In modern soccer it is rare for coaches to be afforded time, but as Japan heads into an eighth successive World Cup it is fair to say that Samurai Blue has very much been shaped in Hajime Moriyasu¡¯s image.
The 57-year-old was promoted to the top job in 2018 after serving as an assistant to Akira Nishino at that year¡¯s competition in Russia, instigating real progress and creating plenty of history in his almost eight years in charge.
That includes landmark wins over former world champions Germany and Spain at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, as well as a victory over Brazil in a Tokyo friendly last October.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.