FIFA World Cup: Will Japan be the best Asian team?

Japan is a country that has been host for big sport events in the earlier year. The Olympic games is the biggest thing Japan has hosted, and now they have their national team in the FIFA World Cup 2010 in South Africa. Many people are wondering on how the Asian team will be doing, but many are also thinking of that China is not a country. North Korea, South Korea and Japan (and also Australia/New Zealand) are the countries that will participate from the great east.


Japan was introduced to football people as a soccer nation in the 2002 World Cup, but also participated in the previous World Cup in 1998. 2010 World Cup is actually their fourth world championship in a row. It is also their fourth in total, since they did not participate until 1998. Previous World Cup in Germany ended badly for the Japanese with two losses and one draw and straight into the group stage. Also, when was the dog in a pretty tough group. Their strongest performance came at home in 2002 when they managed to struggle through from the group stages before they crashed out in the last sixteen.

17 games have played Japan in 2009 and it ended with 11-3-3. The most interesting results are perhaps 5.1 at home over Finland, 4-0 at home over Chile, 4-0 over Belgium, loss 2.1 for Australia away defeat 3-0 against the Netherlands away, 4-3 win over Ghana, 2 -0-win over Scotland and 0-0 against host nation South Africa. A little mixed results in other words, but you should never write off anyone.

Japan does not have many big stars, but you might remember the Japanese star Shini Ono that were playing in the Netherlands for Feyenoord, Rotterdam. Unfortunately he is no longer a football player and will not play for Japan in the FIFA World Cup 2010. Most of their players are housed in the domestic league, which can be said to be somewhat mediocre. Most of their stars are concentrated in the midfield and devices such as Shunsuke Nakamura, Junichi Inamoto, Daisuke Matsui, Makoto Hasebe and Keisuke Honda. In addition to these players should be as Seigo Narazaki, Yuji Nakazawa, Yasuhito Endo, Keiji Tamada, and star shot Shinji Okazaki, who has 15 goals in 20 appearances for Japan, as they turn to the more experienced team of Japan will have hope in a tough group.

I think that Japan don't have any big chances to do a great FIFA World Cup in South Africa, but I didn't really think that Greece would win the European Championship in 2004 either, so both of these teams could surprise in the FIFA World Cup 2010!