Former Arsenal star returns to Japan national team, ready for showdown against England squad

The Japan national team has announced its new training roster, notably featuring the comeback of former Arsenal player Takehiro Tomiyasu.

Recently, the Japan Football Association (JFA) officially released a list of 28 players for the series of international friendly matches scheduled for late March. Accordingly, the "Blue Samurai" will first face Scotland on March 29 at Hampden Park (Glasgow), before encountering England on April 1 at Wembley Stadium (London).

According to Soccer Magazine, this tour to England serves as the final test before coach Hajime Moriyasu announces the official squad for the World Cup in May.

In this call-up, several key players of the Japan national team are unavailable due to injuries, including Wataru Endo (Liverpool), Takumi Minamino (AS Monaco), Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad), and Ko Itakura (Ajax).

In compensation, opportunities have been given to many new faces. The most notable is the return of Takehiro Tomiyasu after a long absence of 1 year and 9 months due to injury. Additionally, Kento Shiogai, who recently transferred from NEC Nijmegen to Wolfsburg during the winter transfer window and is showing impressive form, has also been called up to the national team for the first time.

Tomiyasu has faced numerous fitness issues and had to take a long-term break from playing. The star born in 1998 left Arsenal last year, before joining Ajax on a short-term contract during the winter transfer window. Despite having only played 5 domestic league matches this season, this defender has been striving to regain his form to return to the national team.

Tomiyasu's return receives strong support from Japanese fans, with many opinions stating he is a crucial element for the 2026 World Cup campaign. According to Nikkan Sports, fans expressed their expectations with messages such as: “We have been waiting”, “Tomiyasu is an indispensable name for the World Cup”, or “He deserves to be part of the strongest lineup”.

Regarding the decision to call up as many as 28 players, coach Moriyasu explained that the team has had a long period without gathering since November. Therefore, he wants the players to reacquaint themselves with the tactical system, while enhancing cohesion and helping many players better understand the team's playing philosophy.