The image stuck long after the final whistle. Ao Tanaka, face hidden in his jersey, being consoled by Manchester United forward Matheus Cunha as Brazil celebrated their 2-1 World Cup victory over Japan on Tuesday night.
It was a cruel finish for Tanaka, who had been brought on deep into stoppage time with penalties looking inevitable. Japan had held firm for 90-plus minutes against a Brazil side that had struggled to break through. But then came one rushed clearance, one underhit pass on Brazil’s right flank, and the whole thing unraveled.
Bruno Guimaraes pounced on the loose ball, slipped it to Gabriel Martinelli, and the Arsenal winger beat Leeds target Zion Suzuki to send Brazil through. Tanaka, who had been introduced specifically to help Japan see out the draw and force extra time, watched it all unfold from just a few yards away.
According to FootballChanell.jp, Tanaka was inconsolable in the tunnel afterward. Teammates tried to lift him, and Cunha — who played against him in Japan’s domestic league years ago — made a point of finding him before the handshake line broke up.
A tough moment for a player who had been thriving
The frustrating part for Japan fans is that Tanaka had been one of their better performers in the tournament. He didn’t start the opener against the Netherlands — the game where Crysencio Summerville scored — but he’d earned a spot in central midfield for the next two matches and looked the part.
This wasn’t a howler, not really. It was a tired mistake in the 97th minute from a guy who’d been chasing Brazilian midfielders for 15 minutes. But at this level, you give Brazil one opening and they’ll take it. That’s exactly what happened.
Similar errors had crept into Tanaka’s game before, though nothing this costly. It’s the kind of moment that sticks with a player, especially one who had been building real momentum at the tournament.
What’s next for Tanaka
Leeds United, where Tanaka is under contract, will give him an extended break after the World Cup. The plan right now is for him to miss the start of Leeds’ preseason by a couple of weeks, giving him time to reset both physically and mentally.
Manager Daniel Farke has been supportive publicly, and the club hasn’t pushed back on Tanaka getting the time he needs. Whether that changes if Leeds have a slow start remains to be seen, but for now, the focus is on getting their midfielder back to the level he showed earlier in the competition.
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