On the 12th, the Japan Football Association (JFA) announced that the Japanese national team (17th in the FIFA ranking) will hold the international friendly Kirin Challenge Cup 2025 with the Bolivian national team (78th in the 18th in the FIFA rankings) at the National Stadium in Tokyo on November 18th.
Bolivia is a difficult South American opponent who won the final round of the South American qualifying round of the World Cup in the September Series, winning over Brazil in the South American qualifying round and advanced to the intercontinental playoffs. His past match record has been Japan's two wins and one draw.
Japan national team manager Moriyasu Kazuichi (57) commented, “The tenacity is incredible. We will steadily build up our strength towards next year's World Cup tournament, and we will continue to work towards our goals in this match, and we will work together to bring the victory to our supporters.
Japan is scheduled to face Paraguay and Brazil in October, and will continue to strengthen it by concentrating against South American players, which they have been weak in the past. The match will be broadcast live on TBS.
Director Moriyasu's comments are as follows:
The last time I played against the Bolivian national team, I fought hard in the 2019 Kirin Challenge Cup, which used many new players to become players, and despite struggling to defeat the opponent's solid defense, they won. This team has the hard playing style and athleticism unique to South American teams, and it can be imagined that the teams they will face this time will also be heading for. Also, his tenacity as he won the Brazilian national team in the final match of the FIFA World Cup 26 South American qualifiers the other day, and advanced to the intercontinental playoffs is incredible. We will steadily build up our strength for next year's World Cup tournament, and hope to move towards our goals in this match, and work together to challenge ourselves to bring the victory to our supporters.
