Japan national under-23 football team explained

Japan U-23
Badge:Japanese Olympic Committee logo.svg
Badge Size:180px
Fifa Trigramme:JPN
Nickname:Olympic Japan
Association:Japan Football Association
Sub-Confederation:EAFF (East Asia)
Confederation:AFC (Asia)
Coach:Go Oiwa
Most Caps:Mao Hosoya
(35)
Top Scorer:Shoya Nakajima (19)
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Leftarm1:001040
Body1:001040
Rightarm1:001040
Shorts1:001040
Socks1:001040
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First Game: 1–1
(Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; December 1990)[1]
Largest Win: 13–0
(Hong Kong; 12 June 1999)
Largest Loss: 6–1
(Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; 6 February 1994)
Regional Name:Olympic Games
Regional Cup Apps:8
Regional Cup First:1996
Regional Cup Best:Fourth place (2012, 2020)
2Ndregional Name:Asian Games
2Ndregional Cup Apps:6
2Ndregional Cup First:2002
2Ndregional Cup Best: Gold medalists (2010)
3Rdregional Name:AFC U-23 Asian Cup
3Rdregional Cup Apps:6
3Rdregional Cup First:2013
3Rdregional Cup Best: Champions (2016, 2024)

The Japan national under-23 football team is a national association football youth team of Japan and is controlled by the Japan Football Association. The team won the gold medal at the 2010 Asian Games and were champions in the 2016 AFC U-23 Championship. Since 1992, it was decided that teams targeting athletes under the age of 23 will participate in the Olympics (additional provisions for overage limits have been added since 1996). Therefore, the name changes to Japan national under-22 football team the year before the Olympics and Japan national under-21 football team two years prior. The exception to this was the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which was postponed one year, so in 2021, the team was called the Japan national under-24 football team. At the 2024 Olympics, they advanced to the Knockout stage without three overage players and several key players.

Team image

Nicknames

"サムライ・ブルー (Samurai Blue)" basically refers to the Japan national football team, but the under-23 football team are sometimes referred to as "Young" Samurai Blue. However, in reality, Samurai Blue is not often used. In the Olympic Games, the name Olympíc Japan "オリンピックジャパン (Orinpikku Japan)" is used to referred to U-23 national team.

Rivalries

South Korea

See main article: Japan–South Korea football rivalry. Japan maintains a strong football rivalry with South Korea, even in youth set-ups.

Results and fixtures

See main article: Japan national under-23 football team results (2020–present).

Legend

2024

U-23

2023

U-22

Head-to-head record

, after the match against .

The following table shows Japan under-23 team's all-time international record.

style=background:blue;color:white Againststyle=background:blue;color:white Playedstyle=background:blue;color:white Wonstyle=background:blue;color:white Drawnstyle=background:blue;color:white Loststyle=background:blue;color:white GFstyle=background:blue;color:white GAstyle=background:blue;color:white GDstyle=background:blue;color:white Confederation
11 5 0 6 20 15 +5 AFC
3 1 1 1 6 2 +4 AFC
2 2 0 0 6 0 +6 AFC
8 4 0 4 10 5 +5 AFC
4 4 0 0 15 1 +14 AFC
7 6 0 1 19 4 +15 AFC
3 3 0 0 10 3 +7 AFC
1 1 0 0 1 0 +1 AFC
5 2 2 1 10 7 +3 AFC
4 2 1 2 6 6 0 AFC
1 0 1 0 2 2 0 AFC
5 3 2 0 15 2 +13 AFC
2 2 0 0 6 1 +5 AFC
3 3 0 0 21 0 +21 AFC
17 13 4 0 47 7 +40 AFC
3 3 0 0 23 0 +23 AFC
5 5 0 0 21 0 +21 AFC
1 1 0 0 4 1 +3 AFC
4 3 0 1 7 4 +3 AFC
7 5 2 1 12 7 +5 AFC
5 5 1 1 9 6 +3 AFC
20 6 3 11 25 23 +2 AFC
6 6 0 0 11 1 +10 AFC
3 3 0 0 32 0 +32 AFC
3 3 0 0 13 2 +11 AFC
2 2 0 0 4 1 +3 AFC
2 1 0 1 2 2 0 AFC
1 1 0 0 3 0 +3 AFC
10 9 0 1 26 3 +23 AFC
2 2 0 0 7 0 +7 AFC
3 1 0 2 1 6 –5 AFC
6 5 1 1 10 2 +7 AFC
5 4 0 1 9 1 +8 AFC
1 0 1 0 1 1 0 CAF
6 2 1 3 2 8 –6 CAF
4 3 0 1 11 2 +9 CAF
3 1 1 1 3 4 -1 CAF
3 3 0 0 7 2 +5 CAF
3 0 0 3 5 9 –4 CAF
3 3 0 0 6 1 +5 CAF
3 1 0 2 4 6 –2 CAF
1 0 0 1 0 1 –1 CONCACAF
4 1 2 1 5 4 +1 CONCACAF
2 1 1 0 3 1 +2 CONCACAF
2 2 0 0 13 0 +13 CONCACAF
5 2 1 2 10 10 0 CONCACAF
5 1 2 2 7 9 –2 CONCACAF
4 3 0 1 9 3 +6 CONMEBOL
5 2 2 1 6 5 +1 CONMEBOL
1 1 0 0 6 1 +5 CONMEBOL
2 0 1 1 2 4 –2 CONMEBOL
1 0 0 1 0 1 –1 CONMEBOL
2 1 0 1 8 4 +4 CONMEBOL
1 1 0 0 4 0 +4 CONMEBOL
1 0 0 1 2 3 –1 UEFA
1 1 0 0 1 0 +1 UEFA
2 0 1 1 1 6 –5 UEFA
3 2 1 0 4 1 +3 UEFA
1 1 0 0 1 0 +1 UEFA
3 0 1 2 3 7 –4 UEFA
1 1 0 0 4 0 +4 UEFA
3 1 1 1 9 5 +4 UEFA
1 0 1 0 1 1 0 UEFA
1 1 0 0 3 2 +1 UEFA
2 2 0 0 5 1 +4 UEFA
2 0 1 1 0 1 –1 UEFA
1 0 0 1 2 3 –1 UEFA
2 1 0 1 2 2 0 UEFA
1 1 0 0 2 0 +2 UEFA
5 2 2 1 7 5 +2 UEFA
5 1 1 3 2 7 –5 UEFA
1 1 0 0 2 1 +1 UEFA
1 1 0 0 1 0 +1 UEFA
2 1 0 1 3 3 0 UEFA
1 1 0 0 2 0 +2 UEFA
4 2 2 0 9 1 +8 OFC
style=background:blue;color:white Against:76 Nationsstyle=background:blue;color:white Played:269style=background:blue;color:white Won:161style=background:blue;color:white Drawn:41style=background:blue;color:white Lost:67style=background:blue;color:white GFstyle=background:blue;color:white GAstyle=background:blue;color:white GDstyle=background:blue;color:white Confederation

Coaching staff

The following staff managed the players selected for the 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup.[2]

style=background:blue;color:white Rolestyle=background:blue;color:white Name
Head coach Go Oiwa
Assistant coach Kenji Haneda
Goalkeeper coach Yukiya Hamano
Physical coach Yoshiharu Yano
Technical staff Shigeyuki Ochi
Hideaki Watanabe
Mahiro Hikida

Players

Current U-23 squad

The following players were called up for the Olympic Games, which is held from July to August 2024. Due to injury, Riku Handa had to withdraw from the squad.[3]

Recent U-23 call-ups

The following players were called up to the squad in the past 12 months.

INJ Withdrew due to injury
PRE Preliminary squad / standby
TRP Training partner
WD Player withdrew from the squad due to non-injury issue.
(Players are listed within position group by order of latest call-up, seniority, caps, goals, and then alphabetically)

Current U-22 squad

The following players were called up for a match against, played on 18 November 2023.[4]
Caps and goals updated as of 18 November 2023, after the match against .

Recent U-22 call-ups

The following players were called up to the squad in the past 12 months.

INJ Withdrew due to injury
PRE Preliminary squad / standby
TRP Training partner
WD Player withdrew from the squad due to non-injury issue.
(Players are listed within position group by order of latest call-up, seniority, caps, goals, and then alphabetically)

Previous squads

Bold indicates winning squads

Olympic Games
AFC U-23 Asian Cup
Asian Games

Overaged players in the Olympic Games

TournamentPlayer 1Player 2Player 3
not selected
Seigo Narazaki (GK)Ryuzo Morioka (DF)Atsuhiro Miura (MF)
Hitoshi Sogahata (GK)Shinji Ono (MF)not selected
not selected
Maya Yoshida (DF)Yūhei Tokunaga (DF)not selected
Hiroki Fujiharu (DF)Tsukasa Shiotani (DF)Shinzo Koroki (FW)
Maya Yoshida (DF)Hiroki Sakai (DF)Wataru Endo (MF)
not selected

Manager history

style=background:blue;color:white Namestyle=background:blue;color:white Period
Yoshitada Yamaguchi1990–1992
Akira Nishino1993–1996
Philippe Troussier1998–2000
Masakuni Yamamoto2002–2004
Yasuharu Sorimachi2006–2008
Takashi Sekizuka2010–2012
Makoto Teguramori2014–2016
Hajime Moriyasu2017–2020
Akinobu Yokouchi2020
Hajime Moriyasu2020–2021
Koichi Togashi2021
Go Oiwa2021–present[5]

Records

Players in bold are still active, at least at club level.

Caps and goals are calculated taking into account all national team levels, including U21, U22, and U23.

Most capped players

NameCapsGoalsPosCareer
1Mao Hosoya3516FW2021–2024
2Kein Sato338MF2021–2024
3Keigo Higashi315MF2010–2012
Kensuke Nagai3113FW2009–2012
Reo Hatate318MF2017–2021
6Shoya Nakajima3019FW2014–2016
7Hotaru Yamaguchi291MF2010–2012
8Kazuya Yamamura261DF2010–2012
Hiroki Sakai263DF2011–2021
10Daisuke Matsui252MF2002–2004

Top goalscorers

NameGoalsCapsRatioCareer
1Shoya Nakajima19300.632014–2016
2Mao Hosoya16352021–2024
3Kensuke Nagai13310.422009–2012
4Ayase Ueda12240.52017–2021
5Daizen Maeda9180.52018–2021
6Reo Hatate8310.262017–2021
Kein Sato8332021–2024
7Musashi Suzuki7100.72014–2016
Takefusa Kubo7180.392018–2021
Yuito Suzuki7200.352021–2023

Competitive record

Champions   Runners-up   Third place   Fourth place  

Olympic Games

See main article: Japan at the Olympics.

See also: Football at the Summer Olympics.

Summer Olympics recordQualification record
YearRoundPosition
1908–1988See Japan national teamSee Japan national team
1992Did not qualify116142211
1996Group stage9th3201449711256
2000Quarter-finals5th421165121200663
2004Group stage13th3102678611192
2008Group stage15th30031412921244
2012Fourth place4th6312658602176
2016Group stage10th311177via AFC U-23 Asian Cup
2020Fourth place4th631285
2024Quarter-finals5th430173
2028To be determined
2032
Total Fourth place 8/9 32 15 4 13 45 4060465917332

Match history

Summer Olympics history
YearRoundOpponentScoreResult
1996Group stage1–0Win
0–2Loss
3–2Win
2000Group stage2–1Win
2–1Win
0–1Loss
Quarter-finals2–2
Draw
2004Group stage3–4Loss
2–3Loss
1–0Win
2008Group stage0–1Loss
1–2Loss
0–1Loss
2012Group stage1–0Win
1–0Win
0–0Draw
Quarter-finals3–0Win
Semi-finals1–3Loss
Bronze Play-off 0–2Loss
2016Group stage4–5Loss
2–2Draw
1–0Win
2020Group stage1–0Win
2–1Win
4–0Win
Quarter-finals0–0
Draw
Semi-finals0–1Loss
Bronze Play-off1–3Loss
2024Group stage5–0Win
1–0Win
1–0Win
Quarter-finals0–3Loss

AFC U-23 Asian Cup

See also: AFC U-23 Asian Cup.

AFC U-23 Asian Cup recordQualifier record
YearResultPositionwidth=20width=20width=20width=20width=20width=20width=20width=20width=20width=20width=20width=20
2013Quarter-finals7th4121855500202
2016Champions1st66001543300100
2018Quarter-finals5th4301553300112
2020Group stage15th3012353300210
2022Third place3rd6411113220080
2024Champions1st6501103321070
2026To be determinedTo be determined
Total6/7Champions2619465225161600704

Match history

AFC U-23 Asian Cup history
YearRoundOpponentScoreResult
2013Group stage3–3Draw
0–0Draw
4–0Win
Quarter-finals0–1Loss
2016Group stage1–0Win
4–0Win
2–1Win
Quarter-finals3–0Win
Semi-finals2–1Win
Final3–2Win
2018Group stage1–0Win
1–0Win
3–1Win
Quarter-finals0–4Loss
2020Group stage1–2Loss
1–2Loss
1–1Draw
2022Group stage2–1Win
0–0Draw
3–0Win
Quarter-finals3–0Win
Semi-finals0–2Loss
3rd place match3–0Win
2024Group stage1–0Win
2–0Win
0–1Loss
Quarter-finals4–2Win
Semi-finals2–0Win
Final1–0Win

Asian Games

See main article: Japan at the Asian Games.

See also: Football at the Asian Games.

Asian Games record
Hosts / YearResultPositionwidth=20width=20width=20width=20width=20width=20
200226501134
2006Round 111320154
201017700171
2014Quarter-finals65302105
201827502104
202226501184
2026
2030
2034
Total6/62822065518

Match history

Asian Games history
YearRoundOpponentScoreResult
2002Round 12–0Win
5–2Win
1–0Win
Quarter-finals1–0Win
Semi-finals3–0Win
Final1–2Loss
2006Round 13–2Win
1–0Win
1–2Loss
2010Round 13–0Win
2–0Win
3–0Win
Round 25–0Win
Quarter-finals1–0Win
Semi-finals2–1Win
Final1–0Win
2014Round 14–1Win
1–3Loss
4–0Win
Round 24–0Win
Quarter-finals0–1Loss
2018Round 11–0Win
4–0Win
0–1Loss
Round 21–0Win
Quarter-finals2–1Win
Semi-finals1–0Win
Final1–2Loss
2022Round 13–1Win
1–0Win
Round 27–0Win
Quarter-finals2–1Win
Semi-finals4–0Win
Final1–2Loss

See also

National teams
  • Men's
    • Women's

    External links

    Notes and References

    1. Web site: Japan - International Results U-23 (Olympic) Team [Malaysia (1) – Japan (1)] ]. Hyung-Jin Yoon . RDFC . 6 May 2006 . 29 March 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160329125658/http://rdfc.com.ne.kr/int/jpn-u23-intres.html . 29 March 2016 . dead.
    2. News: . 4 April 2024 . U-23日本代表 メンバー・スケジュール（4.6-5.4 カタール／ドーハ）AFC U23アジアカップ カタール2024 . Japan Football Association (JFA) . . 17 April 2024.
    3. Web site: U-23日本代表 メンバー・スケジュール（7.11-8.11 フランス） 第33回オリンピック競技大会（2024／パリ）. ja. 3 July 2024. 3 July 2024.
    4. Web site: U-22日本代表 メンバー・スケジュール　国際親善試合 vs. U-22アルゼンチン代表（11.18 静岡／IAIスタジアム日本平）. ja. 9 November 2023. 9 November 2023.
    5. News: 16 December 2021 . Mr. OIWA Go appointed as Head Coach of U-21 Japan National Team . . . 27 December 2021.

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