Injured Mitoma Left Out Of Japan World Cup Squad

Brighton winger Kaoru Mitoma has been left out of Japan’s 26-man squad for the World Cup this summer.

The 28-year-old sustained a hamstring injury in the Seagulls’ 3-0 win against Wolves last weekend and will miss the club’s final two Premier League games of the season against Leeds United and Manchester United.

Japan, in Group F, begin their tournament against the Netherlands on 14 June before games against Tunisia on 21 June and Sweden five days later.

Manager Hajime Moriyasu named his squad on Friday, with Liverpool’s Wataru Endo, Crystal Palace’s Daichi Kamada, Ao Tanaka of Leeds and Celtic’s Daizen Maeda all included.

Speaking after the announcement, an emotional Hajime said Japan had lost “a major presence” in Mitoma.

“This will hurt him more than it hurts anyone,” he added.

“I hope once he gets over this, he will recover as quickly as possible and get back to playing with total freedom.”

On Thursday, Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler said the club “really have to be patient” with Mitoma’s injury, adding “we cannot give a clear schedule” as to when he will be fit again.

The expanded 48-team World Cup starts on 11 June and is being co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Japan squad in full:

Goalkeepers: Tomoki Hayakawa (Kashima Antlers), Keisuke Osako (Sanfrecce Hiroshima), Aya Suzuka (Parma Calcio).

Defenders: Yuto Nagatomo (FC Tokyo), Shogo Taniguchi (Sint-Truiden), Ko Itakura (Ajax), Tsuyoshi Watanabe (Feyenoord), Takehiro Tomiyasu (Ajax), Hiroki Ito (Bayern Munich), Ayumu Seko (Le Havre AC), Yukinari Sugawara (Werder Bremen), Junosuke Suzuki (FC Copenhagen).

Midfielders: Wataru Endo (Liverpool), Junya Ito (Genk), Daichi Kamada (Crystal Palace), Koki Ogawa (NEC Nijmegen), Daizen Maeda (Celtic), Ritsu Doan (Eintracht Frankfurt), Ao Tanaka (Leeds United), Kaishu Sano (Mainz 05), Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad)

Forwards: Ayase Ueda (Feyenoord), Keito Nakamura (Stade de Reims), Ito Suzuki (SC Freiburg), Kento Shiode (Wolfsburg), Keisuke Goto (Sint-Truiden).