FIFA FOOTBALL WORLD CUP QATAR 2022 - NEWS BLOG - UPDATE 29

 JAPAN IS THE ONLY TEAM TO SCORE 3 GOALS IN A MATCH DURING THE TOURNAMENT

Messi has 23 appearances for the World Cup third-place tie, and a new record is in sight

Argentina's Messi extended his World Cup tally to 23 in the first round of the final tournament against Australia on December 3 (Japan hours 4 days), equaling former Italy international Maldini, who is third on the all-time list. A win in the quarter-finals against the Netherlands would set a new record of 25 games for former Germany international Mateus.

Messi made his World Cup debut at the age of 18 in 2006 against Serbia and Montenegro in Germany. He played in all the matches in South Africa in '10, Brazil in '14, and Russia in '18, and played a total of 19 games.

Messi has played in all four matches so far in this tournament. If they reach the quarter-finals, they will equal the 24-game record of former Germany international Klose who is second on the all-time list.

If the team advances to the semi-finals, it will be 25 games at this point. Even if they do not advance to the final, there will be a third-place match, so there is a high possibility that the record will be broken. At the age of 35, Messi, who has vowed to be his last World Cup, will he be able to finish with a World Cup title he has yet to win in his illustrious career?

Messi, along with Ronald (Portugal) and Ochoa (Mexico), has reached five tournaments. He equaled Carvajal (Mexico), Mateus and Marquez (Mexico) for the most records.

LIONEL MESSI - THE CAPTAIN OF ARGENTINA NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM

"Friendship continues even if we win or lose" Watching the World Cup at a Croatian restaurant in Tokyo

The match between Japan and Croatia in Qatar kicked off in the early morning of 6 December. At the Croatian restaurant, he wished for friendship between the two countries. "Bravo again". There was anticipation and enthusiasm before the match.

At the Croatian restaurant "Dobro" in Kyobashi, Tokyo, employees were preparing for the kick-off in the early morning of the 6th. Although it was closed on the 5th, about 30 Croatian officials living in the Japan gathered to watch the game. The owner, Satsuki Kawasaki (55), opened the shop after the 2002 World Cup Japan-Korea Tournament. According to Kawasaki, it is "the only restaurant in the Japan" that serves authentic Croatian food.

Born in Tokyo, Kawasaki worked for a major electric power company after graduating from university. Taking advantage of the in-house system, I was seconded to a highland resort in Tokamachi City, Niigata Prefecture, which was my first encounter with Croatia. At the time, the city was the camp site of the Croatian national team. Mr. Kawasaki was in charge of receiving the facility. "When I visited Croatia after the World Cup, a member of the Football Association joked that there are no Croatian restaurants in Japan, so please do it. I made up my mind, got out of the business, and opened a store in '03.

Mr. Kawasaki said, "Croatia is a pro-Japan country, and Tokamachi City (where I was seconded) has been warming up exchanges for 20 years.

Born in Tokyo, Kawasaki worked for a major electric power company after graduating from university. Taking advantage of the in-house system, I was seconded to a highland resort in Tokamachi City, Niigata Prefecture, which was my first encounter with Croatia. At the time, the city was the camp site of the Croatian national team. Mr. Kawasaki was in charge of receiving the facility. "When I visited Croatia after the World Cup, a member of the Football Association joked that there are no Croatian restaurants in Japan, so please do it. I made up my mind, got out of the business, and opened a store in '03.

Mr. Kawasaki said, "Croatia is a pro-Japan country, and Tokamachi City (where I was seconded) has been warming up exchanges for 20 year.

Aoi Tanaka does what he says, friend reveals his winning prediction and enthusiasm 12 years ago

TANAKA Ao (24) = Düsseldorf = who helped the Japan national team reach the final tournament of the soccer World Cup (World Cup) Qatar has made a prediction of winning the World Cup when he was a child. It was Spain's first World Cup title in South Africa in 2010. From that powerhouse, he scored the winning goal in the first round, and his childhood friend reminded him of the strength of his thoughts and the footprint of his efforts.

"Who do you think will win?"

"It's definitely Spain."

Kota Katsumoto (24), an office worker who was a classmate of Tanaka at an elementary and junior high school in Kawasaki City, recalled a conversation they had 12 years ago when they were in the sixth grade when they saw Tanaka score the winning goal from Spain in the final match of the first round on 1 December (2 Japan hours).

"It's kind of amazing, and I thought it was amazing that Japan won with a goal from a country of such a level," he said excitedly.

Katsumoto was also involved in soccer. The two had never played for the same team, but they played soccer in the park when their clubs weren't practicing or after school. Even at such times, Tanaka played without cutting corners and was genuinely happy when he scored a goal.

Ritsu Doan, Japan first team to score three goals in one tournament at the Soccer World Cup

At the World Cup Qatar, the Japan National Team (1st place in Group E of the 1st Round of the 1st League) will face Croatia (2nd place in Group F) in the first round of the final tournament at 6 p.m. on 5 December (0:00 am on 6 Japan time). If Ritsu Doan (24) = Freiburg = who has scored two goals so far, scores a goal, he will be the first Japan team to score three goals in one tournament.

The Japan national team has participated in seven consecutive World Cups since 1998, and the three players who have scored two goals in one tournament so far are Junichi Inamoto in Japan and Korea in 2002, Keisuke Honda in South Africa in 2002, and Takashi Inui in Russia in '18, but have not scored three goals. The most goals in total are four by Honda, who scored one goal each in Brazil in '14 and the World Cup in Russia in '18.

Doan, who is making his World Cup debut, came on in the second half of the first round match against Germany and Spain and scored the equaliser, helping Japan beat the champions. In the match against Croatia, who are trying to make new history to reach the long-awaited last eight, attention will also be focused on setting a "new record".

Doan, Maeda and other starters Kubo is off the bench in the Soccer World Cup match against Croatia

At the Soccer World Cup Qatar, the starting line-up for the first round match between Japan (1st place in Group E of the 1st Round of the 1st League) and Croatia (2nd place in Group F) (5th, Al Wakra) was announced, and Ritsu Doan (Freiburg) and Daizen Maeda (Celtic) were named in the Japan. Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad), who was complaining of ill health, came off the bench.

The starting line-up is as follows:

Shuichi Gonda (Shimizu S-Pulse)

Yuto Nagatomo (FC Tokyo)

Maya Yoshida (Schalke)

Shogo Taniguchi (Kawasaki Frontale)

TOMIYASU Takehiro (Arsenal)

Wataru Endo (Stuttgart)

Junya Ito (Stade Reims)

Hidemasa Morita (Sporting)

KAMATA Daichi (Eintracht Frankfurt)

Daizen Maeda (Celtic)

Doan Ritsu (Freiburg)