If you have spent time on social media, there’s a good chance you’ve seen the famous clip of Japan internationals Hotaru Yamaguchi, Hiroshi Kiyotake, and Yosuke Ideguchi playing against 100 schoolchildren on a full-sized football pitch. Despite the farcical nature of the scenario, the footage captures a curious and fascinating challenge in passing. These internationals surprisingly manage to pass the ball to each other in space, overcoming the likelihood of their young opponents unintentionally getting in their way.
Their effective passing hinges on the school kids being drawn to the ball on one side, allowing the internationals to switch play to the opposite flank where one is always unmarked. The youngsters exhibit positional naivety. Yet, the current Japan side often uses a similar strategy against ten fully-grown opponents, showcasing their football identity.
Japan’s 3-4-3 system establishes a front five in possession, consistently creating problems for opponents by finding a spare player. This player, the bonus back, runs into the box unmarked, on the blind side of the opposition defense, and is accessible for a switch in play. If such tactics can overcome 100 opponents, perhaps 10 might be only a smaller portion of the challenge.
Japan’s wing-backs are notable for not being pure ‘arriving’ wing-backs. They aren’t like Daniel Munoz or Denzel Dumfries, who emerge late at the far post. While they have this ability, right-sided Ritsu Doan is left-footed, and left-sided Keito Nakamura is right-footed. They can cut inside to shoot, as Nakamura demonstrated when scoring against the Netherlands. Additionally, they have the capability for inside checks to switch play with angled passes.
An early second-half sequence during their 1-1 draw with Sweden illustrates Japan’s approach. Central midfielder Daichi Kamada moves to the left flank, cuts back onto his right foot, and crosses deep for wing-back Yukinari Sugawara to attack. The ball descends before he can volley it. Sweden clears to Ao Tanaka, who immediately switches play back to Kamada. Meeting it on the volley, Kamada hits the shot straight at the goalkeeper.
Japan always manages to have a spare player at the far post, exploiting late switches of play to locate him. Their method appears advantageous as they prepare for their encounter with Brazil. Brazil’s noteworthy weakness lies at full-back. Right-back Danilo, nearing 35 by tournament’s end, lacks the speed and mobility typical of Brazil’s historical full-backs. Left-back Douglas Santos lacks top-class prowess.
In the defense center, Brazil remains solid, with Marquinhos and Gabriel skilled in aerial defense. Japan’s tactics revolve around nullifying this strength by switching play past them. Strategically, Brazil’s ability to handle Japan’s far-side runners remains questionable. Other teams often adapt by integrating an extra player into the back line, forming a back five against Japan’s front five—as the Netherlands did with Frenkie de Jong covering midfield to liberate full-backs for wider control.
Which Brazilian player will undertake this responsibility? Will Casemiro assume De Jong’s role? Will the inexperienced Rayan continue on the right with a dropping-in assignment? Is Carlo Ancelotti even concerned about addressing this issue?
This match feels monumental, not only for this tournament but for the World Cup collectively. Football prides itself on global representation but remains dominated by Western European and South American teams. Japan seems poised as the emergent force from elsewhere, possessing infrastructure, tactical understanding, and technical prowess, with coaches admiring their team cohesion. However, they have yet to secure a World Cup knockout victory. Should they succeed in eliminating Brazil—World Cup’s historical stronghold—it would be momentous. Japan’s tactics appear perfectly suited for such a task.
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