Japan’s incredible 2-2 comeback draw against the Netherlands at the Dallas Stadium was more than a brilliant display of tactical resilience it was a declaration of their status as the kryptonite of elite European football sides on June 14. Hajime Moriyasu’s side came from behind twice to extend their incredible record of nine matches without defeat against UEFA opposition inside 90 minutes in Texas.
The impressive run, which has seen seven wins and two draws, is a testament to Japan’s meteoric rise on the world stage. What used to be a one-off giant-killing act is now officially a structural pattern of dominance over traditional powerhouse football nations.
The historic streak was started on the biggest stage of them all at the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar. Competing in a difficult “Group of Death”, the Samurai Blue stunned the world with back-to-back 2-1 comeback wins over continental heavyweights Germany and Spain. They eventually lost to Croatia in the Round of 16, but that game officially went down in the record books as a 1-1 tie in regulation time, setting the stage for a period of psychological supremacy.
| Date | Opponent | Competition | Result | Key Context |
| Nov 23, 2022 | Germany | FIFA World Cup 2022 | 2–1 Win | Stunned Germany in the group opener. |
| Dec 1, 2022 | Spain | FIFA World Cup 2022 | 2–1 Win | Topped the “Group of Death.” |
| Dec 5, 2022 | Croatia | FIFA World Cup 2022 | 1–1 Draw | Official 90-min draw (Croatia progressed on pens). |
| Sept 9, 2023 | Germany | International Friendly | 4–1 Win | Demolished Germany in Wolfsburg, costing Hansi Flick his job. |
| Sept 12, 2023 | Turkey | International Friendly | 4–2 Win | Dominant display in Genk. |
| Recent Friendly | Scotland | International Friendly | 1–0 Win | Clean sheet victory. |
| Recent Friendly | England | International Friendly | 1–0 Win | Historic victory over the Three Lions at Wembley Stadium. |
| Recent Friendly | Iceland | International Friendly | 1–0 Win | Kept the defensive momentum rolling. |
| Jun 14, 2026 | Netherlands | FIFA World Cup 2026 | 2–2 Draw | Fought back twice via Daichi Kamada’s late 88th-minute heroics. |
Japan didn’t let up the gas pedal after the tournament in Qatar They travelled to Wolfsburg in September 2023 and comprehensively beat Germany 4-1 on their own turf, in a historic result that led to the sacking of German manager Hansi Flick. Just three days later, Moriyasu’s side continued their European tear, sweeping past Turkey with a commanding 4-2 victory in Belgium.
The momentum carried easily into their pre-World Cup preparations with Japan recording three consecutive 1-0 clean sheet wins over Scotland, Iceland and most notably, a landmark victory over England at the iconic Wembley Stadium.
Japan’s deadly counter-pressing system is entirely untroubled by European tactical structures as they nullified Ronald Koeman’s Oranje in Dallas with goals from Keito Nakamura and an 88th-minute leveller from Daichi Kamada.
With a comfortable nine games unbeaten, Samurai Blue are now just one game away from achieving a perfect, historic 10-game milestone. Their chance to get to double figures arrives, rather conveniently, in their next Group F game, when they are scheduled to face-off against another European elite power, Sweden.
Debayan Bhattacharyya is a seasoned sports journalist and digital media professional, currently serving as the Chief Sub Editor at ITV Digital (NewsX). A true Football-Fanatic Bong, his professional journey began at Zee Media, where he kicked off his career as a Sub-Editor for the sports team at India.com and CricketCountry. His ability to blend insightful analysis with rapid-fire news delivery soon led him to Times Network, where he served as a Senior Copy Editor for Times Now. Before his current role at NewsX, Debayan spent a significant tenure at OneIndia’s MyKhel as a Senior Sub Editor.
