Japan's ordeal or death Joe America → 1800km round trip to Mexico...Coach Moriyasu, you really have to challenge yourself with your mental strength
Photo = AFP Yonhap News
사진=REUTERS Yonhap News
Japanese soccer is lamenting.
Japan's national soccer team, led by coach Hajime Moriyasu, accepted a difficult match in the group formation of the 2026 North Korea-China World Cup.
Japan, ranked 18th in the FIFA rankings, was tied in Group F with the Netherlands (7th) and European Playoff (PO) Pass B-Tunisia (40th) at the North American World Cup draw held at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC on the 6th (Korea time). The Netherlands, a traditional powerhouse, will face off against Tunisia, an African ambush. Ukraine, Sweden, Poland and Albania will compete in the European PO Pass B. There is no easy opponent. According to local Japanese media reports, Moriyasu entered a very difficult group after the group formation. They are all strong. The Netherlands is a world-class country. I don't know who will come up from the PO, but Europe routinely fights fierce battles. Tunisia passed the preliminary round unbeaten - no goals lost. A team that is very solid in defense and is good at running the game. Japan also competed with Germany-Spain-Costarica in the 「Group of Death」 at the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
사진=XINHUA-XinHua Yonhap News
Photo = AFP Yonhap News
That is not the end of the matter. The movement of the game is not easy. Japanese media Nikkan Sports said 'It's Japan's ordeal. Japan will play three group matches in Dallas (5 a.m. on June 15, 2026), Monterrey (1 p.m. on the 20th) in Mexico and Dallas (8 a.m. on the 26th). The time difference between the two cities is one hour. However, it traveled 1,800 kilometers between the United States and Mexico. In addition, it will be held from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. to 6 p.m. local time. If it is the same as in previous years, a hot weather game in the central region is expected.
According to the media, Moriyasu "The time difference, climate, temperature, and elevation of each stadium are different. Team coordination becomes a really important competition. You have to think about whether the training is in the morning or afternoon and how much the temperature drops. Everyone has changed positively, so you have to accept the environment and do your best there. You really have to challenge yourself with your mental strength."
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
