Midfielder Koji Nakata.

The seven time J-League champion squad will go to Vietnam with nine players in the national squad of Japan and two Brazilian players, led by coach Toninho Cerezo.

The seven national players include: goalkeeper Hitoshi Sogahata, defenders Daiki Iwamasa, Kazuya Yamamura and Daigo Nishi, midfielders Takeshi Aoki, Koji Nakata, Masaghi Motoyama, Takuya Honda and Mitsuo Ogasawara. Of these, midfielders Mitsuo Ogasawara and Koji Nakata used to be the mainstays of the national football team of Japan for a long time. In addition, striker Carlos Alberto Carvalho dos Anjos Junior played for the Palmeiras FC and a member of the U20 squad of Brazil.

The most prominent face in the team is coach Toninho Cerezo, who wore the jersey of the national team of Brazil for 57 times and was an important member of Selecao FC under coach Tele Santana at Espana 1982. At that time, the quartet Zico - Socrates - Falcao - Cerezo subverted the world’s football, but unfortunately, the team failed to Italy 2-3 in the second round though Brazil was evaluated as the number one candidate for the championship.

In its letter sent to the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF), Kashima Antlers committed to bring its best lineup to Vietnam but also said that as the J-League is ongoing, several players may be injured and cannot go to Vietnam at the last minute.

If Kashima Antlers brings the strong team to Vietnam as it committed, it will be a very valuable opportunity for Vietnam’s U23 team to learn experience from the guest.

The preliminary list of Kashima Antlers to Vietnam:

Goalkeepers: Akihiro Sato, Hitoshi Sogahata, Shinichiro Kawamata

Defenders: Daiki Iwamasa, Kazuya Yamamura, Gen Shoji, Takanori Maeno, Daigo Nishi, Naomichi Ueda, Yukitoshi Ito, Ryuga Suzuki, Naoki Yagi

Midfielders: Takeshi Aoki, Koji Nakata, Masaghi Motoyama, Takuya Honda, Gaku Shibasaki, Yasushi Endoh, Takahide Umebachi, Shoma Doi, Ryuta Miyauchi, Daishi Kawashima, Takuya Nozawa, Mitsuo Ogasawara

Strikers: Davi José do Nascimento Silva, Carlos Alberto Carvalho Junior dos Anjos, Yuya Osako, Atsutaka Nakamura, Yoshiki Nakagawa, Yuta Toyokawa

Coach: Toninho Cerezo

Vietnamnet