Japan’s players and coaching staff said they had a strong belief in the possibility of defeating Brazil in the knockout stages of the World Cup, a feeling reinforced after the 1-1 draw with Sweden.
“We expect an extremely challenging match,” declared Daizen Maeda, the striker who scored the Japanese goal against the Swedes. “However, if we apply our style of play and execute the planned tactics with precision, we believe that victory is possible, even in the face of Brazil’s strength. Our focus now is on physical recovery and intensive preparation.”
The experienced Yuto Nagatomo, the first Asian athlete to participate in five editions of the World Cup, also expressed great admiration for Neymar, but aligned himself with his teammate’s optimistic outlook.
“Neymar is, without a doubt, a global talent,” said Nagatomo. “It will be essential to pay special attention to him, but also to the collective quality of the entire Brazilian team.”
He added that “Brazil has a traditionally powerful team, and the game will be highly difficult. However, we have a competent squad and we must enter the field convinced of our ability to win.”
This mentality is fully endorsed by coach Hajime Moriyasu. At a press conference, he recalled the memory of the 3-2 comeback victory over Brazil in a friendly played in 2025, highlighting how this result serves as an important injection of confidence for his team to face such a prestigious opponent.
“Facing Brazil represents an invaluable opportunity,” declared the coach. “Their high technical level is evident, but we are really convinced that we can achieve victory. Our preparation will be exhaustive. We already beat Brazil in a recent friendly match, which boosts us even more. We are ready for this dispute and I, personally, am very excited.”
The clash between Brazil and Japan, valid for the second phase of the World Cup, will take place next Monday, the 29th, in Houston, starting at 2 pm (Brasília time).
Details of the broadcast of the game between Brazil and Japan
The decisive clash between Brazil and Japan, scheduled for next Monday (29), at 2pm (Brasília time), will be broadcast live on CazéTV, with free access for Disney+ subscribers.