【Lineage of Aces】Ihara → Nakata → Shunsuke → Honda → Kagawa → Kubo: A 30-Year History of the 'Number 10' Who Carried the Japan National Team
From the Tragedy of Doha in the 1990s to the 2026 World Cup, who has shouldered the role of ace for the Japan national team over more than 30 years? This column looks back generation by generation at the expectations placed on the 'Number 10' worn by Ihara Masami, Nakata Hidetoshi, Nakamura Shunsuke, Honda Keisuke, Kagawa Shinji, and today's Kubo Takefusa.
From the 1993 "Tragedy of Doha" to WC 2026, who has carried the ace role for the Japan national team over more than 30 years? Ihara → Nakata → Shunsuke → Honda → Kagawa → Kubo — a generational look back at the stories of the players who bore the weight of the "No. 10."
info The Ihara Generation (1992–1998) — The "Tragedy of Doha" and Japan's First World Cup
Ihara Masami (born 1967) served as team captain and made Japan's World Cup debut at the 1998 France tournament. As a defender in the early days of Japan Blue, he was an ace who compensated for what the team lacked through sheer experience against the world. He left his mark as the "face" of the squad.
sports_soccer The Nakata Generation (1998–2006) — The "Tempo" Needed to Compete with the World
Nakata Hidetoshi (born 1977, Perugia / Parma) wore the "No. 10" shirt at Japan's debut in France 1998 and was the ace of a generation that, uniquely, understood the "tempo needed to compete with the world." At the 2002 Korea/Japan tournament, he helped the team achieve Japan's first-ever World Cup group stage advancement. His ball touch was in a class of its own.
local_fire_department The Shunsuke Generation (2002–2010) — The "Magician" Who Astonished the World at Celtic
Nakamura Shunsuke (born 1978, Celtic / Espanyol and others) captivated the world with his pinpoint free kicks and precise right-foot passes. Winning the SPL MVP award in Scotland, he became the very "synonym for technique."
favorite The Honda & Kagawa Generation (2010–2018) — Keisuke and the "Dortmund" Twin Pillars
Honda Keisuke (born 1986, CSKA Moscow / Milan and others) was the ace who achieved World Cup goals in three consecutive tournaments (2010 vs. Cameroon · 2014 vs. Côte d'Ivoire · 2018 vs. Senegal). He demonstrated the "quality of a No. 10" and later etched his name into the global football scene as "Keisuke."
Kagawa Shinji (born 1989, Dortmund / Manchester United and others) carried on the lineage of the "dark horse." He was the No. 10 who contributed to two consecutive Bundesliga titles at Dortmund. The midfield partnership he formed with Honda was among the strongest in Japan Blue history.
star The Kubo Generation (2022–) — From "Boy Genius" to "World-Class No. 10"
Kubo Takefusa (born 2001, Real Sociedad) joined FC Barcelona's Infantil academy at age 10 and was praised even in Spain as "Japan's treasure." He was a key player in Japan's group stage advancement at the 2022 Qatar tournament, where they defeated Germany and Spain. Heading into 2026, his second World Cup, he has firmly established himself as the "Japanese No. 10 who holds a starting role in Spain."
local_fire_department How the "Ace" Has Evolved Across Generations
| Generation | Representative Player | Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| 1990s | Ihara Masami | Leadership as the team's "face" |
| Early 2000s | Nakata Hidetoshi | "Tempo" for competing with the world |
| Late 2000s | Nakamura Shunsuke | Synonym for "technique" |
| 2010s | Honda Keisuke / Kagawa Shinji | Keisuke and the Dortmund twin pillars |
| 2020s onward | Kubo Takefusa | World-class "individual ability" |
info Talking Points for Tomorrow
- "Japan's national team ace has evolved over 30 years from 'face → tempo → technique → Keisuke → world-class'"
- "Honda Keisuke scored in three consecutive World Cups — a No. 10 who gave everything to the World Cup"
- "Kubo Takefusa joined Barcelona at age 10. A talent raised and recognized in Spain as 'Japan's treasure'"
info Related Links
- article Japan National Team WC 2026 Full Squad of 26
- article 【SAMURAI BLUE by the Numbers #2】 12 World Cup Veterans · Over 900 Cumulative Caps
- article 【Who Represents Your Hometown?】 Prefecture Map