The FIFA U-20 World Cup 2025™ gets underway in Chile this weekend. This prestigious tournament represents a rare opportunity to gauge the ability and the potential of young internationals from across the globe. In the lead-up to the tournament, the Japanese side attended a training camp in Paraguay. The long travel and time difference have been a challenge – both Paraguay and Chile are a full 12 hours behind Japan – but the team are proactively working on keeping their conditioning high.
Awaiting them in the group stage will be hosts Chile, African giants Egypt, and a rapidly improving New Zealand side. Each opponent comes with their own styles and strengths, making for a demanding set of fixtures, both tactically and mentally.
For many players, the U-20 World Cup is an important stop on the road to senior international football, and big performances here can lead to huge opportunities down the line. With an increasing number of players playing abroad and an array of versatile talents who can play in a variety of complex positions, Japan has the mentality and tactical flexibility to make a real splash. From team selection to day-to-day training, coach Yuzo Funakoshi has built the foundations for his team to compete with the world’s best.
“Our first aim is to play all seven matches,” said Funakoshi to FIFA. His words are brimming with ambition. “That’s why I’ve picked this group of 21 players, and we’ve worked on preparing so that no matter who plays, our level won’t drop. It’s always been my aim to have a team that will fight to the last, even if we get injuries.”
This is a tournament that has previously played host to a number of players who would go on to dominate world football, including the likes of Lionel Messi, Xavi and Paul Pogba. Fans from across the globe will therefore be looking at this as the birthplace of new heroes, and the players know that stardom could await those who can make an impact. Of course, Funakoshi is aware of this too. “It’s a chance to take on the world,” he said. “I’m really looking forward to seeing the moments when new stars are born.”
The U-20 World Cup is not merely a developmental tournament, but rather a chance for players to show that they can hang with the very best, and Funakoshi has drilled into his side the importance of going out to win. Asia is yet to produce a U-20 world champion, although Japan (1999), Qatar (1981) and Korea Republic (2019) have all come close.
“We haven’t won yet, but all of those tournaments are in the past,” said Funakoshi. “It certainly won’t be easy, but it’s my belief that we have every chance. As I said at the start, we’re aiming to play all seven matches.”
It is a truly lofty objective for the team, and one that will require them to progress from the group stage all the way to the very end. The current Japan U-20 squad contains multiple players who play abroad, and even some with experience as full internationals.
“We’re dealing with a generation who are not only capable of playing in a wide range of systems, they’re also mentally strong,” he said. “It doesn’t matter who we’re up against, I can trust them to play fearlessly and to take the game by the scruff of the neck.”
With so many utility players to call on, the squad is also well equipped to adapt tactically to different opponents. Whatever the occasion, they exude confidence while playing their own brand of football. Honesty and passion are two vital attributes for coaches looking to guide and develop young talents.
“You have to be straight with players and never lie to them,” said Funakoshi. “You have to convey to them that you, as a coach, are serious about trying to make history, and make them serious about it in return. Even when things get tough, I want them to never give up, and always hold onto the belief that they can turn it around.”
First up is the group stage. Both geographically and tactically, it would be hard to ask for a more diverse set of opponents than Egypt, Chile and New Zealand.
“Egypt are impressive physically and they’re so well drilled, while Chile are the hosts so we’re expecting them to really come at us with the ball,” he said. “As for New Zealand, they’ve come on in leaps and bounds tactically, and that presents its own challenges. With three completely different opponents like this, it’ll be a brilliant learning opportunity for the team.”
With a tricky series of games right off the bat, the group stage is bound to be a litmus test for Japan and their ambitions to beat the world’s best.
“These players are the future of Japanese football, and they’re out here to take on the world,” Funakoshi concluded. “If we can have the whole country behind us, I know that will mean a huge amount to the players. We’re going to give it our all, and make sure we properly represent Japan both on and off the pitch. I’d really love it if we can be a team that neutral fans can get behind as well, and hopefully we can do this by never giving up and showing everyone our determination.”
Funakoshi’s words neatly summarise his vision for the team. Not only do they want to win matches, they also want to win hearts with their play, and the U-20 World Cup is a tournament made for this young Japanese side to create their own historic moments.
