Hajime Moriyasu Aims for Asian Cup Glory Before Passing the Torch

Japan's football coach, Hajime Moriyasu, prepares for his last campaign at the Asian Cup, aiming for victory before handing leadership to Go Oiwa. He focuses on assembling a winning team to strengthen Japan's football future. Moriyasu's leadership tenure will conclude after the 2024 Asian Championship.

Japan's national football team coach, Hajime Moriyasu, is targeting a triumphant finale at the upcoming Asian Cup. The Japan Football Association declared on Thursday that Moriyasu's contract has been extended through the tournament, after which Go Oiwa will assume the head coach position.

Moriyasu, who has led the team since 2018, expressed his unwavering commitment to clinch Asia's top football honor before transitioning. "Regardless of the time frame, my goal remains constant: Japan winning the World Cup by 2050," declared Moriyasu during a Friday press conference.

As the Japanese squad gears up for the Asian Cup, beginning their Group F matches against Indonesia on January 11, Moriyasu highlights the collaborative efforts with Oiwa and stresses the importance of integrating promising U-21 players into the main team. "We must balance past and future, but the current choices are mine," Moriyasu asserted.