Hajime Moriyasu’s voice was raspy, and he was clearly struggling a little to speak as he addressed the media after Japan’s 2-0 win over Bahrain on Thursday.
The victory had secured Japan’s berth at the 2026 World Cup with three qualifiers to spare, and the postgame festivities had left the Samurai Blue coach sounding far throatier than usual.
While Moriyasu was feeling the effects of his triumphant postgame speech — and being showered with water by his players on a chilly evening in Saitama — there was a sense that players and coaches were merely going through the motions with their celebration following the final whistle, with Japan’s participation at next year’s tournament having never been in doubt.
