Japan head coach Alberto Zaccheroni named a squad short on years for this summer's World Cup, but it's certainly not short on talent.
Manchester United's Shinji Kagawa (pictured above), Keisuke Honda of AC Milan and Inter Milan defender Yuta Nagatomo headline the 23-man roster that Zaccheroni bring with him to Brazil in a few weeks. Other notable players include Standard Liege goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima and Atsuto Uchida of Schalke 04.
Zaccheroni opted for mostly younger players, with only four on the roster older than 30. Veteran midfielder Yasuhito Endo is among that cadre of experienced charges, as is forward Yoshito Okubo.
GOALKEEPERS (3):
Eiji Kawashima (Standard Liege - Belgium / 31yrs)
Shusaku Nishikawa (Urawa Red Diamonds - Japan / 27yrs)
Shuichi Gonda (FC Tokyo - Japan / 25yrs)
DEFENDERS (8):
Masato Morishige (FC Tokyo - Japan / 26yrs)
Yasuyuki Konno (Gamba Osaka - Japan / 31yrs)
Yuto Nagatomo (Inter Milan - Italy / 27yrs)
Maya Yoshida (Southampton - England / 25yrs)
Masahiko Inoha (Jubilo Iwata - Japan / 19yrs)
Atsuto Uchida (Schalke - Germany / 26 yrs)
Hiroki Sakai (Hannover - Germany / 24 yrs)
Gotoku Sakai (Stuttgart - Germany / 23 yrs)
MIDFIELDERS (9):
Yasuhito Endo (Gamba Osaka - Japan / 34yrs)
Keisuke Honda (AC Milan - Italy / 27yrs)
Shinji Kagawa (Manchester United - England / 25yrs)
Makoto Hasebe (Nurnberg - Germany / 30yrs)
Hiroshi Kiyotake (Nurnberg - Germany / 24yrs)
Hotaru Yamaguchi (Cerezo Osaka - Japan / 23yrs)
Toshihiro Aoyama (Sanfrecce Hiroshima - Japan / 28yrs)
Manabu Saito (Yokohama F. Marinos - Japan / 24yrs)
Yoichiro Kakitani (Cerezo Osaka - Japan / 24yrs)
FORWARDS (3):
Shinji Okazaki (Mainz - Germany / 28yrs)
Yuya Osako (TSV 1860 Munich - Germany / 23yrs)
Yoshito Okubo (Kawasaki Frontale - Japan / 31yrs)
