Why does a defeat concerning Japan's men's football team "explode" among Chinese fans?
When the whistle blew at the quarter-finals of the Asian Cup, Japan lost 1:2 to Iran and regretfully stopped in the top four. The Japanese players on the field looked dejected, while Chinese fans on the other end of the internet celebrated wildly, with endless jokes and comments full of teasing and sarcasm. This match, decided by Jahanbakhsh's penalty shootout, seemed not only a football event but also a mirror reflecting the depth of problems within Japan's men's football team, while simultaneously magnifying some of our psychological "weaknesses" to the extreme.
To discuss this defeat, let's first rewind time back to 2011, the same Asian Cup stage, where that year Japan's men's football team was at its peak. They cleanly defeated South Korea 3:0 in the semi-finals and eventually stood at the pinnacle. When facing Iran, Japan also easily won 2:0, preventing their opponents from advancing further. At that time, Japan's men's football team had sharp attacks and tough defense, earning them the title of "Light of Asia" from the outside world.
However, twelve years later today, Japan unexpectedly lost to the same opponent. Comparing the data again: In 2011, Japan's men's football team had stars like Keisuke Honda stationed in midfield and Eiji Kawashima firmly guarding the goal, making everything seem effortless. However, the current lineup, despite having agile new stars like Takefusa Kubo and Ritsu Doan, as well as European-based players adding brilliance, faltered at the critical moment. Especially goalkeeper Ayumi Ohata's multiple save failures were called "disastrous." The shortcomings in the goalkeeper position were exposed, coupled with overly conservative coaching tactics, making their defeat appear not accidental. Is this a "warning" for Japan's youth training system? It must be admitted that Japan's men's football team seems to be experiencing a "trough period."
The biggest winner of this match is Iran. In fact, this victory not only allowed them to enter the top four but also put an end to past historical grievances. Twelve years ago, facing a luxurious Japanese men's football team, they were powerless to resist. But this time, they proved with their strength: The progress of Iranian football in recent years is no joke.
It should be known that the rise of the Iranian men's football team has long been evident, especially the impressive 2018 Russia World Cup. In the group stage, they faced world-class giants Spain and Portugal but won world attention with their strong defense and calm decision-making—they even drew with Portugal, which had Cristiano Ronaldo, in the last game. This calm temperament of "fear of none" can be seen clearly in this Asian Cup match. Jahanbakhsh's decisive strike in the penalty shootout not only showed exquisite footwork but also reflected his mental toughness. It is precisely this pressure resistance ability through trials and tribulations that has enabled the Iranian team to return step by step to the top echelon of Asia.
However, in this match, another "stadium" that the camera did not capture was equally lively—the comment section of Chinese fans. Some joked, "Finally, the Japanese team tasted defeat!" Others started "joke mode," saying, "Sorry, Japanese team, I'm an Iranian spy!" Even under the Weibo hot search were all comments teasing Japanese players.
Faced with such revelry, one cannot help but ask: Where does the emotion of Chinese fans come from?
The answer is not difficult to find: The bleak current situation of China's men's football team makes it a hidden yet cathartic "compensation mentality" to mock others when unable to surpass them. Looking back at the recent confrontations between China and Japan, in the 2019 East Asian Cup, China's men's football team suffered a 0:2 defeat to Japan, and in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, they were suppressed again with a 0:2 loss. With such results in front of us, where does our confidence to mock the distinction between high and low come from? To put it bluntly, it's the same logic as "others scoring 95 points is too ordinary, while I score 60 points and still feel stable." The revelry of fans comes from emotional satisfaction, while behind it lies a certain psychological imbalance.
In addition to the confrontation on the field, another highlight of this match is the refereeing issue, especially the unfavorable calls against Japan, which sparked a lot of controversy among both sides' fans. From the interpretation of the match, some fans believe that the referee showed bias in certain boundary balls and free kicks, but to be fair, these calls may not have been decisive factors.
However, the refereeing issue is not unique to this match. In the Asian Cup and even the entire Asian football arena, controversies over refereeing decisions have a long history. For example, in the 2018 Asian Cup semi-finals, the refereeing in the match between South Korea and Qatar caused a huge uproar. Furthermore, in previous East Asian Cups, situations where powerful teams suffered due to inadequate adjustments by referees are countless. These issues indicate that the Asian refereeing management system still requires in-depth improvement; otherwise, similar controversies will continue to occur.
Looking at a broader scope, Iran's victory this time has solidified its status among traditional strong teams in Asia. They once created the glorious history of winning the Asian Cup three times in a row (1968-1976), and now they have advanced to the top four, which is both a rebirth and a return of the king. On the other hand, Japan, as the long-term leader in Asian football, appears particularly glaring in this defeat, as if to say: There are no permanent kings, and football needs constant renewal and replacement.
However, comparing these two top Asian teams, the performance of China's men's football team can only be described with four words—unworthy of mention. Since the loss in the 2004 Asian Cup final, China's men's football team has never found a presence in this competition, with a gap in strength that can be described as an "abyss." Yet, seeing the failure of competitors brings abnormal excitement, and this strong sense of disparity may be the real problem we need to face.
Looking back, we also need to understand that Japan's men's football team's loss is not simply an "accident" but a burst of years of hidden worries. From tactical conservatism to goalkeeper mistakes, these problems are not big, but they are enough to decide the outcome of the match. Now, Japanese football needs to rethink how to improve in detail, and this spirit of "self-revolution" may be the key to whether they can return to the peak.
Rather than mocking an opponent's failure, it is better to ask ourselves, where is our future?