Coach Moriyasu recalled Japan's victory over Brazil in Tokyo last year

According to a Vietnam News Agency reporter in Tokyo, with one win, two draws, and five points, Japan finished second in Group F, while Sweden advanced as one of the eight best third-placed teams. Speaking to the press, coach Hajime Moriyasu expressed satisfaction that his players decided their own fate. The Japanese strategist stated: "I think this result is much better than just advancing thanks to other teams' results. With the goal of reaching the pinnacle of world football, we did what was necessary with our own strength."

Japan's next opponent is Brazil, the top team in Group C with seven points after 3-0 wins over Scotland and Haiti and a 1-1 draw with Morocco. Although they have had an unstable preparation period under coach Carlo Ancelotti—the first foreign coach to lead the Selecao at a World Cup in over a century—the South American team is still considered one of the leading contenders for the title.

Coach Moriyasu holds special respect for his counterpart on the other side. He commented: "It is very rare to see a foreign coach leading Brazil. He has still achieved positive results, which shows that he is an exceptionally talented coach."

Brazil boasts a formidable attack with Vinicius Junior having scored four goals, tied for second in the Golden Boot race with Erling Haaland (Norway), Kylian Mbappe, and Ousmane Dembele (both of France). Meanwhile, Japan enters the knockout stage with confidence after an unbeaten run of three matches. The 2-2 draw with the Netherlands in the opening game is seen as proof of the "Blue Samurai's" ability to compete with top teams, even though they relied on a crucial save by Daichi Kamada in the final seconds.

Coach Moriyasu also praised assistant coach Hiroshi Nanami for his contributions to building an active attacking style, which helped Japan surpass their goal-scoring record from the last two World Cups.
Although he highly rates Brazil's strength, the 57-year-old manager believes that Japan has every chance to create a surprise. He emphasized: "I think this will be a very valuable experience for the development of Japanese football. Brazil is very strong, but we also have a chance to win. The important thing is for the whole team to prepare well to advance."

Coach Moriyasu once again recalled Japan's 3-2 friendly win over Brazil in Tokyo last year and believes that this will make the opponent enter the upcoming match with even greater determination. "Maybe Brazil used to think Japan was an easy opponent to beat. But after last year's friendly, I believe they realized that is no longer true. That is also proof of the development of Japanese football. Brazil has many world-class players and we fully respect them. But in football, no one knows what will happen. We believe we have a chance and will prepare thoroughly to be ready for this match."