Home shirt as worn for the Samurai Blue's 3rd consecutive World Cup. After storming through AFC qualification, a Japan squad featuring Hidetoshi Nakata, Junichi Inamoto and Shunsuke Nakamura failed to qualify from Group F. The side managed just a single point from a 0-0 stalemate with Croatia. In the opening fixture, Zico's side led until the 84th minute and conspired to lose 3-1 thanks to a Tim Cahill double turning the tide and John Aloisi adding another