🇯🇵 Japan vs 🇸🇪 Sweden

Japan beat Germany and Spain at the 2022 World Cup. Both of those teams are in this tournament. Nobody wants to be drawn against Japan right now, and with good reason.

The secret to Japan is extreme organisation and collective discipline. They don't have a Mbappé or a Messi, but they press as a unit, defend as a unit, and create chaos by doing sensible things exceptionally well. It's slightly maddening to watch if you're not a Japan fan.

Most of Japan's squad now plays in Europe's top leagues — the era of Japanese players only going to the J-League is genuinely over. The quality on show reflects the fact that these are players competing at the highest level every week.

Japan are in Group F with Netherlands, Sweden and Tunisia. Netherlands are strong favourites to top the group. Japan beating them would surprise absolutely nobody who watched 2022, and is a very realistic outcome.

Manager Hajime Moriyasu survived enormous pressure after early exits, stayed calm, and is now regarded as one of the best international managers in Asia. He's earned the right to look quietly confident.

Sweden are one of the more underrated sides at the tournament. Without Zlatan Ibrahimović for the first time in 20 years, they've actually found a more cohesive team identity — built around collective effort rather than one superstar. Which sounds like a consolation but is genuinely working.

Dejan Kulusevski of Tottenham and Alexander Isak of Newcastle are their best players — both Premier League regulars, both performing at a high level. Sweden with Premier League forwards is a different proposition than Sweden everyone remembers from ten years ago.

They're in Group F with Netherlands, Japan and Tunisia. Netherlands are strong favourites, but Sweden could realistically compete for second place if their defensive solidity holds up against Japan's pressing.

Sweden reached the quarter-finals of the 2018 World Cup without Zlatan — a result that surprised many and showed the squad had genuine quality that wasn't just about one player. The current generation continues that approach.

Swedish football historically produces technically disciplined, hard-working players — and the current squad reflects that well. They're not exciting in the way that gets people emotional, but they're effective in the way that wins tournament games.