World Cup

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World Cup | Last 16

Dec 5, 2022 at 3pm UK

Al Janoub Stadium

Japan
1 - 1
Croatia

Maeda (43')

FT
(aet)

Perisic (55')
Kovacic (90'), Barisic (116')

Croatia win 3-1 on penalties

Japan vs. Croatia: How do both squads compare ahead of World Cup clash?

By Adepoju Marvelous

Published: December 4 2022 | 23:43

Last updated: December 5 2022 | 09:00

Ahead of Monday's World Cup meeting between Japan and Croatia, Sports Mole looks at how both squads compare, including their most valuable and top-scoring players.

Japan will be looking to continue their impressive showing at the 2022 FIFA World Cup when they take on Croatia in Monday's last-16 meeting at the Al Janoub Stadium.

Hajime Moriyasu's men beat two ex-world champions Spain and Germany en route to securing top spot in Group E with six points from their three outings.

On the other hand, Zlatko Dalic's men rode their luck in their final Group F contest against Belgium, which ended in a 0-0 draw and saw them finish as runners-up to Morocco.

Ahead of Monday's meeting between Japan and Croatia, Sports Mole looks at how the squads of the two nations stack up against each other.

JAPAN

Japan players pose for a team group photo before the match in September 2022 © Reuters

Most valuable player:
Daichi Kamada (£26m)

Overall squad value:
£133.4m

Most capped player:
Yuto Nagatomo (136)

Leading goalscorer:
Takumi Minamino (17)

Total caps:
962

Total goals:
90

Oldest player:
Eiji Kawashima (39)

Youngest player:
Takefusa Kubo (21)

Average age:
27.8

SQUAD IN FULL

Goalkeepers: Eiji Kawashima (Strasbourg), Shuichi Gonda (Shimizu S-Pulse), Daniel Schmidt (Sint-Truidense)

Defenders: Yuto Nagatomo (Tokyo FC), Maya Yoshida (Schalke 04), Hiroki Sakai (Urawa Red Diamonds), Shogo Taniguchi (Kawasaki Frontale), Miki Yamane (Kawasaki Frontale), Ko Itakura (Borussia Monchengladbach), Takehiro Tomiyasu (Arsenal), Hiroki Ito (Stuttgart)

Midfielders: Gaku Shibasaki (Leganes), Wataru Endo (Stuttgart), Junya Ito (Reims), Takumi Minamino (Monaco), Hidemasa Morita (Sporting Lisbon), Daichi Kamada (Eintracht Frankfurt), Yuki Soma (Nagoya Grampus), Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton & Hove Albion), Ritsu Doan (Freiburg), Ao Tanaka (Fortuna Dusseldorf), Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad)

Forwards: Takuma Asano (Bochum), Daizen Maeda (Celtic), Ayase Ueda (Cercle Brugge), Shuto Machino (Shonan Bellmare)

CROATIA

Croatia players line up before a Nations League game in September 2022 © Reuters

Most valuable player:
Josko Gvardiol (£52m)

Overall squad value:
£326.8m

Most capped player:
Luka Modric (158)

Leading goalscorer:
Andrej Kramaric (19)

Total caps:
1024

Total goals:
129

Oldest player:
Luka Modric (37)

Youngest player:
Luka Sucic (20)

Average age:
27.4

SQUAD IN FULL

Goalkeepers: Dominik Livakovic (Dinamo Zagreb), Ivo Grbic (Atletico Madrid), Ivica Ivusic (Osijek)

Defenders: Josip Stanisic (Bayern Munich), Borna Sosa (Stuttgart), Josko Gvardiol (RB Leipzig), Dejan Lovren (Zenit St Petersburg), Borna Barisic (Rangers), Domagoj Vida (AEK Athens), Josip Juranovic (Celtic), Martin Erlic (Sassuolo), Josip Sutalo (Dinamo Zagreb)

Midfielders: Luka Modric (Real Madrid), Mateo Kovacic (Chelsea), Marcelo Brozovic (Inter Milan), Mario Pasalic (Atalanta BC), Nikola Vlasic (Torino), Kristijan Jakic (Eintracht Frankfurt), Lovro Majer (Rennes), Luka Sucic (Red Bull Salzburg)

Forwards: Ivan Perisic (Tottenham Hotspur), Andrej Kramaric (Hoffenheim), Marko Livaja (Hajduk Split), Bruno Petkovic (Dinamo Zagreb), Mislav Orsic (Dinamo Zagreb), Ante Budimir (Osasuna)