How Japan’s strategy for overcoming 100 schoolkids might help to eliminate Brazil
FIFA World
Cup 2026
Germany UpsetLIVE
Netherlands vs Morocco2m ago
Brazil Sends Japan Home48 Teams RankedThird-Place QualifiersBracketPlayers to WatchAnalysisHow Japan’s strategy for overcoming 100 schoolkids might help to eliminate Brazil
How can a game against 100 kids translate to playing Brazil? YouTube
By Michael CoxJune 29, 2026 Updated 7:17 pm EDTIf you’ve ever spent any time on social media, there’s a good chance you’ve seen the famous clip from several years ago of three Japan internationals — Hotaru Yamaguchi, Hiroshi Kiyotake, and Yosuke Ideguchi — taking on 100 schoolchildren on a full-sized football pitch.
The premise is farcical, but the footage is curiously mesmeric, and it’s actually fascinating to see how the three internationals actually manage to pass the ball to one another in space, overcoming the sheer probability that one of their opponents will get in their way, even if accidentally.
The key to their passing is, essentially, that the school kids always get dragged towards the ball over on one side, and the internationals can constantly switch the play to the opposite flank, where one of the trio is unmarked.
The youngsters are positionally naive, it must be said. That’s probably enough tactical analysis for now.
But sometimes, when watching the current Japan side compete against a mere 10 (albeit fully-grown) outfielders, you can’t help but detect the same approach play. This is what Japan are all about. Their 3-4-3 system forms a front five in possession, and eternally causes opponents problems by finding a spare player — the bonus back, if you like — running into the box unmarked, on the blind side of the opposition defence, and available for a switch of play. And if it can beat 100 opponents, maybe this is only 10 per cent of the challenge…
The interesting thing about Japan’s wing-backs is that they aren’t pure “arriving” wing-backs — they’re not Daniel Munoz or Denzel Dumfries, solely late runners who pop up at the far post. They can do that. But right-sided Ritsu Doan is left-footed, and left-sided Keito Nakamura is right-footed.
Daily Play
Play Connections: Soccer Edition
Group soccer terms that share a common thread. A new puzzle is available each day.
They can cut inside to shoot, as Nakamura did to score against the Netherlands, and they can also check inside to switch the play with angled passes.
One passage of play, early in the second half of their 1-1 draw with Sweden, shows what Japan are all about. First, central midfielder Daichi Kamada moves to the left flank, cuts back onto his right foot and crosses deep for wing-back Yukinari Sugawara — platying instead of the rested Doan — to attack, but the ball drops before he can meet it on the volley.
Sweden half-clear the ball, but only as far as Ao Tanaka, who immediately switches the play again over to the left, where Kamada is there to meet it on the volley — but hits it straight at the goalkeeper.
This is what Japan are all about. They always have a spare player at the far post, and they will find him with late switches of play.
The most promising thing about Japan’s approach, ahead of their meeting with Brazil, is that the Selecao’s clear position of weakness is at full-back. Right-back Danilo will be 35 by the end of the tournament and is hardly the type of speedy, mobile full-back we’re accustomed to seeing for Brazil. Left-back Douglas Santos has never been a top-class performer. In the centre of defence, they’re solid. You don’t want to be testing the aerial ability of Marquinhos and Gabriel. Taking them out of the equation and switching the play past them is the right approach.
Further, it’s difficult to see how Brazil will cope with those runners on the far side in a tactical sense. Other opponents generally feel compelled to drop an extra player into the back line, forming a back five against Japan’s front five — as the Netherlands did, with Frenkie de Jong dropping in from midfield. That freed up the full-backs to stay wide and cope with Japan’s switches.
Which Brazil player will do this? Will Casemiro do what De Jong did? Will the inexperienced Rayan continue on the right and be tasked with dropping in? Does Carlo Ancelotti even consider this a problem he needs to find a solution for?
This feels like an enormous match, not merely in the context of this tournament but in the context of the World Cup overall. While football likes to think of itself as a global game, it remains dominated by sides from Western Europe and South America.
Japan have always felt like the coming force from elsewhere: they have the infrastructure, the tactical and technical qualities and other coaches marvel at their cohesion. But they’ve never won a knockout game at the World Cup.
If they eliminate Brazil — the dominant side in World Cup history — it would be enormous. Tactically, Japan’s approach might be perfect for the task.
Jun 29, 2026Connections: Sports Edition
Spot the pattern. Connect the terms
Find the hidden link between sports terms
Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
