On June 30, 2026, Korean media outlet Hankook Ilbo reported on the Japanese national team, which suffered a come-from-behind defeat to Brazil in the first round of the World Cup knockout stage.

The article conveyed, 'In Japan, voices of appreciation and expectations for the next tournament are spreading more than criticism towards the national team that fought well against a championship contender, and the difference in atmosphere compared to South Korea, which was also eliminated from this tournament and is facing public criticism, is attracting attention.'

The Japanese national team, on the 29th (local time), faced the Brazilian national team in the first round of the knockout stage held in Houston, Texas, USA. They fought well against a strong opponent ranked high in the world rankings, but suffered a 1-2 come-from-behind defeat and were eliminated.

In the 29th minute of the first half, Japan scored first with a long-range shot by Kaishu Sano, leading at halftime. However, in the second half, Brazil equalized with a header from Casemiro, and then Martinelli scored the winning goal just before the end of the match, securing their victory. The article stated, 'In the group stage, they achieved certain results against European teams and advanced to the round of 32, but they could not achieve their long-cherished dream of reaching the round of 16.'

After the match, Japan national team coach Hajime Moriyasu said, 'It is truly regrettable to have to leave the tournament here. I'm frustrated now, but I hope we can become stronger again. Japanese soccer has a continuous history, and its level has undoubtedly been rising. If we make the goal of being number one in the world clear, we can definitely reach it.'

The article stated that 'the reaction in Japan to this elimination was relatively calm,' adding that 'supporters watching in places like Shibuya, Tokyo, applauded the players, and voices such as "They did well enough," "This connects to the next four years," and "We want to praise them for what they achieved against Brazil" were heard one after another.'

Regarding this atmosphere, the article compared it to the situation in South Korea, where criticism of the coach and national team intensified after their group stage elimination, even escalating into threats. It reported, 'Despite the defeat, unlike Coach Hong Myung-bo's team (South Korean national team), Japanese media and fans were in an atmosphere of unstinting encouragement for the national team.'

Regarding this, Korean netizens' comments included: 'Japan is good at soccer,' 'I don't want to admit it, but Japan's level is higher in soccer and baseball,' 'The gap between South Korea and Japan will continue to widen,' 'I feel like they could have won if Takefusa Kubo hadn't been sidelined with an injury,' and 'Japan feels like they've been building up for the past few years. So even with this elimination, it's not a complete reset.'

Also, comments such as 'A come-from-behind defeat is frustrating, but they gave the impression of fighting without breaking their tactics until the end,' 'The Japanese national team seemed "just a bit more" capable, not "not good enough,"' 'If they scored first against Brazil and competed until the end, it's frustrating, but I think they can be proud,' 'If Japan had been in South Korea's group, they would have advanced more easily,' and 'A defeat that brings hope for four years later and a defeat that leaves only disappointment are certainly different. Japan is the former, and South Korea is the latter' were also seen.