Japan vs Spain World Cup lineups, starting 11 for Group E match at Qatar 2022

Dom Farrell

Japan vs Spain World Cup lineups, starting 11 for Group E match at Qatar 2022 image

Spain will look to box off top spot in Group E at the 2022 World Cup when they take on Japan at Khalifa International Stadium.

LIVE: Follow Japan vs. Spain updates from 2022 World Cup

Luis Enrique's side were close to sealing that status already after Alvaro Morata put them ahead against Germany on the back of a 7-0 romp versus Costa Rica.

But Niclas Fullkrug snatched a 1-1 draw for a Germany side who had been stunned 2-1 by Japan in their first game.

That gave Hajime Moriyasu's side the opportunity to take control of the group, only to slump to a lacklustre 1-0 defeat against Costa Rica and leave their fate in the balance.

MORE: How to watch Japan vs Spain

Japan vs Spain lineups

Luis Enrique insists his Spain side are not tempted by any final-round chicanery in Group E, even though a draw for Japan could help to eliminate Germany.

Similarly, a second-place finish would mean La Roja avoid a potential quarterfinal against Brazil.

"We have reflected on it," Luis Enrique said. "But from a professional point of view, imagine that we speculate: 'Okay, we want to be second, that's in our interests.'

"We get to the 95th minute and in both games it's 0-0, 0-0, [thinking:] 'Everything's going great.' And then Costa Rica go and score and Japan score.

"And in 15 seconds you're out because you have been speculating for 90 minutes. Or the other way around: Germany are winning 5-0 and we're drawing and that will do and then Japan score and you're out."

For Moriyasu, the equation might similarly cause a bit of head-scratching. If Japan win, they are through. A draw could get them through, so long as Costa Rica don't win, or if Germany win by a single-goal margin and don't outscore the Samurai Blue on the day.

"Tomorrow is going to be a high-pressure game for all players but we must believe in ourselves," Moriyasu told his pre-match news conference.

"They must believe in themselves, they must. They must believe in their teammates in order to fight against our opponent. Hopefully, they will be at their best and the result will follow."

MORE: Group E: How things stand for Spain, Germany, Japan, Costa Rica

Japan confirmed starting 11

(4-2-3-1, right to left): Japan (3-4-3, right to left): 12. Gonda (GK) — 3. Taniguchi, 4. Itakura, 22. Yoshida — 5. Nagatomo, 3. Morita, 14. Ito, 17. Tanaka — 15. Kamada, 11. Kubo, 25. Maeda.

Spain confirmed starting 11

(4-3-3, right to left): Spain (4-3-3, right to left): 23. Simon (GK) — 2. Azpilicueta, 16. Rodri, 4. Pau, 14. Balde — 9. Gavi, 5. Busquets, 26. Pedri — 12. Williams, 7. Morata, 21. Olmo

MORE: BOTHROYD: Japan shocked the world with Germany win — and I couldn't be happier!

Japan vs Spain World Cup squads

Here are the names on Japan and Spain's World Cup squads in Qatar (caps correct as of the start of Qatar 2022):

Japan

Position Player Club Age Caps
Goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima Strasbourg (FRA) 39 95
Goalkeeper Shuichi Gonda Shimizu S-Pulse (JPN) 33 34
Goalkeeper Daniel Schmidt Sint-Truiden (BEL)  30 11
Defender Yuto Nagatomo Tokyo (JPN) 36 138
Defender Maya Yoshida Schalke (GER) 34 122
Defender Hiroki Sakai Urawa Red Diamonds (JPN)  32 72
Defender Takehiro Tomiyasu Arsenal (ENG) 23 29
Defender Miki Yamane Kawasaki Frontale (JPN) 28 15
Defender Shogo Taniguchi Kawasaki Frontale (JPN) 31 14
Defender Ko Itakura Borussia Monchengladbach (GER) 25 13
Defender Hiroki Ito Stuttgart (GER) 23 6
Midfielder Gaku Shibasaki Leganes (SPA) 30 60
Midfielder Wataru Endo Stuttgart (GER) 29 43
Midfielder Takumi Minamino Monaco (FRA) 27 44
Midfielder Junya Ito Reims (FRA) 29 38
Midfielder Ritsu Doan Freiburg (GER) 24 29
Midfielder Daichi Kamada Eintracht Frankfurt (GER) 26 22
Midfielder Takefusa Kubo Real Sociedad (SPA) 21 20
Midfielder Hidemasa Morita Sporting (POR) 27 17
Midfielder Ao Tanaka Fortuna Dusseldorf (GER) 24 15
Midfielder Kaoru Mitoma Brighton (ENG) 25 9
Midfielder Yuki Soma Nagoya Grampus (JPN) 25 8
Forward Takuma Asano Bochum (GER) 27 37
Forward Ayase Ueda Club Brugge (BEL) 24 11
Forward Daizen Maeda Celtic (SCO) 25 8
Forward Shuto Machino Shonan Bellmare (JPN) 23 4

Spain

Position Player Club Age Caps
Goalkeeper David Raya Brentford (ENG) 27 2
Goalkeeper Robert Sanchez  Brighton (ENG) 24 2
Goalkeeper Unai Simon Athletic Bilbao (SPA) 25 27
Defender Jordi Alba  Barcelona (SPA) 33 87
Defender Hugo Guillamon Valencia (SPA) 22 3
Defender Cesar Azpilicueta Chelsea (ENG) 33 42
Defender Dani Carvajal  Real Madrid (SPA) 30 31
Defender Eric Garcia Barcelona (SPA) 21 19
Defender Alejandro Balde* Barcelona (SPA) 19 0
Defender Aymeric Laporte Manchester City (ENG) 28 16
Defender Pau Torres Villarreal (SPA) 25 22
Midfielder Sergio Busquets Barcelona (SPA) 36 146
Midfielder Gavi Barcelona (SPA) 18 13
Midfielder Koke Atletico Madrid (SPA) 30 68
Midfielder Marcos Llorente  Atletico Madrid (SPA)  27 17
Midfielder Pedri Barcelona (SPA) 19 14
Midfielder Rodri Manchester City (ENG) 26 35
Midfielder Carlos Soler PSG (FRA) 25 12
Midfielder Dani Olmo RB Leipzig (GER) 24 25
Forward Marco Asensio Real Madrid (SPA) 26 30
Forward Ansu Fati Barcelona (SPA) 19 5
Forward Alvaro Morata  Atletico Madrid (SPA) 29 57
Forward Yeremi Pino Villarreal (SPA) 20 7
Forward Ferran Torres Barcelona (SPA) 22 31
Forward Nico Williams Athletic Bilbao (SPA) 20 3
Forward Pablo Sarabia Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) 30 25

*Alejandro Balde replaced the injured Jose Gaya 

Dom Farrell

Dom Farrell Photo

Dom is the senior content producer for Sporting News UK. He previously worked as fan brands editor for Manchester City at Reach Plc. Prior to that, he built more than a decade of experience in the sports journalism industry, primarily for the Stats Perform and Press Association news agencies. Dom has covered major football events on location, including the entirety of Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup in Paris and St Petersburg respectively, along with numerous high-profile Premier League, Champions League and England international matches. Cricket and boxing are his other major sporting passions and he has covered the likes of Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, Wladimir Klitschko, Gennadiy Golovkin and Vasyl Lomachenko live from ringside.