Ao Tanaka

Ao Tanaka is the Leeds United midfielder named in Japan's 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup, confirmed by Hajime Moriyasu on 15 May 2026. He is 27 at kick-off and brings 37 senior caps and 8 international goals into the tournament, a central midfielder in a side captained by Wataru Endo.

Tanaka operates at the base of midfield, setting the tempo and breaking up play. He is best known internationally for scoring the winner against Spain at the 2022 World Cup. Japan came through their Asian qualifying group and landed in Group F with the Netherlands, Sweden and Tunisia, opening against the Netherlands in Arlington on 14 June. His passing range and tempo from deep give the midfield much of its rhythm.

Tanaka is a central midfielder who plays at the base of the midfield. He is a comfortable technician who sets the tempo with the weight of his passing and acts as a pivot to move the ball out of pressure.

Defensively he closes passing lanes and breaks up play in front of the back line. The role is about control and progression rather than getting forward, though he has shown he can arrive late with a decisive goal.

Tanaka's value sits at the base of Japan's midfield, where he sets the tempo and shields the back line — the control behind the mid-tier pick. Japan hold a Tier 3 place at £17m, having topped their Asian section, and face Sweden, the Netherlands and Tunisia across Group F.

Across the games Tanaka plays, the return is control more than goals: progressing the ball under pressure, closing passing lanes, and the occasional arrival that produced his winner over Spain in 2022.