Japan head coach Akira Nishino named an experienced final 23-man squad for the 2018 World Cup in Russia on Thursday.
Images from the FIFA World Cup match between Ivory Coast and Japan.
Asian champions Japan became the first side to qualify for the World Cup finals in Brazil when playmaker Keisuke Honda scored an injury-time penalty to claim a 1-1 draw with Australia in Saitama on Tuesday.
David Villa and Wesley Sneijder, with five goals each, head the list of the goal scorers at the 2010 World Cup.
David Villa and Wesley Sneijder, with five goals each, head the list of the goal scorers at the 2010 World Cup.
David Villa and Wesley Sneijder, with five goals each, head the list of the goal scorers at the 2010 World Cup.
It was a belated birthday celebration for Japan's makeshift striker Keisuke Honda, who helped Japan beat Cameroon 1-0 on Monday.
And just what were these cool guys discussing?
Keisuke Honda scored one goal and made another in a scintillating performance for Japan on Thursday but said he is not satisfied with guiding his team into the last 16 at the World Cup finals.
Japan, needing only a draw with the Danes to reach the last 16, took a 2-0 half-time lead thanks to two direct free kicks, the first a spectacular long range effort from Keisuke Honda in the 17th minute, the second a curling shot from the edge of the box by Yasuhito Endo.
Images from Monday's football World Cup match between Japan and Cameroon.
Keisuke Honda carried Japan to their first World Cup finals victory on foreign soil when he scored the goal which beat Cameroon 1-0 in a Group E match on Monday.
CSKA Moscow upset Sevilla 2-1 on Tuesday to send the Russian team into the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in 17 years.
Japan twice came from behind to draw 2-2 with Senegal in their World Cup Group H encounter on Sunday.
Coach Maurizio Sarri was sent off as Napoli wasted a chance to return to the top of Serie A when they were held 1-1 at home by AC Milan in a tense encounter.
AC Milan scraped a 1-0 win over third tier Alessandria thanks to a Mario Balotelli penalty, his first goal for four months, in the first leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final.
Akira Nishino deployed a new formation but endured a disappointing first match in charge with a 2-0 defeat by Ghana
Akira Nishino's short time in charge of Japan has been defined by a succession of gambles and so it was perhaps fitting that his side departs the World Cup after risking it all in the last 16 against Belgium.
The FIFA World Cup at Russia saw a variety of celebrations -- from the weird to some fancy dance moves -- Rediff.com has got it all covered here...
Two quickfire headed goals from Wilfried Bony and Gervinho helped Ivory Coast recover to beat Japan 2-1 on Saturday as their bid for a first appearance in the World Cup knockout stages got off to a fine start.
AC Milan's troubles continued when they conceded an equaliser in the fifth minute of stoppage time and were held 2-2 by modest visitors Verona in Serie A on Saturday.
Holders Japan enjoyed a Monday stroll in the Newcastle breeze as they swatted aside the meagre challenge of outsiders Palestine to kick off their Asian Cup title defence with a 4-0 victory.
Belgium fought back from two goals down to beat Japan 3-2 with an added-time goal from substitute Nacer Chadli on Monday to set up a World Cup quarter-final with Brazil.
Keisuke Honda announced his retirement from international football following Japan's elimination from the World Cup at the hands of Belgium on Monday night.
Neymar scored all four goals in a sumptuous display for Brazil as the five-times world champions routed an under-strength Japan 4-0 in a friendly in Singapore on Tuesday to maintain Dunga's perfect start since returning as coach.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
FIFA says it 'strongly rebukes' Argentina great Diego Maradona's comments that England's win over Colombia was a robbery
Nineteen-year-old forward Domenico Berardi scored four quickfire goals to give Sassuolo a 4-3 win over AC Milan on Sunday after they overturned an early two-goal deficit against the seven-times European champions.
China's hopes of qualifying for next year's World Cup finals hang by the thinnest of threads after an injury time goal from Ahmed Al Saleh saw Syria hold Marcello Lippi's team to a 2-2 draw on Tuesday evening.
Juventus striker Carlos Tevez struck to give the Serie A champions a 1-0 win over AC Milan on Saturday, handing coach Massimiliano Allegri a winning return to San Siro where he was shown the door eight months ago.
AC Milan clung on to beat Parma 5-4 away in Serie A on Sunday despite an dreadful defensive display which included Mattia De Sciglio scoring an extraordinary own goal from near the halfway line late in the match.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Holders Bayern Munich eased past CSKA Moscow 3-1 on Wednesday to set a Champions League record with their 10th straight victory and underline their ambitions to become the first team to successfully defend the title.
Marcelo Lippi's first game as China coach ended in a 0-0 draw with Qatar in a World Cup qualifier in Kunming on Tuesday, seriously damaging both team's hopes of reaching the finals in Russia.
South Korea squandered a chance to book their spot at next year's World Cup finals on Thursday after a 0-0 draw with 10-man Iran left their qualification hopes precariously balanced.
The mesmerising moments that made the 2018 FIFA World Cup a blockbuster worldwide.
Andy Murray clinched the Vienna Open title on Sunday with a 5-7, 6-2, 7-5 victory over David Ferrer, one of the Briton's main rivals in the battle to qualify for the ATP World Tour Finals.
Luis Suarez returned for Uruguay for the first time since his infamous World Cup biting incident and scored in a 1-1 friendly draw against Saudi Arabia.
An inspired performance from Douglas Costa helped Brazil to a 3-0 win over Peru on Tuesday and lifted them into third place in the South American qualifying group for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
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