TOKYO - Former Japan captain Maya Yoshida has been called up for their World Cup send-off match against Iceland on May 31 in Tokyo, the Japan Football Association said Thursday.
The 37-year-old Los Angeles Galaxy center-back, who is not in Japan's 26-man squad for the tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States starting next month, will join Hajime Moriyasu's squad on Monday and remain with the team for a week until the game at MUFG Stadium.
"I've made the call-up to express my respect for Maya Yoshida's achievements and contributions to the Japan national team," Moriyasu said of Yoshida, who captained his side at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Yoshida, who has 126 caps for Japan and appeared in three straight World Cups starting in Brazil in 2014, played his final game to date in Qatar, a round-of-16 defeat on penalties against Croatia.
The JFA also said midfielder Daichi Kamada will only join the Samurai Blue squad on June 2 in Japan. His English club Crystal Palace will take on Spanish side Rayo Vallecano in the Conference League final in Germany on Wednesday.
