Shinji Kagawa on Japan's dominant 4-0 victory over Tunisia at the World Cup:
🗣️ “Watching this team tonight made me incredibly proud. I've represented Japan at World Cups, I've experienced the pressure that comes with wearing this shirt, and I can honestly say this team is making the entire country dream.”
“A 4-0 win at a World Cup is not something that happens by accident. The discipline, the movement, the technical quality, and the mentality were all at an elite level from the first minute to the last.”
“What I love most is that this team doesn't look intimidated by anyone anymore. Years ago, Japan would earn respect by competing with the big nations. Now they're earning respect by dominating matches against them.”
“You can see the belief growing with every game. The players are playing with confidence, they trust each other completely, and they look like a group that genuinely believes it can achieve something special.”
“People around the world are starting to notice Japan, but honestly, this has been coming for years. The development of Japanese football, the players competing in top European leagues, and the mentality of this generation have all led to moments like this.”
“If I were one of the traditional favourites, I would not want to face Japan right now. They are organized, fearless, technically brilliant, and they never stop running.”
“The scary thing is that they still look hungry. Even after scoring four goals, they kept attacking, kept pressing, and kept searching for more. That's not the mentality of a team happy to be here. That's the mentality of a team chasing greatness.”
“As a former Japan international, seeing performances like this is emotional. Because you realize that the dream we had years ago is becoming reality right in front of our eyes.”
“And trust me, if Japan continue playing football like this, people will stop calling them dark horses. They'll start calling them genuine favourites to win the World Cup.”