News

Japan finally qualified for the World Cup finals after 44 years of trying, and now they'll put their fate in the hands of players less than half that old. A handful of teenagers dot the roster, including 17-year-old right-back Daisuke Ichikawa, playing under the watchful eye of Ardiles at Shimizu, and 18-year-old Urawa Reds midfielder Shinji Ono, nicknamed 'the Japanese Maradona' by the local press. Japan isn't expected to survive past the first round, but coach Takeshi Okada has worked wonders to get his squad here in the first place.