Will Kaoru Mitoma Miss Japan World Cup?

Mitoma World Cup injury has been a huge blow to Japan as the winger has been left out of the 26-man squad for the upcoming FIFA World Cup. The move follows his hamstring injury at the Premier League game against Wolves in Brighton last Saturday.

Mitoma, 28, has been one of Japan’s most influential attackers over the past few years. He’s a dangerous threat on the wing due to his quickness, dribbling and his ability to beat defenders. Now, Japan will have to rework their attacking structure in the absence of him in the tournament.

The injury came in Brighton’s 3–0 victory and it was determined that he will not be fit enough to take part in the World Cup. This will also mean he will miss the club’s last two Premier League games, against Leeds United and Manchester United. That’s just another sour note to an already bitter finish.

This is not only the loss of a player, but the loss of creativity in the third of the field, from the Japanese viewpoint. Mitoma has proved to be a game-changer against powerful foreign teams in close games. If he doesn’t play Japan might have to play more team attacking than individual brilliance.

Now coaching staff will be considering alternative positions to replace him on the wing. But, his absence won’t be replaced easily, particularly at the tournament level where margins are tight.

Despite that, Japan will look to be a strong team in the World Cup, but the absence of Mitoma makes a huge difference in their attacking line-up. Now the challenge for the team is to make rapid adjustments before heading to North America for the tournament.