USMNT vs. Japan: What to know about Samurai Blue before Columbus clash

The United States Men's National Team isn't done yet.

Coach Mauricio Pochettino's unit suffered a difficult (and demoralizing) 2-0 loss to South Korea on Saturday. But there's still one game left in this international window for the Americans, a fascinating clash against Japan in Columbus, Ohio on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. ET (English on TNT, HBO Max, Peacock and Spanish on Universo).

The USMNT and Japan don't have much of a history — this will be just the fourth time they have played. (Japan leads the series 2-1.) Despite their lack of familiarity with one another, though, they share similar trajectories in international soccer. Both dominate their regions but fail to make dents in World Cups; both have vocal fan bases who believe they should be doing far better than they have given their impressive financial resources.

But what's the deeper story behind this Japan team? What has it done recently — and what kind of challenge will it present for the USMNT? Here's what defines Japan's Samurai Blue in 2025:

Japan soccer has a sustainable build toward international success

When it comes to World Cup preparation, few teams are more calm or as efficient as Japan. The Samurai Blue were the first team in the world to qualify for the 2026 tournament after a stellar showing in Asian qualifying. Japan has suffered just one loss in the past year — to Australia, thanks to an unlikely last-minute goal from Aziz Behich — and outscored its opponents 32 to 5. Japan hasn't conceded more than one goal per match since it lost 2-1 to Iran in 2024's Asian Cup.

The USMNT, meanwhile, has seven losses in that same time period, outscoring opponents 29-20. 

Japan has a steady hand in coach Hajime Moriyasu

Coach Hajime Moriyasu had his fair share of struggles when he took over the Samurai Blue in 2018. Fans decried his appointment then, certain that he would be too conservative in his approach. In a way, they were right. 

Moriyasu, caught between two generations of Japanese players, spent much of the early 2020s hanging onto legends Maya Yoshida, Miki Yamane and Keisuke Honda instead of fielding younger, fresher options. While Japan was busy preparing for the 2022 World Cup, its fans were busy calling for Moriyasu's head.

They needn't have worried. Moriyasu's cross-generational Japan side had a fantastic World Cup in 2022, beating Spain and Germany in the group stage before falling to Croatia on penalties.