No Takumi Minamino or Kaoru Mitoma for Japan at FIFA World Cup 2026

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Japan manager Hajime Moriyasu has announced his 26-man squad for FIFA World Cup 2026.

Liverpool defensive midfielder Wataru Endo has since been replaced by Borussia Monchengladbach's Shuto Machino due to injury.

After defeating Germany and Spain at the last FIFA World Cup in Qatar and then continuing to build an extremely impressive squad in the meantime, Japan would have, and still will, fancy themselves to be a real threat at this tournament, especially after victories against Scotland and England in the March international break.

However, Hajime Moriyasu has been dealt a couple of big blows with Monaco attacking midfielder Takumi Minamino ruled out through injury alongside Brighton and Hove Albion winger Kaoru Mitoma.

The Japanese do have a fair bit of depth in the creative and wide positions in attack, with even more emphasis on Real Sociedad winger Takefusa Kubo finding some form alongside Eintracht Frankfurt’s Ritsu Doan.

In the middle of the park, Japan have Crystal Palace’s Daichi Kamada as well as Ao Tanaka, of Leeds United, while Liverpool’s Wataru Endo has, very surprisingly, managed to be selected despite his own injury sustained for the Reds in early March.

In defence, former Arsenal defender Takehiro Tomiyasu has been selected alongside 39-year-old Yuto Nagatomo, who is closing in on 150 caps, with Bayern Munich’s Hiroki Ito expected to be paramount in the heart of their defence ahead of Parma goalkeeper Zion Suzuki.