Premier League winger Mitoma out of Japan squad for World Cup as 26-player squad named
Hajime Moriyasu, head coach of Japan's national soccer team, speaks during a news conference announcing Japan's squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Friday, May 15, 2026, in Tokyo. Credit: AP/Eugene Hoshiko
TOKYO — Injured Premier League winger Kaoru Mitoma was left out of Japan’s World Cup squad on Friday when coach Hajime Moriyasu named his 26 players for the tournament starting next month in North America.
Captain and Liverpool defensive midfielder Wataru Endo and veteran fullback Yuto Nagatomo were included.
The 28-year-old Mitoma suffered a hamstring injury during Brighton’s 3-0 win over Wolves in the Premier League last weekend.
“The medical team assessed that it would be difficult for him to get back to fitness during the tournament,” Moriyasu said.
Monaco forward Takumi Minamino also missed out after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in December.
In 2022 in Qatar, Japan won its group after upset victories over Germany and Spain before losing in the round of 16 on penalties to eventual semifinalists Croatia.
Japan is on a five-match winning streak heading into its final pre-World Cup friendly against Iceland in Tokyo on May 31.
Real Sociedad's Takefusa Kubo, right, and Atletico Madrid's Alex Baena challenge for the ball during the Copa del Rey final soccer match between Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad in Seville, Spain, Saturday, April. 18, 2026. Credit: AP/Jose Breton
The streak started last October with a 3-2 win over Brazil in Tokyo when the home side came back from 2-0 down to beat the South Americans for the first time.
It was also the last time Japan conceded a goal. Japan also beat England 1-0 on March 31 at Wembley after defeating Scotland 1-0 at Glasgow three days earlier.
Japan qualified for its first World Cup at France in 1998 and co-hosted the event with South Korea in 2002. This year marks Japan's eighth World Cup tournament in a row.
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Hajime Moriyasu, center, head coach of Japan's national soccer team, accompanying Masakuni Yamamoto, left, national team director, and Tsuneyasu Miyamoto, right, president of the Japan Football Association, announces Japan's squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup during a news conference Friday, May 15, 2026, in Tokyo. Credit: AP/Eugene Hoshiko
Japan squad:
Goalkeepers: Zion Suzuki, Keisuke Osako, Tomoki Hayakawa.
Defenders: Yuto Nagatomo, Shogo Taniguchi, Ko Itakura, Tsuyoshi Watanabe, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Hiroki Ito, Ayumu Seko, Yukinari Sugawara, Junnosuke Suzuki.
Midfielders/forwards: Wataru Endo, Junya Ito, Daichi Kamada, Koki Ogawa, Daizen Maeda, Ritsu Doan, Ayase Ueda, Ao Tanaka, Keito Nakamura, Kaishu Sano, Takefusa Kubo, Yuito Suzuki, Kento Shiogai, Keisuke Goto.
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