On Wednesday (28), the Japan Football Association (JFA) officially unveiled that national team helmsman Morihiro Ichi will receive a contract extension of up to four years, with an annual salary of up to 200 million yen (about HK$11.6 million), and that he will continue to lead Japan to the 2026 World Cup for the next four years.
Mori Boichi has been in charge of Japan since the 2018 World Cup and was initially criticized for his tactical choices and other issues, especially during the group stage when he nearly suffered a knockout crisis. However, on the stage of the Qatar World Cup, Japan, thanks to its resilience, has beaten two soccer powerhouses, Germany and Spain, and advanced to the round of 16 as the first in the group. Unfortunately, in the match against Croatia, the two sides drew through penalty kicks, and the Japanese team eventually lost.
The 54-year-old Mori's outstanding performance in this World Cup has made the doubts about him disappear, and some fans even set up their own "Apology Moriyuu Club" to apologize to him. His ability to make tactical adjustments was fully demonstrated in the victories over Germany and Spain, which earned him the trust of the JFA and a contract extension.
