24 March, U-23 Japan National Team had an official press conference prior to the match against U-23 Mexico National Team who got the title of the previous Olympic Games 2012 in London. The team’s Coach expressed his motivation: “we want to know our current level in the world by playing against the former Olympic champion Mexico.”

After the press conference, Japan had an official training session which was open to the press at the match venue Estadio Municipal de Rio Maior. At the beginning, Teguramori gave the players a strong message to encourage them: “SAMURAI BLUE (Japan National Team) has beaten Afghanistan 5-0, and now we are expected to play well against the former champion. Let us express our passion by playing aggressively against Mexico.”

They then had passing & controlling exercises and formation checks to practice the team’s critical part of play with 9 or 10 players. At the end, they had a practice game with a form of 1+9-on-9 players. After finishing the series of sessions which took 60 minutes, the players still looked energetic even though they had a lot of troubles on the way to Portugal.

The match is kicking off at 15:30, 25 March (24:30 Japan time). This is the good test for Japan to gauge what they can achieve in the upcoming Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Young samurai footballers are challenging the match which shows the possibility of a bright future for Japan’s football.

Coach and Players' Comments

TEGURAMORI Makoto, Coach
By playing against Mexico, the former champion of the Olympic Games, I want to know our current level in the world. This is what we want to see; how much of our play can compete equally with them. I know that we need to be patient to win, so what I told them in the meeting yesterday was “get ready to suffer.” In defence, I want the players to be very patient in their attacks, and in offence I want them to be ambitious enough to jump into good spaces.

I am very positive about selecting the 8 new players who weren’t called up for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics Asian Qualifiers Final Round. I’m still looking for a new possibility hence I call up new players. Only new players can give a strong inspiration to the existing players who played for the Final Round. I am very much expecting the positive attitudes of the 8 new players.

GK #23  NAKAMURA Kosuke (Kashiwa Reysol)
We had such a long journey, but it was a very good experience. Personally, I am satisfied with many of my performances for my club team in the last season, but they are in the past now; I do my best for the new season. There is only one position available and I strongly believe that I am the one to play on the pitch. Whoever we play against, what is very important is beating them. I keep playing looking at the victory.

MF #10  NAKAJIMA Shoya (F.C. Tokyo)
I have a possibility in playing as an attacking midfielder, not as a winger. In any way, there are several wingers who can play in the middle, so I want to be flexible in the match, looking at what is necessary. I will play as the attacking midfielder behind the striker in the 4-2-3-1 formation this time, unlike the 4-4-2 formation in the Asian Final Round. I think I am expected to move the ball to the front breaking through defenders, so I will try that as well as try to jump into the front spot of the goal to score.

The players of Mexico in this age group are from the U-17 Mexico National Team who got the title in the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2011. I want to beat them regardless of tiredness from the unexpectedly long journey, by enjoying football and making good performances. We shouldn’t feel weaker than them; I want to show on the pitch that we are stronger.

DF #2  VAN WERMESKERKEN Sai (FC Dordrecht/Netherlands)
There is a difference in sense of individuality between Japan and the Netherlands, so I have some things that I’ve not gotten used to yet, at the same time, I feel easy to get along with the team since the level of this team is high. I have tried to communicate with my teammates at various opportunities including meal time; this is only the second day so I will continue to talk with them more. I am a new member so I will take an action.

I had time to talk individually with the coach and I asked him about this team’s tactics, vision, and his expectation to wing back. If I have a chance to play in the match tomorrow, I will do my best to survive in this team. This is a very rare chance for me, so I believe myself and what I did in the Netherlands, and do 100% of what I can do to get the chance.

Schedule

*Local Time
*The schedule is subject to change due to the team condition, the weather, etc.

International Friendly Match

U-23 Japan National Team vs U-23 Mexico National Team
2016-3-25 (Fri.) - 15:30（24:30 Japan Time）
Estadio Municipal de Rio Maior (Lisbon, Portugal)
Live broadcasting by TV TOKYO
More information