Tokyo, June 4 (IANS) Japan winger Takefusa Kubo believes the lessons learned from the team’s heartbreaking FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 exit can help them finally break new ground and reach the quarter-finals at the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Kubo, who was the youngest member of Japan’s squad in Qatar at 21, played a role in one of the nation’s most memorable World Cup campaigns as the Samurai Blue stunned former champions Germany and Spain before bowing out to Croatia in the Round of 16 on penalties.

Now 25, the Real Sociedad star is expected to be one of the leaders of a Japanese side that secured qualification for the 2026 World Cup in impressive fashion and became the first nation to book its place at the tournament after the hosts.

Reflecting on Japan’s growth since Qatar, Kubo said the team’s confidence has risen significantly during the qualifying campaign.

“It was around the fourth or fifth match of the Asian qualifiers. We’d built up a lead of about six points, and it brought home for me how good we’d become. I feel like we’ve become more confident. It’s not just the results, but also how we’ve played and how cohesive we are as a team,” Kubo told FIFA.

Despite the success in Qatar, Kubo admitted the defeat to Croatia remains a painful memory and believes the match was lost long before the penalty shootout.

“That game really showed me how difficult it is to change history. Whether it was our intensity in the match or minor details that we didn’t get right, we definitely realised that we were missing something. The record books show that we lost on penalties, but I think there was a lot we could have done better in the 120 minutes that came before that,” he said.

Japan have never advanced beyond the Round of 16 at a World Cup, and Kubo believes attention to detail will be crucial if they are to overcome that barrier in North America next year.

“At the World Cup, matches are decided by small margins. I think it’s really important to deal with every aspect of the game as thoroughly as possible,” he said.

The midfielder also highlighted the growing confidence within the squad, many of whom now play in top European leagues.

“We change our tactical approach based on who we’re playing, but mentally, we approach games the same way. Naturally, we always respect our opponent, but at the same time, we believe that we are fully capable of winning,” Kubo said.

Japan is placed in Group F in the FIFA World Cup 2026. They will face the Netherlands, Tunisia, and Sweden in the first round.

–IANS

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