Every World Cup produces at least one side that defies expectations and goes further than anyone predicted. Morocco stunned the globe in 2022, Russia surprised in 2018, and Costa Rica left jaws on the floor in 2014. With this summer's tournament expanded to 48 teams, the pool of potential surprise packages is larger than ever — and Japan stand out as perhaps the most credible dark horse of them all.

A squad built for the biggest stage

The Samurai Blue arrive at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico carrying serious momentum. At the 2022 edition in Qatar, Japan topped Group E after defeating both Germany and Spain — two of European football's heavyweights. Their reward was a round-of-16 clash with Croatia, where a penalty shoot-out ended their campaign and extended a painful record: four eliminations at that stage, and never beyond it.

Now, manager Hajime Moriyasu has set his sights considerably higher. Speaking to World Soccer Magazine before the tournament, he made his ambitions clear.