On Friday 19 march, the 23-man roster of the U-24 Japan National Team was announced ahead of the SAISON CARD CUP 2021 (3/26@Tokyo Stadium, 3/29@Kitakyushu Stadium), where the team will face the U-24 Argentina National Team.

The U-24 Japan National Team, who is preparing for the Tokyo Olympics, is normally led by coach MORIYASU Hajime of the SAMURAI BLUE (Japan National Team), but with the senior team also scheduled to play in matches against Korea Republic on the 25th and Mongolia on the 30th, coach YOKOUCHI Akinobu will be in charge for the pair of matches against Argentina.

At the press conference, coach Yokouchi mentioned that the upcoming matches are “precious opportunities ahead of the Olympics” and shared his gratitude for the support the team has received under the ongoing pandemic, “We are thankful to be given the opportunity despite the current state of our society.”

When asked about the U-24 Argentina National Team, JFA Technical Director SORIMACHI Yasuharu mentioned that “The fact that they have brought their over-aged players shows their seriousness,” while the interim coach also commented, “I have watched their match footages from the South American qualifiers, but they are a much stronger team now. We will be facing one of the top teams in the world, so I am sure our players will be fully motivated for these matches.”

In the past, players capable of playing for the SAMURAI BLUE had been selected into the senior team, but with the Olympics fast approaching, coach Yokouchi mentioned that they are prioritising the benefits of facing a world class team such as Argentina. For this reason, players including NAKAYAMA Yuta (PEC Zwolle), DOAN Ritsu (DSC Arminia Bielefeld), KUBO Takefusa (Getafe CF), ITAKURA Kou (FC Groningen), and SUGAWARA Yukinari (AZ Alkmaar), who were all selected to the SAMURAI BLUE in last year’s tour to Europe, were named into the U-24 team this time around.

17 year old DF NAKANO Shinya (Sagan Tosu U-18) got his first call-up, as coach Yokouchi explained, “We want to keep the doors open for the youngsters.” The coach backed the high school J.Leaguer by commenting, “He is consistently playing in the J.League and producing strong results.”

Coach Yokouchi also shared his aspiration for MITOMA Kaoru (Kawasaki Frontale), “He has been in prime form since last season, and he is continuing to show his excellence this year. He has been part of the team since he was in college, and he is showing great improvements since joining the J.League.”

When asked about their approach against the South American powerhouse, coach Yokouchi stated, “We must not shy away from the battles to win the ball and showcase our skills against a strong opponent.”

With some of their top players joining the squad from Europe, the U-24 Japan national Team is poised to face one of the top teams in the world at the SAISON CARD CUP 2021. Ahead of two crucial matches, the Japanese coach shared his aspiration to “Showcase our gratitude and joy of playing football.”