Hajime Moriyasu, the head coach of Japan, claimed that despite losing on penalties to Croatia in the 2018 runner-up match, his team did not buckle under pressure. Having lost to Croatia in the round of 16, Japan was eliminated from the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Moriyasu claimed in a post-game interview that his team did not buckle under pressure and that those who took the penalties did it bravely.
‘I don’t believe they gave in to pressure. It needed bravery for the players to play the full 120 minutes and take the penalties. I want to commend their efforts since they made an attempt despite the tremendous pressure,’ stated Moriyasu.
The Japanese insisted that despite the unfortunate outcome, the team’s efforts did not go in vain and that they wanted to win.
‘Obviously, we wanted to win, and the outcome is terrible, but it doesn’t take away from the guys’ entire effort. Although we were unable to go to the last eight, the players were able to showcase a new wave of Japanese soccer,’ said Moriyasu.
He claimed that Japanese football will have a different future if they set out to not just meet but also exceed their goals.
‘We defeated two World Cup champions, Germany and Spain. We should be confident in our abilities, and if we aim to surpass rather than just catch up, Japanese soccer will likely have a different future,’ Moriyasu added.
Yuto Nagatomo, a defender for Japan, claimed that the team’s sorrow at the defeat will improve Japanese football in the years to come.
‘It’s challenging to find the right words. In the years to come, I believe the regret we feel over this loss will result in something better,’ stated Nagatomo.
After 120 minutes, Japan hung on to tie Croatia at one. They missed their first two chances in the penalty shootout, losing 3-1 in the process.
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