Japan national team– tag –

Keisuke Goto was named in Japan's 26-man World Cup 2026 squad, but his most realistic role is not as a first-choice starter. Here is what the 20-year-old Sint-Truiden forward has done in Belgium, why Hajime Moriyasu tested him against Scotland, and where he could matter most in tournament matches.

Kento Shiogai’s likely role for Japan at the 2026 World Cup is not as a guaranteed starter, but as a high-intensity forward who can press, run in behind, and change tight matches late.

Yuito Suzuki gives Japan a different kind of attacking option for the 2026 World Cup: a mobile second-line forward who can carry the ball, link play, and still finish moves. The main question is whether his recovery from a fractured collarbone will let him fill that role in time.

Takefusa Kubo’s importance to Japan goes beyond right-wing dribbling. Here is how his passing, movement, and decision-making could make him the key designer of Japan’s attack at the 2026 World Cup.

Keito Nakamura’s importance to Japan is not just his position on the left. After an 11-goal Ligue 1 season with Stade de Reims, he looks like one of the few Japan attackers who can stretch defenses, attack behind, and finish moves himself at the 2026 World Cup.

Kaishu Sano's value to Japan's 2026 World Cup squad is not flashy scoring but relentless midfield work: ball recoveries, distance covered, and the ability to support Japan's attacking talent from underneath.

Ao Tanaka’s likely role for Japan at the 2026 World Cup is not simply to add energy in midfield, but to stabilize games, absorb pressure, and connect Japan’s defensive and attacking phases with the control he showed at Leeds United.

Ayase Ueda has given Japan a genuine penalty-box striker ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The question is not whether he can score, but whether he can hold up play, pin center-backs and finish the few chances tournament football leaves.

Ritsu Doan’s value to Japan ahead of the 2026 World Cup goes beyond right-wing production. His first season at Eintracht Frankfurt has strengthened the tactical flexibility that makes him one of Hajime Moriyasu’s most useful options.

Koki Ogawa’s place in Japan’s 2026 World Cup squad is about more than goals at NEC Nijmegen. His hold-up play, aerial threat, and tactical fit give Hajime Moriyasu a different kind of No. 9.