Japan’s Tactical Mastery and Its Challenge Against Brazil

If you’ve spent time on social media, you might have come across a captivating clip of three Japan internationals — Hotaru Yamaguchi, Hiroshi Kiyotake, and Yosuke Ideguchi — facing 100 schoolchildren on a full-sized football pitch. Although the premise seems farcical, the footage is mesmerizing as it demonstrates how the three internationals manage to pass the ball effectively, despite the overwhelming number of opponents.

The secret lies in their ability to draw the school kids towards the ball on one side, then switch play to an unmarked teammate on the opposite flank. The youngsters lack positional awareness, allowing the internationals to find space and move the ball effectively.

Observing the current Japan national team reveals a similar strategy against 10 adult outfielders. Japan’s 3-4-3 formation creates a front five that constantly finds spare players running unmarked into the box — exploiting the blind side of the opposition’s defense.

Japan’s wing-backs are versatile. Ritsu Doan on the right is left-footed, and Keito Nakamura on the left is right-footed. This allows them to cut inside and shoot or use angled passes to switch play effectively. During a match against Sweden, Daichi Kamada showed this versatility by cutting back onto his right foot and crossing for wing-back Yukinari Sugawara.

Japan’s tactical approach finds a spare player at the far post with late switches of play. This will be crucial in their upcoming match against Brazil, a team vulnerable at full-back. Right-back Danilo is nearing the end of his career, while Douglas Santos has never been a top performer. Brazil’s central defense is strong, but bypassing them with quick switches may be the key to Japan’s success.

Against Japan, opponents often add a player to the back line to form a defense against their front five. The Netherlands did this by dropping Frenkie de Jong into defense to keep full-backs wide against Japan’s switches of play. Brazil needs to consider a similar approach.

Brazil’s tactics during this match could greatly impact the World Cup. Teams from Western Europe and South America have historically dominated international football, but Japan’s potential to advance demonstrates their technical and tactical prowess. They have the infrastructure and cohesion admired by coaches worldwide. A win against Brazil, if achieved, would be a significant milestone.