Gifujin comments

Sucker born every minute!

Every team will inevitably lose in PK's, and Platini's, Zico's and Baggio's have all missed on the biggest stage. What's more important is how they played, fought, competed. Japans progress in the game is evidenced by the international careers of their blossoming players, from Kamada to Doan & Endo in the Bundesliga, to Mitoma & Tomiyasu in the Premier League, they're trusted and counted on as 'stammspielern' (regulars in the starting 11). My only grievance is the way Moriyasu manages them. The results vs. Germany and Spain are etched in history, but parking eleven players behind the ball, when they possess more than the requisite skill and guile to do more, is not my preferred method. A more charismatic coach, who can inspire the individual (& team) brilliance would serve them better than this ultra-conservative Gaffer. The future will look even brighter if they find such a manager.

How many of the players experienced the free-spirited football, followed by the sudden lack of self-belief and subsequent meltdown vs Belgium in 2018? This squad is even more talented but might lack the caginess of the Honda and Gamba's Endo era.

Not sure why you failed to mention striker Kamada, who has become a sensation at Eintracht Frankfurt. His composure and technical savy is exactly what they need going forward. As a lifetime Germany supporter, I'm certain Japan can make it very uncomfortable for them and Spain, much like the South Koreans and Mexicans did in Russia.

Japan's biggest hurdle: self-belief. If they play loose and with reckless abandon, pressing their opponents all over the pitch, they can most certainly upset the two powerhouses and advance beyond the 2nd round.

It's also possible that a shorter preparation period- since the final was switched from St. Petersburg- contributed to the disarray. However, it's also reported that there were 30.000 Spaniards, and 100,000 to 120,000 Liverpool fans that traveled to Paris. Tens of thousands without tickets (or possibly fake tickets?) put massive pressure on the police and gendarmerie. Compounded by Englands illustrious reputation (sic) abroad, and you had a perfect storm. It's also rumored local miscreant Parisian teenagers were provoking security, as well as using fake tix. This fiasco reminds me of the trouble in Paris and Marseille in World Cup '98. Still, the video images of the idiot police pepper-spraying the innocent kid in front of the fence was utterly brutal, and entirely unnecessary.