- Kennedy Wesley scored her first international goal and had an assist after entering as a substitution after halftime, Naomi Girma and Rose Lavelle each added a goal and the United States beat Japan 3-0 in a friendly Friday nig.
Japan national team changes coach after victory over England
dailysports.net2 weeks
The Japan Football Association (JFA) has stunned fans with a radical change of direction
| Goalkeeper | ||||
| 1 |
|
Zion Suzuki | age 23 | ![]() |
| 12 |
|
Keisuke Osako | age 26 | ![]() |
| 23 |
|
Tomoki Hayakawa | age 27 | ![]() |
| Defender | ||||
| 2 |
|
Yukinari Sugawara | age 25 | ![]() |
| 3 |
|
Shogo Taniguchi | age 34 | ![]() |
| 4 |
|
Ayumu Seko | age 25 | ![]() |
| 5 |
|
Tsuyoshi Watanabe | age 29 | ![]() |
| 16 |
|
Daiki Hashioka | age 26 | ![]() |
| 16 |
|
Tomoya Ando | age 27 | ![]() |
| 21 |
|
Hiroki Ito | age 26 | ![]() |
| 22 |
|
Takehiro Tomiyasu | age 27 | ![]() |
| 25 |
|
Junnosuke Suzuki | age 22 | ![]() |
| Midfielder | ||||
| 6 |
|
Joel Fujita | age 24 | ![]() |
| 7 |
|
Kaoru Mitoma | age 28 | ![]() |
| 8 |
|
Yuito Suzuki | age 24 | ![]() |
| 10 |
|
Ritsu Doan | age 27 | ![]() |
| 15 |
|
Daichi Kamada | age 29 | ![]() |
| 17 |
|
Ao Tanaka | age 27 | ![]() |
| 20 |
|
Kodai Sano | age 22 | ![]() |
| 20 |
|
R. Sato | age 19 | ![]() |
| 24 |
|
Kaishu Sano | age 25 | ![]() |
| Forward | ||||
| 9 |
|
Shuto Machino | age 26 | ![]() |
| 11 |
|
Daizen Maeda | age 28 | ![]() |
| 13 |
|
Keito Nakamura | age 25 | ![]() |
| 14 |
|
Junya Ito | age 33 | ![]() |
| 18 |
|
Ayase Ueda | age 27 | ![]() |
| 19 |
|
Koki Ogawa | age 28 | ![]() |
| 22 |
|
Kento Shiogai | age 21 | ![]() |
| 26 |
|
Keisuke Goto | age 20 | ![]() |




















































