![]() Leicester City's Shinji Okazaki is among the star faces on this team and with his 50 goals, will be expected to help spearhead Japan's attack. However, there are a few new faces in this 23-man squad, including 23-year-old shot-stopper KÅsuke Nakamura, 23-year-old defender Naomichi Ueda, and 25-year-old midfielder Ryota Oshima. Overall, Japan is a largely experienced team. Interestingly enough, they have alternated between group stage exits and round of 16 placements since first qualifying for their first World Cup in 1998, so if one believes in patterns, then the Samurai Blue are at least due to make it to the first knockout rounds in Russia. To date, the Asian nation have never gotten beyond that juncture and last made it to the round of 16 at the 2014 edition. Japan are in a pretty balanced group at the upcoming World Cup, with Senegal, Colombia, and Poland for company, so their chances of qualifying for the round of 16 appear to be pretty good. Unfortunately, Nishino's first game in charge didn't go as planned, as the Samurai Blue lost 2-0 to Ghana in a friendly warm-up, and they'll hope to get back on track against Switzerland and Paraguay later this month as they have yet to win a game in 2018. ![]() Coach Vahid Halilhodzic was jettisoned in April despite leading them successfully through qualifying, with Akira Nishino hired in his stead. It's been a rocky road for Japan leading up to the upcoming World Cup. Japan's FIFA World Cup squad and players to watch
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