Japan achieved a historic milestone on Tuesday, defeating Brazil 3-2 in a friendly in Tokyo — their first victory over the South Americans in 14 attempts.
Coach Hajime Moriyasu described the win as decades in the making and praised his players for their determination while also acknowledging the contribution of previous generations.
“Japan had never beaten Brazil until now, but the players who went before us always took on the challenge of trying to beat them, and it’s because of them that we were able to win today,” Moriyasu said.
“This result connects the efforts of the current and previous generations of Japanese players.”
Japan’s national team had previously impressed at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, beating Germany and Spain before losing on penalties to Croatia in the last 16.
Moriyasu emphasised that the team aims to build on this confidence ahead of the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
“We will keep doing what we have been doing, trying to raise our level one step at a time,” he said.
“The World Cup will not be easy and I think Brazil will come back even stronger, so we need to keep taking it one step at a time.”
Match Highlights
| Team | Score | Goalscorers |
| Japan | 3 | Takumi Minamino, Keito Nakamura, Ayase Ueda |
| Brazil | 2 | Not specified |
Key Moments:
- Takumi Minamino opened the comeback early in the second half, with Japan trailing 0-2 at half-time.
- Keito Nakamura doubled the lead.
- Ayase Ueda headed in the winner with 20 minutes remaining.
The victory triggered wild celebrations among the almost 45,000 fans in attendance.
Striker Shuto Machino highlighted Minamino’s leadership, who stood in as captain for the injured Wataru Endo, rallying the team before the match.
“We were playing a team that we had never beaten before, and Takumi told us to make this the game that changed our history,” Machino said.
“That’s how it turned out.”
The historic win is expected to provide a major confidence boost for Japan less than a year before the 2026 World Cup, with Moriyasu urging his squad to continue improving and taking every match one step at a time.
Japan now looks forward to building on this breakthrough as they prepare to compete against the world’s elite on the global stage next year.
