Head coach Hajime Moriyasu announced his 26-man squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup on Tuesday, putting his faith in a largely established core of players but omitting several of Japan's top standouts in European competitions as well as longtime Samurai Blue veterans.
The announcement of Japan’s squad for the quadrennial tournament has occasionally produced surprise selections and shock omissions, and Tuesday’s was no different with midfielder Genki Haraguchi and forward Yuya Osako, both of whom appeared at the previous World Cup in Russia, left off the list.
In their stead, Moriyasu has called up a number of players with fewer than 10 senior caps, including Nagoya Grampus winger Yuki Soma, Celtic forward Daizen Maeda and Cercle Brugge forward Ayase Ueda.