Endo urges followers to imagine Japan can win World Cup
Wataru Endo mentioned Japan can win the 2026 World Cup after turning into the primary staff to qualify and the Liverpool ace urged followers to purchase into the formidable goal.
Japan beat Bahrain 2-0 on Thursday to punch their ticket to subsequent 12 months’s match in the US, Canada and Mexico after a dominant run in qualifying.
The four-time Asian champions have by no means gone past the final 16 at a World Cup however captain Endo addressed followers on the pitch after the sport and urged them to imagine they will raise the trophy subsequent summer season.
“I assumed it was good for them to listen to me say it,” mentioned the midfielder.
“Qualifying for the World Cup is a crucial level so I needed to share our goal with the followers, not simply the gamers.”
Daichi Kamada and Takefusa Kubo scored second-half objectives to offer Japan six wins and one draw from seven video games to this point within the third spherical of Asian qualifiers.
The outcome despatched them by means of to their eighth straight World Cup and Endo mentioned followers now suppose they are going to qualify “as a matter after all”.
“In the event that they suppose we will qualify then we simply have to satisfy these expectations,” he mentioned.
“Our aim is not simply to qualify for the World Cup however to make an influence there, and that is the following stage for Japan.
“I need folks to have these expectations of us.”
Japan play one other qualifier at house to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday earlier than rounding off their marketing campaign with video games towards Australia and Indonesia in June.
Crystal Palace ahead Kamada mentioned the staff must maintain enhancing to make a splash subsequent summer season in North America.
“We have to benefit from our particular person capability,” mentioned the 28-year-old, who gave Japan the lead three minutes after approaching in its place.
“We’ve some nice gamers however we will nonetheless get higher. The extra we enhance individually, the nearer we’ll get to attaining our aim.”
Kamada mentioned Japan’s squad has power in depth and “the competitors for locations is de facto good”.
“Video games are longer nowadays and it is about extra than simply 11 gamers,” he mentioned.
“In fact I need to play from the beginning however there are additionally good issues about coming off the bench.”
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