Brighton winger Kaoru Mitoma has been left out of Japan’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after suffering a severe hamstring injury.
Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu confirmed on Friday that medical staff ruled the 28-year-old out of the tournament after he sustained the injury during Brighton’s 3-0 Premier League victory over Wolves.
Mitoma was forced off in the 58th minute of the match and was later seen leaving the stadium on crutches.
The omission is a major setback for Japan ahead of the World Cup, with Monaco forward Takumi Minamino also unavailable after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Mitoma had recently underlined his importance to the Samurai Blue by scoring the winner in Japan’s 1-0 friendly victory over England at Wembley in March.
An emotional Moriyasu admitted the winger’s absence would be significant for the team.
He said: “I think everyone who has watched Japan play can see that Mitoma is a major presence in the team.”
The coach, however, insisted Japan still possess enough quality to compete strongly at the tournament.
“But last year we played Brazil in a friendly and we beat them for the first time, and Mitoma wasn’t available to play in that game.
“That reflects the team concept, that anyone can come into the lineup and the team still performs,” Moriyasu added.
Mitoma played a crucial role during Japan’s impressive run at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where they defeated Germany and Spain before losing to Croatia on penalties in the round of 16.
Moriyasu also expressed sympathy for the Brighton winger.
“This will hurt him more than it hurts anyone.
“I hope once he gets over this, he will recover as quickly as possible and get back to playing with total freedom,” he said.
Despite the injury setbacks, Moriyasu maintained Japan’s ambition of challenging for the World Cup title.
He said: “The World Cup is a special stage but that doesn’t mean we’ll do things any differently.
“I believe the World Cup is an extension of the process we’ve followed up to now, and I tell the players that the process is what matters most.”
Ajax defender Takehiro Tomiyasu returned to the squad despite not playing for Japan since June 2024 because of injuries.
Liverpool captain Wataru Endo, Crystal Palace midfielder Daichi Kamada and Real Sociedad winger Takefusa Kubo were also included in the final 26-man squad.
Japan’s World Cup squad
