Twenty years later, Japan are more than ready for their World Cup rematch with Brazil

Twenty years later, the rematch narrative between Japan and Brazil at the World Cup highlights how dramatically both teams have evolved since their 2006-era comparison. The sides last met in the World Cup when Germany hosted Brazil’s 4-1 win, featuring stars such as Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Kaká, while Japan’s squad included Hidetoshi Nakata, Junichi Inamoto and Shunsuke Nakamura. Brazil remain the most successful World Cup nation, yet are still without a sixth title. Japan, ranked 18th ahead of the 2006 tournament, now arrive with a far larger European footprint. With Kaoru Mitoma, Wataru Endo and Takumi Minamino absent through injury, the squad still includes multiple major-league players. Feyenoord striker Ayase Ueda topped last season’s scoring with 25 goals, and Neymar, Vinícius Júnior, Gabriel Magalhães and Raphinha represent Brazil’s ongoing threat.