Marcel Winatschek

Sayonara, Blue Samurai

Japan didn’t make it out of the group stage. Against Brazil they fought harder than anyone expected—real conviction in that first half—but it was always a battle on two fronts: one against the best squad in the tournament, the other against the arithmetic of a parallel result playing out in the Croatia–Australia game that they couldn’t influence from the pitch. The numbers didn’t cooperate.

Shame. They had more to give. Becca’s been pulling for South Korea since the start, so I suppose my loyalties transfer there now. Sayonara, Blue Samurai.