Japan believes they can shock Brazil in the World Cup round of 32, and former coach Philippe Troussier thinks it would be a fitting reward for their progress as a football nation. Frenchman Troussier led Japan when they co-hosted the World Cup with South Korea in 2002 and took them to the last 16 in only their second tournament appearance.
Japan have not missed a World Cup since, and they have openly talked about winning this year's competition in North America, where they face Brazil in Houston on Monday. Not even a showdown with the five-time champions can shake Japan's current confidence, and Troussier believes it is fully justified.
"In only one game, everything is possible," the 71-year-old told AFP at France's chamber of commerce in Tokyo on Friday. "Japan have confidence. They have talent. They have made tremendous tactical progress in the last few years, and they have so many experienced players who play for strong sides in Europe."
From Minnow to Contender
Troussier was hired to prepare Japan for the 2002 World Cup on home soil at a time when the country was a minnow on the international stage. The professional J League was only founded in 1993, and the national team at the time featured only domestic-based players.
Young talent like Hidetoshi Nakata and Shinji Ono began to move overseas during Troussier's tenure, and the trend has accelerated over the past two decades. All but three of Japan's current World Cup squad are based in Europe. Many play for clubs in England, Spain and Germany.
Tactical and Defensive Improvements
Troussier says he always knew that Japanese players would "make a great improvement" in the future. "I remember seeing young African and European players, and the Japanese players had exactly the same talent," he said. "They were very disciplined and they had tactical smarts -- they only lacked experience, which I believe they have gained over the last 20 years."
Japan have not had things all their own way in North America, and they were left hanging on for a 1-1 draw with Sweden on Thursday. They came through to set up a clash with Brazil, who they beat for the first time in a friendly in Tokyo in October.
"When you see the game against Sweden, how they could suffer and defend, it showed that they have come a long way in their defensive culture," said Troussier.
Future Potential
Troussier forged his coaching reputation in Africa, where he became known as the "White Witch Doctor". He returned to France to coach Marseille after leaving Japan in 2002, and he has also coached the national teams of Qatar, Morocco and Vietnam in a globe-trotting career. He is currently taking a break from coaching and is producing wine in Bordeaux.
He says he would like at some point to return to Japan, where he says he "thrived the most" in his career. He believes the country is getting closer to winning the World Cup, but he does not expect it to happen this year. "Realistically speaking, I think they lack a bit of depth on the bench to win five matches in a row when you get into the knockout stage," he said. "In order to do so, they need to improve at a personal level, which means the players in Europe have to play at better clubs. If they have this personal ambition, they will have a better squad in the end."
