On today’s episode of Greatest Games, in association with The Blizzard, Japanese football journalist Shinobu Yamanaka joins us to discuss a landmark match for his nation at the 2010 World Cup! 

Japan took the most talented squad they had ever assembled to the previous World Cup in Germany, but didn’t win a match and finished bottom of their group. They returned to the world stage in South Africa and seized their chance to qualify for the Round of 16 with an impressive win over Denmark. We discuss the Japanese public’s perception of this team after their courageous performance, the wizardry of Keisuke Honda and the bewitching - and infuriating - behaviour of that bloody Jabulani football.

For more stories from the annals of football history, visit www.theblizzard.co.uk to explore their archives that contain over 700 articles of stories just like this one!

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