Germany manager Hansi Flick said Tuesday that Japan's squad has all the qualities required to give his team a difficult time when they face off at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Speaking a day before the teams meet at Khalifa International Stadium in their first Group E game on Wednesday, Flick called himself a "big fan" of Japanese soccer before going on to compliment the tactical intelligence, skills and execution of the Samurai Blue players, especially those based in Germany.
"If you look at the quality in Germany, in the Bundesliga, (Daichi) Kamada does a great job, (Wataru) Endo has been one of the best midfielders in recent years," the 57-year-old Champions League-winning manager said.