Moriyasu: I will decide the penalty taker order, last time the players decided

On June 30 at 1 a.m. Beijing time (CEST), Japan will face Brazil in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16. On the eve of the match, Japan manager Moriyasu Yoshinobu attended a press conference. This is the first part of that press conference.

The Round of 16, the first knockout stage, is now underway in various formats around the world.However, looking at Japan's record, we have attempted to compete in this stage four times before, but unfortunately we have not advanced any of those times.I would like to ask if you plan to break through this barrier in tomorrow's match.We have also heard similar comments from the players—many of them say "the real World Cup starts now."Compared to the last major tournament, there seems to be noticeably different and more genuine feedback and confidence throughout the team.Could you elaborate on this along with your previous point?

Yes, that's right. After finishing three group stage matches and qualifying for the knockout stage—a result no different from our previous efforts—the players have now come to say of their own accord that "the real World Cup starts here" as we pursue a higher goal.

First and foremost, I believe this current situation is the result of the continued development of Japanese football, and that is the foundation. That is my view. Our past campaigns have been extremely challenging and difficult. Every match depends on our opponent and is influenced by them, but what we must do first is concentrate all our efforts, perform at our best, and give everything we have to achieve victory. We must do this thoroughly and unwaveringly.

Moreover, I hope that through these matches we can achieve further growth. To secure and grasp victory, I want to take on such a challenge against a true, world-class top team—Brazil, a team that has won the FIFA World Cup five times—and win.

Regarding tomorrow's situation, since we are already in the knockout stage, we need to consider the possibility of a penalty shootout. Could you briefly share your thoughts on how you will approach and manage a penalty shootout?

Regarding the strategic approach to penalty shootouts, looking back at the last FIFA World Cup in Qatar, we faced an intense penalty shootout against Croatia and unfortunately had to leave the tournament. In light of that painful experience, we had prepared mentally and tactically by considering "who would take penalties in advance," but ultimately the execution was left to the players, with the penalty takers determined by volunteers or raised hands.

So in this tournament, based on our previous experience, I want to decide the penalty takers in advance if the match reaches that point. I want to fix the order beforehand and determine each taker's sequence ahead of time. That is my approach. This time, rather than relying on players to volunteer, I will make the final decision and communicate this lineup to the players myself, and they will execute the penalties according to my instructions. That is my plan.

Personally, I thought the opening matches were really outstanding and well-fought. But I would like to ask you, Manager, based on your observations, what specific areas do you feel the team has improved or grown in as a unit since entering this tournament? If you have noticed anything in detail, please share.

Regarding team growth, I don't think there has been a dramatic change compared to before, but since entering this FIFA World Cup, that feeling has become even stronger. Every player has strong pride in themselves and firmly believes that they are the best in their respective positions.

All members, whether they participate directly in matches and think about contributing to the team's overall success and the final victory, whether they actually play on the field or not, always hold the mindset of doing their best to contribute to the team's overall interests. What I mean is, the atmosphere of the entire team fighting together has noticeably improved at present.

Hello, Manager,I would like to ask about Kubo Takefusa.How is his physical condition currently? Did he participate in today's team training?We have information that he has knee discomfort and appears to have an injury. What specifically is the nature of his injury?Separately, do you think he will have an opportunity to play against Brazil, or has he already been ruled out and confirmed unable to participate?

Yes, that's correct. For the Brazil match, Kubo will not be able to participate. This is because he has not yet been able to join the full team training sessions. So far, he has only done individual running and individual physical conditioning. At this point, he can only do this level of training and cannot participate in team coordination, so he will not be available for tomorrow's match.

We all sincerely hope for his speedy recovery and return to the pitch. He himself is certainly very... yes, he is currently working at a very rapid pace—at a very high intensity and rate of progress—to improve his condition and get ready.

AI翻訳。

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