Japan have been the big surprise package of the last two World Cups. In 2022, the Samurai Blue beat Germany and Spain in the group stage. In 2026, Japan are aiming to build on that performance and reach the semi-finals for the first time. Their opening match against the Netherlands in Dallas will be a crucial test.

Manager Hajime Moriyasu has named three goalkeepers for the Samurai Blue: Zion Suzuki, Keisuke Osako and Tomoki Hayakawa. All three play club football in different leagues – from Serie A to the J1 League – and together they represent Japan’s growing depth in goal.

At the age of 23, Suzuki is already the undisputed first-choice goalkeeper for the Samurai Blue. His career path has taken him from Urawa Red Diamonds via Sint-Truiden to Parma, where he has established himself as a regular starter in Serie A. In the 2025/26 season, he made 18 league appearances for Parma and boasts a save percentage of 70 per cent. Suzuki impresses with his composed style of play, good footballing ability and modern reflexes – qualities that are ideally suited to Moriyasu’s high-pressing system. For Japan, he is one of the key pillars in their quest to reach the quarter-finals for the first time.

Osako has been with Sanfrecce Hiroshima since 2018 and is their first-choice goalkeeper. In the 2025 J1 League season, he played in all 38 league matches and kept 15 clean sheets – a testament to his consistency in domestic league football. At 26, he brings solid experience from Japanese professional football and is Moriyasu’s reliable option behind Suzuki.

Hayakawa is the first-choice goalkeeper for Kashima Antlers and won the J1 League title with the club in 2025. With a FotMob season rating of 7.68 and nine clean sheets this season, he is one of the most consistent goalkeepers in the league. For the national team, he is the third-choice goalkeeper – and, having made one international appearance to date, the most experienced option on the bench.