At 1am Beijing time (CEST) on June 30, Japan will face Brazil in the Round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup. On the eve of the match, Japan's head coach Hajime Moriyasu held a press conference. This is the first part of the press conference.

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The Round of 16 has already begun in various locations across the tournament. However, looking at Japan's performance, we have made four previous attempts to advance from this stage, but unfortunately each time we fell just short. I'd like to ask: do you intend to personally break through to the next stage in tomorrow's match? Additionally, we've heard similar comments from many players, with everyone saying "The real FIFA World Cup starts now." I sense there is a noticeably different and more tangible sense of confidence throughout the team compared to the last major tournament. Could you please connect these points and explain them in detail for us?

That's exactly right. How should I put it? With the three group stage matches completed, if we're talking about the results so far—successfully advancing to the knockout stage—then this result is identical to our previous outcomes. However, in the sense that we are now fighting for an even higher objective, the players are now able to say personally: "The real FIFA World Cup starts here."

I believe that, first and foremost, this current situation is the result of the continuous development of Japanese football. That is my initial thought. Although it has been an extremely difficult and challenging battle so far, and although matches involve opponents and are influenced by them, our main focus is to concentrate fully and exert all our strength to release our full potential and dedicate ourselves entirely to achieving victory. We must adhere consistently and firmly to this principle.

Next, I hope that through each of these matches, we can continue to grow and gain more experience. In order to grasp victory and secure it, we will challenge the world-class, high-level strong team—that is, the Brazilian team, which has won the FIFA World Cup five times and truly deserves its reputation. I want to launch such a challenge to grasp and secure victory.

Regarding tomorrow's situation, since we've entered the knockout stage, I imagine a penalty shootout is also a possibility—it's within our scope of consideration. Could you please share your thoughts on how you plan to approach a penalty shootout and how you envision handling it?

Regarding the tactical question of how to approach and conduct a penalty shootout, if we recall the previous FIFA World Cup held in Qatar, after a brutal penalty shootout against Croatia, we unfortunately had to exit that tournament. Reflecting on this painful experience, at that time, regarding penalty takers, although we had done mental preparation and tactical planning by "considering who would take penalties in advance," the final execution was left for the players to decide themselves—through self-nomination or raising their hands—to ultimately determine who would take the penalties.

So in this tournament, building on the approach from last time, if the match situation progresses to a very high probability of a penalty shootout, to the point of being almost certain, I want to decide the penalty takers in advance. I want to fix them beforehand and even decide the order of each person's kicks in advance. That is what I'm thinking. And this time, we will no longer use the previous system of players spontaneously "raising their hands." Instead, I will make the final decision at the last moment and personally communicate this arrangement to the players, having them execute the penalties according to my instructions. That is my intention.

Regarding the group stage matches, I personally believe they were truly a series of very exciting and excellent battles. However, I would like to ask Coach Moriyasu: from your perspective, regarding the overall growth of this team, specifically since entering this tournament, have you noticed any area in which this team has progressed or grown as a whole? If you have observed or felt any particular detail, please tell us.

In terms of team growth, I believe there hasn't been major change compared to the past, but since entering this FIFA World Cup, this feeling has intensified. Everyone—all the players—has a strong sense of self-pride and firmly believes they are the best in the world in their respective positions.

As each member thinks about playing personally in the matches and thus contributing to the final victory and to the entire team, regardless of whether they can actually get on the pitch to compete, and regardless of whether they actually play or not, all members consistently maintain the idea of doing their best to contribute to the overall benefit of the team. How should I put it? I believe the atmosphere of the entire team uniting and fighting together is currently increasing and improving very significantly.

Hello, Coach,I'd like to ask about player Takefusa Kubo.What is his current physical condition? Did he participate in team training today?We heard he is experiencing knee discomfort, and there appears to be an injury. What type of injury did he specifically suffer?Additionally, do you think he will have playing time in the next match against Brazil, or can he already be ruled out and confirmed as unable to play?

Yes, that's correct. Player Kubo will not be able to participate in the match against Brazil. He has not yet joined full team training. So far, he has only done individual running and individual physical training. Since he is currently only capable of this level of training and cannot participate in team play, it will be impossible for him to play in tomorrow's match.

We are all sincerely praying and hoping for his quick recovery and return to the pitch, and he himself is indeed very... Yes, he is currently working at an extremely fast pace, with very high intensity and progress, to improve and adjust his physical fitness.

Traduzido por IA.

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