AP Photo 8 months ago

Japan's Yuji Nakazawa, left, and Bahrain's Jaycee John battle for the ball during their 2010 World Cup group 1 qualifying soccer match at Saitama Stadium in Saitama, near Tokyo, Saturday, March 28, 2009.

Japan's Shunsuke Nakamura (C) celebrates with teammates Yuji Nakazawa (L) and Tatsuya Tanaka after scoring against Bahrain during their 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying soccer match in Saitama, north of Tokyo, March 28, 2009.

Japan's Shunsuke Nakamura (C) celebrates with teammates Yuji Nakazawa (L) and Tatsuya Tanaka after scoring against Bahrain during their 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying soccer match in Saitama, north of Tokyo, March 28, 2009.

Japan's Shunsuke Nakamura (C) celebrates with teammates Yuji Nakazawa (L) and Tatsuya Tanaka after scoring against Bahrain during their 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying soccer match in Saitama, north of Tokyo, March 28, 2009.

AP Photo 8 months ago

Japan's Shunsuke Nakamura, center, celebrates with his teammate Yuji Nakazawa, left, and Tatsuya Tanaka after scoring a goal against Bahrain during their 2010 World Cup group 1 qualifying soccer match at Saitama Stadium in Saitama, near Tokyo, Saturday, March 28, 2009.

AP Photo 8 months ago

Japan's Shunsuke Nakamura, center, celebrates with his teammate Yuji Nakazawa, left, and Tatsuya Tanaka after scoring a goal against Bahrain during their 2010 World Cup group 1 qualifying soccer match at Saitama Stadium in Saitama, near Tokyo, Saturday, March 28, 2009.

AP Photo 1 week ago

Japan's national soccer team players pose for photographers prior to the Asian Group One 2010 World Cup qualifying soccer match against Bahrain at Saitamal Stadium near Tokyo, Japan, Saturday, March 28, 2009.

Yuji Nakazawa of Japan (R) fights for the ball with Benni McCarthy of South Africa during their international friendly soccer match at the Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth November 14, 2009.

Yuji Nakazawa of Japan controls the ball during their international friendly soccer match against South Africa at the Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth November 14, 2009.

Yuji Nakazawa of Japan (R) fights for the ball with Reneilwe Letsholonyane of South Africa during their international friendly soccer match at the Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth November 14, 2009.

AP Photo 2 weeks ago

Members of Japan's national soccer team and coach Takeshi Okada, wearing gray suit in front center, pose for a photo session during the public unveiling event of their new uniforms designed for 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, in Tokyo, Japan, Monday, Nov. 9, 2009.

AP Photo 2 weeks ago

Japan's national soccer team coach Takeshi Okada, second right in front row, smiles with his players during the public unveiling event of their uniform designed for 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, in Tokyo, Japan, Monday, Nov. 9, 2009.

AP Photo 1 month ago

Togo's Liabe Kpatoumbi, right, battles for the ball against Japan's Yuji Nakazawa in the air during their friendly soccer match in Rifu, northern Japan, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009. Japan won the match 5-0.

AP Photo 1 month ago

Japan's Takayuki Morimoto (28) celebrates with his teammates Kengo Nakamura (14),Yuji Nakazawa ,(22) and Shinji Okazaki after scoring a goal during their friendly soccer match against Togo, in Rifu northern Japan Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009.

Getty Images 1 month ago

Japan's starting football players (top L-R) Shusaku Nishikawa, Makoto Hasebe, Shunsuke Nakamura, Yuji Nakazawa, Marcus Tulio Tanaka, and (bottom L-R) Yuichi Komano, Yuto Nagatomo, Yasuhito Endo, Shinji Okazaki, Yoshito Okubo and Keiji Tamada pose for photographers prior to their Asian C...

Japan's national soccer team members pose prior to their Asian Cup qualifier against Hong Kong in Shizuoka, southwest of Tokyo, October 8, 2009.

Japan's Yuji Nakazawa (C) celebrates with his teammates Yoshito Okubo (R) and Daisuke Matsui after scoring a goal against Hong Kong during their Asian Cup qualifying soccer match in Shizuoka, southwest of Tokyo, October 8, 2009.

Japan's Yuji Nakazawa (C) celebrates with his teammates Yoshito Okubo (R) and Daisuke Matsui after scoring a goal against Hong Kong during their Asian Cup qualifying soccer match in Shizuoka, southwest of Tokyo, October 8, 2009.

AP Photo 2 months ago

Yuji Nakazawa of Japan tries to stop the ball, as Asamoah Gyan of Ghana, left, scores the second goal during the international friendly soccer match at Galgewaard stadium in Utrecht, central Netherlands, Wednesday Sept. 9, 2009.

The Netherlands' Klaas Jan Huntelaar (L) challenges Japan's captain Yuji Nakazawa during their friendly soccer match in Enschede September 5, 2009.

Nigel de Jong of the Netherlands (L) fights for the ball with Yuji Nakazawa of Japan during their friendly soccer match in Enschede September 5, 2009.

Netherlands' Robin van Persie (L) challenges Japan's captain Yuji Nakazawa during their friendly soccer match in Enschede September 5, 2009.

AP Photo 2 months ago

Klaas Jan Huntelaar, left, scores the 3rd goal for The Netherlands as Japan's Yuji Nakazawa, right, tries to intercept, during the friendly soccer match Netherlands versus Japan in Enschede, eastern Netherlands, Saturday Sept. 5, 2009.

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar of the Netherlands (C) scores past goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima (L) and Yuji Nakazawa (R) of Japan during their friendly soccer match in Enschede September 5, 2009.

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar of the Netherlands (L) shoots to score past goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima (L) and Yuji Nakazawa (R) of Japan during their friendly soccer match in Enschede September 5, 2009.