As Japan's weeklong training camp wrapped up in Chiba on Sunday, Maya Yoshida felt he had been pushed to the max by new coach Vahid Halilhodzic.
But the Southampton center back reckons he will reap the benefits and be in tip-top shape for next week's friendly against Iraq.
"The training before the World Cup (in Brazil last summer) was full on but this has been much harder than any camp before (with Japan or Southampton)," said Yoshida.