Today's Talking Points
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1Japan 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.
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2The 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.
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3Most 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.
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4Japan 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.
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5Manager 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.
🍺 Top Thing To Say Down The Pub
Japan beat Germany and Spain at the last World Cup. Both those teams are here. Drop this fact into conversation and watch the reaction.
🚫 Avoid Saying
"Japan will be honoured just to be here" — they finished in the round of 16 last time after beating two former world champions. They are not here to be honoured.