At the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Japan left an indelible mark on fans around the world with their star-studded performance. Despite being in the fiercely competitive "Group of Death", the Japanese team did not succumb to the pressure, and with fearless fighting spirit, they defeated Germany and Spain, the two world champions, and entered the knockout rounds at the top of the group, and became the "Light of Asia" that deserves the honor! The team has become the "Light of Asia"!
However, as fate would have it, Japan was unable to continue their previous glory in their journey to the knockout stage. They lost to Croatia in a penalty shootout with a total score of 2-4, and once again had no choice but to stop in the round of 16. The threshold of the top 16 of the World Cup seems to have become an insurmountable gap for Japanese soccer. Although they have not touched the threshold of the top 8 of the World Cup, but many Japanese soccer players still harbor the dream of winning the championship. Not long ago, Japan's head coach, Mori Boichi, publicly expressed this ambition!
Recently, Mori Boichi was invited to Kumamoto Prefecture in Japan to give a sports lecture. In between the lectures, he said fondly, "We beat Germany and Spain in the World Cup, but lost to Croatia in a penalty shootout, which was a deep disappointment. But I firmly believe that we can go further. In the next World Cup, we will aim even higher. We aspire to be the best in the world and fight for the title at the 2026 World Cup!" Although Mori Boichi's bravado has sparked questions from some fans, it is undeniable that Japanese soccer has accomplished enough to make us envious. Even if the 2026 World Cup will increase the number of places, the competition in Asian soccer will be more intense. If the Chinese men's soccer team wants to be among the World Cup, I am afraid that they can only hope for a miracle. In Asia, they will not only have to face traditional rivals Japan, South Korea, Australia, Iran and Saudi Arabia, but also have to deal with emerging forces such as Qatar, Uzbekistan, Oman, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates. No matter what kind of opponent the national soccer team encounters, the prospect does not seem optimistic. Hopefully, the Chinese men's soccer team can learn from the successful experience of the Japanese team, find a development path that suits them, and walk steadfastly on it. I believe that in the near future, we can also reap the rewards on the road of soccer!
