Did you mean the explosive remarks of the national team's coach who plans to move to Europe?84% European players in March A match → only 4 J Leaguers

Mar 13, 2025

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The Japanese national team announced the list of call-ups for the A-match in March. It seemed to reflect the recent remarks of the Japanese national team coach, Hajime Moriyasu.

The Japanese national team, led by head coach Moriyasu, released the list of players to be called up for the March A match on its official website on the 13th (Korea time). A large number of players active in Europe, including captain Endo Wataru (Liverpool), Kubo Takefusa (Real Sociedad) and Mitoma Kaoru (Brighton), were included.

The proportion of Europeans is enormous. Of the 25 players, only four play in the J-League. Eighty-four percent of the total list are players who play in Europe. Except for goalkeepers Keisuke Osako (Sanprecce Hiroshima) and Kosei Tani (Machida Zelvia), among the field players, only veteran Yuto Nagamoto (FC Tokyo) and prospect Kota Tagai (Kawasaki Frontale) played in the Japanese J-League.

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Moriyasu's recent remarks were a choice that could only attract more attention. In February, Moriyasu directly mentioned the European migration plan at the time. Moriyasu is considering a plan to live in EuropeIt was a tight schedule to watch 16 games in 17 days. There is a lack of in-person games. I think I'd rather move. Most of the national team players play in Europe. It's not recent. The number of players playing overseas has nearly doubled from 40 to 80 in the past five years," he said, revealing his plans to relocate to Europe.

The number of players in Europe's top five leagues is similar, but the number has increased significantly in other leagues such as Belgium and the Netherlands. It can be seen as similar to the J-League, but it will be easier for scouts in the top five European leagues to see and a wider range of choices. Many young players target them, and they can be candidates for the national team, too"He expressed his plan to watch young and promising resources due to European migration.

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However, Moriyasu's remarks at the time were not welcomed in the J-League. Some media outlets, including Japan's Soccer Digest Webb, said 'Moriyasu's remarks could raise regret for the J-League. If they move to Europe, the J-League's stance of choosing only overseas challenges can be strengthened. He also expressed concern that it could shake the competitiveness of the J-League.

Even after the announcement of the list, Moriyasu once again expressed his thoughts on European migration. "I don't think it's migration," he said. "Considering the past, I visited Europe with an axis in the J-League and Japan. There were many parts that were checked by video. There was less time to watch the game in person in Europe. On the other hand, now that the European office of the Japan Football Association is located in Düsseldorf, Germany, we are trying to change the ratio of observations based there.

This article was translated by Naver AI translator.