Keisuke Honda announced his retirement from international football following Japan's elimination from the World Cup at the hands of Belgium on Monday night.
Asia's representatives are once again heading home before the business end of the World Cup gets going.
Akira Nishino's short time in charge of Japan has been defined by a succession of gambles and so it was perhaps fitting that his side departs the World Cup after risking it all in the last 16 against Belgium.
Belgium go into Monday's World Cup last 16 match against Japan full of confidence but wary that relying on individual talent against similarly well-organised but less fancied teams has cost them dear in the past.
Senegal became the first team in World Cup history to be eliminated on yellow cards after finishing level with Japan on points, goal difference and goals scored in Group H on Thursday.
England hold no fear for World Cup last 16 opponents Colombia, said the South American side's coach Jose Pekerman.
Senegal, nicknamed the Lions, lost 1-0 to their South American opponents, despite being the better side in the first half and having a penalty decision overturned. Senegal lost out on a second spot in the group to Japan because of a worse disciplinary record.
In Tokyo's trendy Shibuya, elated supporters streamed out of sports bars after the final whistle at around 1 a.m. local time, the sound of horns and "Nippon" chants filling the streets as they converged upon the district's iconic pedestrian scramble.
Colombia will miss Rodriguez's creativity and ability on the ball if he misses their last-16 encounter after they laboured to breakdown Senegal before Yerry Mina's bullet header in the 74th minute sealed a dramatic win.
The points table of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
apan, needing only a draw to reach the knockout phase of the World Cup, were being held to a goalless draw at halftime by already-eliminated Poland in their final Group H match on Thursday.
Poland coach Adam Nawalka said his team had needed to beat Japan in their final World Cup match on Thursday to prove they were not quitters and bring some joy to their country's football fans after a miserable campaign in Russia.
Colombia have been a mixed bag at the tournament.
Yerry Mina's header secured Colombia a 1-0 win over Senegal in Samara on Thursday to clinch their safe passage to the last 16 as they finished top of Group H, while Senegal missed out to Japan on a fair play tiebreaker.
Germany's exit has no bearing on England preparations for the World Cup latter stages and they will be going all out to win their final Group G match against Belgium, coach Gareth Southgate said on Wednesday.
Colombia's James Rodriquez is once again looking to showcase his skills at the showpiece event and remind the world of his talent.
England and Belgium, already qualified from World Cup Group G, meet on Thursday in what Belgian midfielder Marouane Fellaini says could be a "strange match". Depending on the outcome of other games, it may not be an advantage to finish top of the group, but both sides insist they won't take such calculations into account.
Allowing a lead to twice slip from their grasp in their last World Cup game could come back to haunt Senegal when they face Colombia in a decisive Group H clash in Samara on Thursday.
A revived Japan go into Thursday's decisive Group H match against an already-eliminated Poland knowing a draw would be sufficient to advance to the knockout rounds after they beat Colombia and drew with Senegal in their opening fixtures.
The South Americans face Senegal in a decisive Group H clash in Samara on Thursday.
Blue Samurai will not think about playing for a draw to qualify for the World Cup's knockout rounds, according to captain Makoto Hasebe.
England and Belgium face a World Cup conundrum ahead of Thursday's crunch in Kaliningrad
Senegal coach Aliou Cisse with the long braided hair and rock-star looks has provoked intense interest among women across Russia.
The top two teams in each group go into the last 16. In the case of teams finishing level on points, FIFA has put in place seven tie-breakers starting with goal difference and then the number of goals scored in all group matches.
It was perhaps fitting that the World Cup match between Senegal and Japan - whose fans have received international acclaim for their cleanliness in the stadium - ended in a thrilling 2-2 draw on Sunday in Yekaterinburg.
Colombia's World Cup campaign roared back into life with a 3-0 win over Poland in Group H on a sweltering evening at the Kazan Arena which sent the Poles tumbling out of the tournament on Sunday.
Japan twice came from behind to draw 2-2 with Senegal in their World Cup Group H encounter on Sunday.
Stones headed England in front in the eighth minute, losing his marker to angle home a Kieran Trippier corner before captain Kane made it 2-0 in the 22nd minute with his third goal of the tournament, an emphatically struck penalty after Jesse Lingard was pushed over in the box by Fidel Escobar.
Two Swiss government ministers have backed national team players Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri after their controversial goal celebrations in Friday's 2-1 World Cup win over Serbia.
Three South American sides have accounted for almost half of all World Cup titles but their worst overall performance since 2002 has raised the question: Is South American football on the wane?
The Jose Pekerman-coached team closed ranks on Friday, undertaking a private training session at their ski resort base outside of Kazan and declining to comment on the Colombian police probe and their preparations for Poland, who were upset 1-0 by Senegal in their opener.
Sampaoli looked morose after Argentina's heaviest defeat in a World Cup group stage since 1958 and appeared resigned to his side's fate.
The many moods of the fans at the World Cup in Russia
Poland will make changes for their match against Colombia and start 'more aggressively' in what will be a key match against opponents who also lost their opening contest, striker Dawid Kownacki said on Thursday.
Japan basked in the glow of its World Cup soccer team's historic win over Colombia, a victory that has lifted the nation's mood after an earthquake struck its second-biggest metropolis Osaka.
Rediff.com takes you back to the five own goals scored at the ongoing FIFA World Cup...
Senegal took full advantage of their opponents' errors to beat Poland 2-1 in their opening Group H match, finally giving Africa something to cheer about at the World Cup as the group favourites failed to fire.
Germany's surprise loss to Mexico could create a strange situation in Group G where England and Belgium may face a theoretically easier path to the last four if they finish second rather than top of the standings.
Belgium coach Roberto Martinez declared himself delighted with a 3-0 win over World Cup debutants Panama but there were plenty of issues that will encourage England after their own winning start in Group G.
Colombian soccer supporters brought a wave of tropical exuberance to the stolid citizens of Saransk
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