Netherlands vs Japan: History revisited as familiar sides collide in Group F opener
by Thobelani Moyo | by Thobelani Moyo
The Oranje have been conquering the group stages of the World Cup
- Confederation: UEFA
- Best World Cup: Runners-up (1974, 1978, 2010)
- Last World Cup: 2022 Qatar (Quarter-finals)
- First World Cup: 1934 in Italy
- World Cup appearances: 12 (1934, 1938, 1974, 1978, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2022, 2026)
- Current run of successive qualifications: Two
- Overall World Cup record: MP55 W30 D14 L11 GF96 GA52
The Netherlands, ranked 8th in the FIFA World Rankings, enters the 2026 FIFA World Cup with high hopes of qualification to the knockout stages. That ambition will require a top-two finish in a competitive Group F, which includes Sweden, Tunisia, and Japan.
The Dutch side are arguably the biggest, if not the strongest, contender in the group to win outright. This is their 12th appearance at this tournament, but never have they lifted the prestigious trophy.
The Oranje came close to tasting glory when they finished as runners-up in 1974, 1978, and 2010. In the previous edition, however, their journey was cut short, as they were eliminated in the quarter-finals, losing 4-3 on penalties to champions Argentina.
Head coach Ronald Koeman has his sights set on guiding the team out of the group stages, a target which should be well within reach given the nation's impressive track record in World Cup group-stage matches.
You will have to go back to 1994 when they lost 1-0 against Belgium in the United States. Since then, they've gone 16 games without defeat, recording 12 wins and drawing four. Will the Oranje be able to protect this record? For more insights into the game, check out our Netherlands vs Japan prediction.
Another important aspect worth mentioning is their strong record against Japan. They've faced this opponent on three occasions and have yet to suffer defeat. Their highlighted match was in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, when they won 1-0 in the group stages courtesy of Wesley Sneijder's goal.
It was in the very same year that they reached the final for the third time but couldn't be crowned World champions, losing to Spain.
Netherlands record against Japan:
- 05 September 2009 (International friendly): Netherlands 3-0 Japan
- 19 June 2010 (World Cup - Round 2): Netherlands 1-0 Japan
- 16 November 2013 (International friendly): Netherlands 2-2 Japan
Hajime Moriyasu's side is seeking its third straight win in the World Cup opener
- Confederation: AFC
- Best World Cup: Round of 16 (2002, 2010, 2018, 2022)
- Last World Cup: Qatar 2022 (Round of 16)
- First World Cup: 1998 in France
- World Cup appearances: Eight (1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026)
- Current run of successive qualifications: Eight
- World Cup hosts: 2002
- Overall World Cup record: MP25 W7 D6 L12 GF25 GA33
Japan may appear to be an inferior side compared to the Netherlands on paper, but they should not be underestimated given their growing reputation on the international stage.
The Samurai Blue are making their eighth consecutive World Cup appearance, yet something has been lacking in their campaigns - they have never progressed beyond the Round of 16. There has been an unwanted record attached to their name, having played 25 matches at the tournament without ever reaching the quarter-finals.
Reaching the current global showpiece was fairly easy for Hajime Moriyasu’s side, who became the first non-host nation to secure qualification with just three games left to spare in the third round of the AFC preliminaries.
The objective this time around is to go one step further and finally break their Round of 16 barrier by reaching the quarter-finals for the first time in their history. In the previous edition four years ago at Qatar, they progressed beyond the group stages only to lose 3-1 on penalties against Croatia in the Round of 16. Their performance in the group stages warranted more attention, given their spirited displays as they secured hard-fought wins against former World champions Germany and Spain to win the highly competitive Group E.
Japan have won each of their last two opening matches in the World Cup. They secured historic 2-1 victories against Colombia and Germany in 2018 and 2022, respectively.
History should be on Japan's side in this fixture, given their strong track record against European nations, particularly in the World Cup. So far, they've yet to suffer defeat against teams from this bracket in regulation time, winning twice and drawing once. Additionally, they've won each of their last two opening matches and are seeking a third consecutive win.
Players to watch out for
The Netherlands have a few notable absentees that won't take part in this year's global showpiece. This includes the likes of Xavi Simon, Jurrien Timber, Matthijs de Ligt, and first-choice goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen.
Despite those absences, there are a few names that could play an important part in the nation's success in North America. Memphis Depay is such a name, and the former Barcelona player was a standout performer for his team in the FIFA World Cup European qualifiers, where he finished as the top scorer with eight goals and had the joint most assists (4).
Japan had plenty of players who impressed in the AFC qualifiers. However, one name that stood out was Real Sociedad's Takefusa Kubo, who played an important role in the team's qualification. He contributed to 12 goal involvements in total, scoring four times and dishing out eight assists.
Kubo has made 49 appearances for his nation and has seven goals to his name. Another player who deserves attention is Feyenoord's Ayase Ueda, who also played a key role in qualifying with ten goal contributions.
