FIFA PRIMER by Best Life Qatar

ARRIVED! Japan’s Samurai Blue at Radisson Blu: the first team to arrive for FIFA World Cup 2022

JAPAN TEAM is the first to arrive in Qatar on the early morning of November 8. They will be staying at Radisson Blu Hotel in Doha and will use Al Sadd Sports Club’s New Training Facility 1 as their base camp.

The team has arranged a single pre-tournament warm-up against Canada in Abu Dhabi on November 17. After their November 23 opener against Germany, the Samurai Blue will face Costa Rica on November 27 followed by their Group E finale against Spain on December 1.

Playmakers Daichi Kamada and Takefusa Kubo will headline Japan’s 26-man squad for the World Cup in Qatar after manager Hajime Moriyasu announced his picks on November 1, according to Kyodo News. However, it was later on confirmed on their official Facebook Page that Huddersfield defender, Yuta Nakayama had been ruled out of the World Cup and for the remainder of the season with an Achilles injury.

Maya Yoshida (R) and his Japan teammates celebrate after securing a berth at the World Cup football finals in Qatar with a 2-0 win over Australia in Sydney on March 24, 2022. (Kyodo)

Japan’s World Cup Squad (click the link for more details):

Goalkeepers: Eiji Kawashima (Strasbourg), Shuichi Gonda (Shimizu S-Pulse), Daniel Schmidt (Sint-Truiden)

Defenders: Yuto Nagatomo (FC Tokyo), Maya Yoshida (Schalke), Hiroki Sakai (Urawa Reds), Shogo Taniguchi (Kawasaki Frontale), Miki Yamane (Kawasaki Frontale), Ko Itakura (Borussia Monchengladbach), Yuta Nakayama (Huddersfield), Hiroki Ito (Stuttgart), Takehiro Tomiyasu (Arsenal)

Midfielders/Forwards: Gaku Shibasaki (Leganes), Wataru Endo (Stuttgart), Junya Ito (Reims), Takuma Asano (Bochum), Takumi Minamino (Monaco), Hidemasa Morita (Sporting Lisbon), Daichi Kamada (Eintracht Frankfurt), Yuki Soma (Nagoya Grampus), Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton), Daizen Maeda (Celtic), Ritsu Doan (Freiburg), Ayase Ueda (Cercle Brugge), Ao Tanaka (Fortuna Dusseldorf), Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad)

 #JapanNationalTeam final 26-man 𝐒𝐐𝐔𝐀𝐃 for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar  Source: facebook.com/FootballJapan

From “Agony of Doha” to “Joy of Doha

Japan has reached the knockout stage of the tournament three times, the most of any Asian nation, and Moriyasu reiterated Japan’s ambition is “reaching the last eight” for the first time in their seventh straight appearance.

“I want to achieve our goals here in Doha, this time as a manager, and turn it into the ‘Joy of Doha’,” he said at the World Cup draw in April 2022. Coach Hajime Moriyasu played in the Japan team that missed out in Doha in 1993. However, with Japan in a section with former World Cup winners Germany and Spain, it is definitely not an easy road for SAMURAI BLUE (more about the story of 1993’s “Agony of Dohahere).

File photo shows Japan’s men’s national soccer team before an international friendly match against the United States in Dusseldorf, Germany on Sept. 23, 2022. Japan won 2-0 (Kyodo)

Other Team Bases:

Argentina: Qatar University
Australia: Aspire Academy
Belgium: Hilton Salwa Beach Resort
Brazil: The Westin Doha Hotel and Spa
Cameroon: Banyan Tree Doha
Canada: Century Premier Hotel Lusail
Costa Rica: dusitD2 Salwa
Croatia: Hilton Doha
Denmark: Retaj Salwa Resort
Ecuador: Hyatt Regency Oryx Doha
England: Souq Al Wakra Hotel
France: Al Messila
Germany: Zulal Wellness Resort
Ghana: Double Tree by Hilton Doha
Iran: Al Rayyan Hotel Doha Curio Collection by Hilton
Japan: Radisson Blu
Mexico: Simaisma
Morocco: Wyndham Doha West Bay
Poland: Ezdan Palace Hotel
Portugal: Al Samriya Autograph Collection Hotel
Qatar: Al Aziziyah Boutique Hotel
Saudi Arabia: Sealine Beach
Senegal: Duhail Handball Sports Hall
Serbia: Rixos Gulf Hotel Doha
Spain: Qatar University
South Korea: Le Meridien City Centre
Switzerland: Le Royal Meridien
Tunisia: Wyndham Grand Doha West Bay Beach
Wales: Delta Hotels City Centre
Uruguay: Pullman Doha West Bay
USA: Marsa Malaz Kempinski

source: https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2022/7/29/where-will-the-teams-stay-train-at-qatar-world-cup-2022

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