Who is Hajime Moriyasu, the coach of Japan at FIFA World Cup 2022?

Hajime Moriyasu, a former Japanese midfielder, has been a part of the team for five years running. He assisted Akira Nishino in the World Cup in Russia four years ago, as Japan lost to Belgium in the first round.

In 2012, Moriyasu started working as a coach for his previous team, Sanfrecce Hiroshima. He enjoyed a fruitful tenure, winning the J1 League championship three times overall and once in his inaugural campaign. Additionally, he led the group to third place at the 2015 Club World Cup.

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When given the job of leading the U-23 team in 2017, the 54-year-old joined Japan’s coaching staff. He took Nishino’s spot in 2019 before the AFC Asian Cup. He led the Samurai Blue to the continental championship final, where Japan suffered its first loss in a summit match against Qatar.

Since then, he has reorganized the squad, and the 2018 World Cup roster included players who were older than 25. Takehiro Tomiyasu, 24, was elevated to a regular starting position by him. Only two players from the previous tournament, Maya Yoshida and Hiroki Sakai, could keep their spots in his 26-member roster for the World Cup in Qatar. Moriyasu faced intense backlash for this decision, especially after Japan placed fourth in the Tokyo Olympics.

The defensive and offensive caution of Moriyasu is well-known. He frequently uses a 4-2-3-1 configuration. In Qatar, his young team will be put to the test against Spain and Germany, two of the biggest nations in Europe.