Coach declares Japan's breakthrough win against Brazil result of years of endeavour

Coach Hajime Moriyasu declared that Japan's inaugural triumph over Brazil stemmed from many years of persistent effort and motivated his squad to harness it as a launchpad for World Cup glory.

Japan astonished Brazil by scoring three times after the break to clinch a 3-2 win in a friendly encounter in Tokyo on Tuesday, achieving their first success against the South American power after 14 prior defeats.

Moriyasu commended his team for securing this pivotal moment while honouring the squads of the past that laid the foundations for this memorable achievement.

"Japan had never overcome Brazil up to this point but the footballers from earlier times continually embraced the goal of defeating them and it is their legacy that enabled our victory today," the coach explained.

"This achievement bridges the commitment of present and former generations of Japanese athletes."

Japan defeated Germany and Spain during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar before exiting in the last 16 against Croatia on penalties.

Moriyasu has expressed that Japan seeks to claim the title in next years competition hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

He encouraged his players to maintain their development and valued the surge in morale with less than 12 months until the event kicks off.

"We shall continue our established methods, advancing our capabilities incrementally," Moriyasu affirmed.

"The World Cup will prove demanding and I anticipate Brazil will respond with greater force, so we must proceed methodically."

Takumi Minamino sparked the turnaround with an early second-half strike as Japan trailed by two at halftime.

Keito Nakamura netted the next before Ayase Ueda powered home the decisive header with 20 minutes to play.

The outcome triggered ecstatic reactions among the supporters, with close to 45,000 in attendance to witness the landmark occasion.

Forward Shuto Machino revealed that Monaco attacker Minamino, leading as captain in absence of the injured Wataru Endo, galvanised the side ahead of the match.

"We were up against an opponent we had never bested and Takumi implored us to make this the fixture that rewrote our legacy," Machino recounted.

"And that is precisely what occurred."