World Cup 2026: 'Blue Samurai' Gathers with Ambition to Create a Miracle

Many Japanese players, just returning from Europe after finishing their club seasons, took part in an open training session in Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo, cheered on by a large crowd of fans.

Notable faces include Feyenoord striker Ayase Ueda, the top scorer of the Eredivisie this season with 25 goals; attacking midfielder Ritsu Doan of Eintracht Frankfurt; and midfielder Kaishu Sano of Mainz 05 (both from Germany).

Notably, veteran center-back Maya Yoshida of LA Galaxy (USA) also joined the training after being called up by coach Hajime Moriyasu as a late addition for the farewell friendly against Iceland on May 31 at MUFG Stadium in Tokyo.

At 37, Yoshida has played in three consecutive World Cups since 2014 and was the captain of Japan at the 2022 tournament in Qatar. Yoshida shared: "I want to pass on as much experience as possible to help the team increase its chances of winning, even if only by 1%."

The veteran defender said he was quite surprised when he received the call from coach Moriyasu, but decided to accept because he believed he "still has something to contribute."

Yoshida said: "I understand the World Cup very well, especially the difficult moments. I want to convey that message clearly. I came here with the mindset of being ready to retire if I get injured tomorrow. I want everyone to have that kind of determination at the World Cup."

According to plan, the Japanese team will leave for Monterrey, Mexico on June 2 for pre-tournament training, before moving to Nashville, USA — the team's base camp for the 2026 World Cup, which will be held for the first time across three countries: the USA, Canada, and Mexico.

In the group stage, Japan is in Group F and will face opponents from the Netherlands on June 14 in Dallas; Tunisia on June 20 in Monterrey; and Sweden on June 25, also in Dallas.