4 min readJun 15, 2026 12:41 PM IST
First published on: Jun 15, 2026 at 12:41 PM IST
He seemed to be in tears when the Japanese national anthem played ahead of their thrilling 2-2 draw against the Netherlands in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He was communicating with his players with giant numbers scribbled on a white board. He was also scribbling away on his notepad leading to speculation over whether the latter was in fact the legendary “Deathnote” from the famous Japanese manga.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup may only be four days old but there is already quite the list of phenomena from the tournament that has gone viral in the world of social media. Japan’s stalwart manager Hajime Moriyasu has now become the latest addition to this bracket.
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The 57-year-old, leading Japan for the second time in a World Cup as head coach, was plastered on the internet through screenshots and video clips which showed him and his coaching staff holding up his white board with giant numbers written on them. Most speculated that this was Moriyasu’s way of telling his players how long is left in the half while others said it may have been code for tactical switches.
The move was a topic of conversation among ITV pundits as Laura Woods asked former Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou what he thought of it.
The Australian said: “Yeah I guess their timekeeping is good. Fantastic. I just wish they had something that said, ‘[be] brave’ and play more to their capabilities.
“They should be really happy with the 2-2. I know the capabilities they have. They can win these games by playing with a little bit more character.”
Gary Neville was then quizzed about whether he ever had the urge to tell his players what minute they were in when he was Valencia boss.
The Sky Sports pundit joked: “No, that wasn’t a tactic I deployed. When I saw a six board, that was the goals we conceded!”
Japan came from behind twice to earn a point against the Netherlands at the Dallas Stadium in what is possibly the most thrilling match of the World Cup thus far. While Japan were all smiles after the match, Moriyasu said it was unfortunate that they couldn’t get a win.
“The Netherlands was indeed a strong opponent,” said Moriyasu in the post-match press conference. “Although we only earned one point, the players fought as one until the end and successfully made two comebacks. I believe this match gave us confidence that we can secure points and victories if we maintain our performance.”
The draw leaves both teams well placed in a group that also contains Sweden and Tunisia, and offered a glimpse of why both arrived in North America with ambitions beyond merely reaching the knockout rounds. For long periods the Dutch looked the more polished side, controlling possession, creating the clearer chances and twice appearing to have the game won. Yet Japan matched them for belief, organisation and resilience.
(left) Japan head coach Hajame Moriyasu when the national anthem was being played ahead of their 2026 FIFA World Cup match against the Netherlands. (AP/Twitter screenshot) 
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