The disappointment was palpable.
Following a string of limp group-stage performances, Nadeshiko Japan had been eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Tokyo Olympics against a backdrop of empty seats at Saitama Stadium, capping a dismal showing for the host nation that laid bare Japan¡¯s numerous shortcomings.
For many, that night in July 2021 illustrated just how far the Japanese women¡¯s game had fallen and served as confirmation that the 2011 World Cup winners could no longer be considered a global powerhouse.
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