Know more about Hajime Moriyasu, the manager of the Japan national football team, as the 57-year-old head coach is making waves online after Japan’s thrilling 2-2 draw against Netherlands
For unversed, earlier Japan faced off tournament-favorite Netherlands in Dallas, Texas on June 14, 2026, wherein the Japanese team made a thrilling 2-2 draw.
After their impressive performance, football fans took to social media to praise the head coach of Japan Men’s National Football team, Hajime Moriyasu, and to share how he was supporting his team, as he was caught holding a “Whiteboard Countdown.”
Whos is Hajime Moriyasu, Japan football team’s head coach
🇯🇵📋 The Moriyasu masterclass.
During Japan's World Cup opener against the Netherlands, the manager was spotted delivering tactical instructions the old-school way — whiteboard in hand. 👏😂
And it worked, because they scored in the 89th minute. pic.twitter.com/a8mgUtznTL https://t.co/elCnWcTdhk
— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Footballtweet) June 15, 2026
Earlier during the match, when Hajime Moriyasu couldn’t get his voice heard over the roaring crowd of nearly 70,000 fans. Instead of shouting, the head coach of the team pulled out a handheld whiteboard flashed with numbers from down 3 to 1.
The clips of the moment from the match has taken over the internet like a storm.
Who is Hajime Moriyasu?
Hajime Moriyasu is a former football player and the current head coach of the Japan national football team.
Born in Kakegawa, Shizuoka, Japan, on August 23, 1968, Moriyasu grew up in Nagasaki and completed his secondary education at Nagasaki Nihon University Junior and Senior High School.
Following his graduation in 1986, the former player decided not to attend a traditional university.
His standout performance at the high-school football level, immediately earned him a path in the professional football world, leading him to join Mazada club in 1987.
Career
Moriyasu had a stable playing career from 1987 to 2003, before transitioning into managerial career in 2004.
Standing at 1.74m that is 5 feet 9 inches, Moriyasu played as a midfielder. The professional player played a total of 271 matches for Hiroshima.
In addition, he earned 35 caps for Japan between 1992 to 1996.
Managerial Career
🚨🇯🇵 𝗡𝗘𝗪: Cameras caught Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu giving instructions to his players using a whiteboard filled with numbers.
Japan appear to have several plays and tactical systems coded by numbers, possibly to surprise their opponents and keep their instructions hidden.… pic.twitter.com/Vi1RneGQYH
— The Touchline | 𝐓 (@TouchlineX) June 15, 2026
Moriyasu began his managerial career in 2004. In his first, major managerial role, he led Hiroshima to three J1 league championships within 4 years.
He was appointed as the head coach of the Japan national football team in 2018, leading his team to the finals of the AFC Asian Cup 2019 before losing to Qatar.
Furthermore, he achieved a round of 16 appearances at the FIFA World Cup 2022 and a Qatar final loss in the AFC Asian Cup 2023. Previously, Moriyasu made headlines after he became the first manager in Japanese history to be retained for a consecutive cycle.
Salary & Net Worth
At the time of writing this article, Hajime Moriyasu’s net worth is estimated to be between $4 million to $6 million. Although, there is no verifiable figure of Hajime Moriyasu’s salary, reports suggest his annual salary to be somewhat around $1.1 million.
Despite his elite international track record, the head coach of the Japan’s national football team ranks amongst the lower-middle tier of manager salaries at the 2026 tournament comparatively to European and American counterparts.
Though his contract includes substantial performance based incentives tied to World Cup advancement and championship placement.
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