With Sadio Mane, James Rodriguez and Robert Lewandowski bearing down on the Japanese goal, the Blue Samurai must be at their defensive best in Russia when they take on Senegal, Colombia and Poland in Group H.
So it is perhaps little surprise that the first person Akira Nishino visited after taking over from Vahid Halilhodzic two months ago was Yoshida, flying to England to sound out the rugged Southampton centre-back.
While Yoshida is likely to be one of the busiest players at the FIFA World Cup, the 29-year-old offers Nishino a solid base from which to build.
A no-nonsense defender, Yoshida is a cool customer who inspired in the qualifying campaign.
Though not the quickest, Yoshida embodies the Samurai spirit of the Japan side and will relish the physical battle after helping Southampton -- nicknamed the Saints -- escape relegation from the English Premier League.
But Japan's Group H rivals possess lethal finishers and Yoshida will remember how a rampant Rodriguez inspired Colombia to a 4-1 win over Japan at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
After crashing out in the group stage four years ago, Yoshida has none the less set his sights high for Russia.
"I think the last 16 is a realistic goal," he told Japanese media. "But ideally I'd like us to get to the quarter-finals, a stage we've never reached before."
Source: AFP
