Which teams are these? No European players, Nagato Yuki, led by 12 players, and the first time they were selected!

The Japanese national team officially announced the list of participants to participate in the upcoming East Asia Cup. This roster has attracted widespread attention, especially when there are no European players. Due to the schedules of various leagues, many players who play overseas have failed to be selected, which surprised many fans.

Yuto Nagato, who was the old and new, played in the East Asian Cup, was selected as the captain and continued to play as the core role of the national team. He is still recruited by the national team since he is nearly 40 years old. His career spans four major leagues, including the J League, Serie A, Ligue 1 and Turkish Super League. He has gone through four World Cups (2010-2022) and three Asian Cups. He is the only player who played in the four World Cups in Japanese football history. This kind of qualification is a top-level configuration in global football.

Although basic indicators such as speed and explosiveness are no longer comparable to those of the peak period more than ten years ago, his current value in the Japanese team is equivalent to Ronaldo's "spiritual leader + tactical mentor" role in the late Manchester United. His competitive state has declined but his strategic value is significant.

Special roster: Up to 12 players were selected for the national team for the first time

, and up to 12 players were selected for the national team for the first time, which demonstrates the success of the youth training system of Japanese football and the rise of new forces. These rookies shoulder the hope of the future of the national team, and despite their lack of experience in international competitions, their potential and passion have injected new vitality into the team. As one of the best, Hosokani Madara has won the favor of the coaching staff for his outstanding performance in the J League and has become one of the representatives of the new generation of players.

No European players were selected, are there enough youth training talents reserves? Or is it an accurate control of the event positioning?

The East Asian Cup, as an important event in Asian football, attracted strong teams from many countries and regions including China, South Korea and Hong Kong to participate. The Japanese team is often regarded as one of the favorites to win the championship. Although there are no European players on the roster, the coaching staff is optimistic about this and believes that local players are capable of showing excellent competitive levels in the event. Japanese football has always focused on cultivating local talents, and this lineup is a re-implementation of this concept.

Kubokai Ei

As the outpost of the 2026 World Cup, the Japanese team attaches more importance to the growth of young players in real confrontation. The 2023 East Asian Cup used a full local lineup, and finally won the championship and emerged with new stars such as Kubo Kenyo. This time, Japan continued this strategy. Japan won 3 championships, 1 Asian and 1 season in the past five East Asian Cups, and defeated South Korea 3-0 in 2023. This historical record gives him the tactical confidence of "beating the weak to defeat the strong", and this time he is willing to use newcomers to polish details.

The Japanese team's choice is not like the blind confidence of "Youth Training is good enough", but more like an active layout based on data evaluation and strategic game. This strategy of "taking Asian events as the test ground and aiming for World Championships" may reshape the competitive landscape of Asian football. If this East Asian Cup is successful, Japanese football may enter a new stage of "domestic elites and supplementary to European sharp swords".

Will the East Asian Cup be the "two heroes" in the competition for Asian football NO.1?

In this East Asian Cup, the Japanese team will face strong opponents, especially the confrontation with the South Korean team, which will be the focus of attention. The Korean team's performance in recent years is remarkable, and its strength cannot be underestimated. The Japanese team needs to show team cooperation and personal skills in the game to cope with the Korean team's offensive. As for the group situation, the East Asian Cup is a "two heroes' battle for hegemony", which may be difficult to shake in the short term.

The Japanese national team is now in the first and second teams, but they don’t want to be sent to the market. What teams do this big roster count as now? It seems that I want to start a new challenge in the East Asian Cup? What do you think the Japanese team will achieve in this East Asian Cup under the leadership of Yuto Nagato?