The high quality of football shown by Vietnam came as a surprise to Japan and there were the meeting between Philippe Troussier and Hiroshi Nanami behind the scene

In the first match of the Asian Cup, Japan played against Vietnam.

Although Japan secured a 4-2 win in the end, they were shocked when Vietnam took their lead in the 33rd minute making it 2-1 for the Southeast Asian side ranked 94th in the FIFA rankings.

Overall the football shown by Vietnam surprised many spectators and Japanese players as well.

In possession, each Vietnam player created triangles, evading Japan’s press with good technique and quick passing. After the match, Takefusa Kubo described the opponents and explained his feelings towards them.

“They were able to withstand Japan’s pressure because they were good at the first touch when they came inside. That’s why they can play like that and they wouldn’t lose the ball there. I think they had one or two of the best possession skills in Asia.”

On the other hand, when the ball was not in possession, Vietnam showed tight-knitted and well-trained defensive blocks.

The defender’s fine line control kept the whole team compact, and they pressed the ball holder in tandem. The defensive tactics of Philippe Troussier, who once led Japan, were beautifully expressed.

In late 90’s, Nanami once refused to be called up to the national team led by Philippe Troussier

By the way, the meeting of former colleagues was also discussed after the match – Troussier and Japan coach Hiroshi Nanami, two men who have a close and winding relationship.

Japan appointed Troussier as manager in September 1998, and in June of the following year, the national team participated in the Copa America as a special guest nation.

The team’s number 10 was Nanami at the time. It was in the second match against Paraguay that trouble broke out between the two.

The coach argued with Nanami at half-time over a dangerous moment in the game and ordered him to be replaced. After the game, Troussier spoke harshly to the media about his dissatisfaction with Nanami, saying that he was a player who would never be able to become a leader in his life. Furthermore, Nanami was in the next room to the interview area and heard directly what the coach said.

According to the number 10, who moved to Serie A side Venezia in the summer of the same year in a state of anger, he finally didn’t hear any apology from Troussier when he visited Nanami in Italy. Unable to contain his anger, Nanami finally refused to be called up to the national team once.

In February of the following year, however, Troussier’s attitude changed completely when he called up Nanami and the manager began to build a team with the playmaker at the centre.

In October 2000, Nanami led a young Japan team that included Naohiro Takahara, Junichi Inamoto and other members of that year’s Olympic team to win the Asian Cup in Lebanon, scoring 21 goals in six matches with an overwhelmingly strong performance.

Nanami’s beautiful goal against Iraq in the quarter-finals from Shunsuke Nakamura’s free kick is still talked about today. Nanami was also awarded the MVP of the tournament.

More than 23 years later, Japanese fans were left in an emotional mood when a picture of the two embracing was tweeted from the official tournament account of X.

Japan national team, assisted by Nanami, is pushing towards the top level of the world while Troussier talked about the potential of Vietnam.

“We are in the process of instilling a new process, a new philosophy, to become a top ten team in Asia. We can be a team that can win in Asia.”

It will be interesting to see how Japan and Vietnam fare in the Asian Cup.