Japan vs Belgium

Lore & Background

Japan's earliest international matches were at the 1917 Far Eastern Championship Games. The Japan Football Association was formed in 1921, and Japan joined FIFA in 1929. Japan's first major achievement was a bronze medal at the 1968 Summer Olympics. The team's first World Cup appearance was in 1998, and they have since become a consistent presence in the tournament. Japan is one of only three AFC teams to reach the final of a senior FIFA men's competition, alongside Australia and Saudi Arabia.

In Their Own Story

The Saitama Stadium air was thick with humidity and hope. It was June 4, 2002, and Japan, co-hosts of the World Cup, faced Belgium in their second group match. The crowd, a sea of blue, roared as Junichi Inamoto collected a loose ball 25 yards from goal. With a single touch, he unleashed a thunderous drive that arrowed into the top corner, past the despairing dive of the Belgian goalkeeper. The stadium erupted, a primal scream of joy that seemed to shake the very foundations. That goal, a moment of pure, unadulterated brilliance, was more than an equalizer—it was a declaration. Japan had arrived. The match ended 2-2, but in that instant, the rivalry was born, not from animosity, but from the electric realization that these two teams could create something unforgettable together.

Reader's Guide

Japan's main rivals are South Korea and Australia, with additional rivalries against Iran and Saudi Arabia. The team has been invited to the Copa América in 1999, 2011, 2015, and 2019, but only played in the 1999 and 2019 editions. Japan is currently ranked 17th in the FIFA world ranking, the highest-ranked Asian side since December 2022.

Did You Know?

• Japan has not received a single red card in any World Cup since their first appearance in 1998, a world record.
• Japan was the first team from outside the Americas to participate in the Copa América.
• Japan's 1998 World Cup campaign saw all three defeats by a one-goal margin.