At the World Cup Qatar tournament, the Japanese national team gave a big shock to the world with a historic victory against the world's leading powerhouses, Germany and Spain.
Doha, the capital of Qatar, where the tournament is held, is known as the place where the so-called "Doha tragedy" occurred 29 years ago in 1993, when Japan missed out on its first appearance in the World Cup in the final Asian qualifiers. increase.
NHK soccer commentator Masakuni Yamamoto believes that the "Doha tragedy" was the reason for the growth of Japanese soccer and the joy of this tournament.
(Sports news department reporter Atsuto Furugen)
Did not reach the long-awaited top 8
The World Cup Qatar tournament was the seventh tournament for Japan.
In the first league, I was placed in the same group as Germany and Spain, two of the world's leading powerhouses, who have won the championship.
Despite the expectation of an unprecedentedly tough match, Japan came from behind to beat both Germany and Spain to advance to the final tournament as the group leader.
In the final tournament, they lost to Croatia and did not reach the top 8, which was positioned as a "new scenery", but their performance was praised both at home and abroad.
Where the "Doha Tragedy" Happened
Qatar is also a land of fate for Japan.
NHK soccer commentator Masakuni Yamamoto, who was 35 years old at the time, was in Doha as a technical staff member of the Japan national team, which was competing in the final Asian qualifiers for the 1994 World Cup in the United States.
Two days after losing to Croatia, Mr. Yamamoto, who watched the tournament with a special feeling, visited the stadium where the “Doha tragedy” happened, and recalled those days as follows.
(Mr. Masakuni Yamamoto)
“The various bitter experiences that started here taught me that even the slightest difference can make a huge difference. There are some things, but I think that the results that I have been working on little by little have led to what I am today, so when I come here, I really remember that kind of thing.
It is said that he spent days struggling to analyze the information of the opposing team with the former national team manager, Akira Nishino, who was also on the technical staff.
(Mr. Masakuni Yamamoto)
“At that time, the instructions from Coach Oft were really detailed, and in terms of items in the notebook, it was about 2 pages. , I have to wait for the players to come out at the cafe and remember their faces, and while drinking coffee with Mr. Nishino, I talk about things like "What time will they come out?" As soon as I went to practice, I chased him in a taxi and watched him hide from the top of the embankment outside the stadium under very tight security."
(Center photo: Hajime Moriyasu, the current head coach of the Japanese national team)
Thanks to the information that Mr. Yamamoto and his team's efforts paid off, and that they were able to hit all the starting lineups of the opposing countries, Japan, among the six teams ahead of the final match of the final Asian qualifiers, I took first place.
Then, they faced the match against Iraq, which would determine their long-awaited first appearance in the World Cup if they won.
However, in the injury time of the second half when they were leading 2-1, they allowed a goal from a corner kick and the game ended with a tie.
Japan fell to 3rd place after being overtaken by Saudi Arabia and South Korea, who both won, and the road to their first World Cup was cut off.
Mr. Yamamoto, who had a lot of information about the opposing team, was urgently entrusted with commentary on the TV broadcast between South Korea and North Korea held in Doha at the same time. increase.
(Mr. Masakuni Yamamoto)
“Since we were in a winning situation, I thought I could do it, so I was commenting, but when I heard that Japan had caught up, I was stunned. I don't remember much about what happened after that, as it was an unexpected ending."
The scene where Japan caught up with the tie at the end of the day.
Coach Moriyasu Hajime, who led the Japan national team in this tournament, was the closest player to the opponent who gave the cross ball and put pressure on them.
(Photo: Uniform number 17 Hajime Moriyasu, the current manager of the Japan national team)
(Masakuni Yamamoto)
“Everyone was crying, and there was an atmosphere where we couldn't even talk to them. I don't think he forgot that he couldn't block the cross ball on the last play."
[Bits of Knowledge] What is the “Doha Tragedy”?
Because there was a "tragedy"
On the other hand, Mr. Yamamoto thinks that the two come-from-behind victories that surprised the world were born under Director Moriyasu because of the “Tragedy of Doha.”
(Mr. Masakuni Yamamoto)
“He has the experience of Doha, and now he is a coach. Looking at his football life, it is important to have a little bit, an attitude of not giving up, and a desire to win. Twenty-nine years after the Doha tragedy, the time has come for those who have experienced such frustration on the pitch to aim higher as coaches.Japanese football I think it's a victory that will forever remain as a new turning point in history."
In "The Delights of Doha"
In a press conference after returning to Japan, Coach Moriyasu said, based on his own experience, "We were able to beat a country that had won the World Cup, and it was a wonderful experience. We tasted the joy of Doha from the tragedy of Doha. '' he said.
In this tournament, Japan used tragedy as a source of growth to bring joy.
The roadmap established by the Japan Football Association sets the goals of becoming one of the top four teams in the world by 2030 and winning the World Cup by 2050.
This time, they did not reach the top 8 for the first time in history, but Mr. Yamamoto believes that the experience of this tournament will surely lead to joy in the future.
(Masakuni Yamamoto)
"The stadium where the Doha tragedy occurred gave us various opportunities for growth, and I think there is no doubt that Qatar will continue to be a stage for growth even after 29 years. I believe that teaching the children that they can win against Germany and Spain will surely lead to the future of Japan. I look forward to seeing more and more.”
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