Both Japan and Spain can win the group or be knocked out of the World Cup when they face off and Group E is set to be a tense finish.
La Roja currently top the group but they can still be eliminated if they lose their final game and Costa Rica beat Germany.
A draw will be enough to send Luis Enrique’s side through, although they will be hoping they can progress to the last 16 as group winners.
For Japan, they can also take top spot if they beat Spain, but if they lose they will be knocked out of the competition at the group stages.
However, just like their opponents, a point would be enough if Costa Rica and Germany also draw their game.
Japan vs Spain: talkSPORT coverage
This Group E clash will take place on Thursday, December 1.
The game will be played at the Khalifa International Stadium and will kick off at 7pm.
talkSPORT 2 will provide live coverage of the match presented by Adrian Durham and with commentary from Jim Proudfoot and former England defender Stuart Pearce.
talkSPORT World Cup 2022 Coverage
talkSPORT is bringing you wall-to-wall coverage of the 2022 World Cup.
We are broadcasting all 64 games in the tournament live, with over 600 hours of coverage across our network.
You can tune in to talkSPORT and talkSPORT 2 via our free online streaming service at talkSPORT.com.
talkSPORT is widely available across the UK via DAB digital radio and on 1089 or 1053 AM.
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Japan vs Spain: Squads
Japan squad
- Goalkeepers: Shuichi Gonda, Daniel Schmidt, Eiji Kawashima
- Defenders: Miki Yamane, Hiroki Sakai, Maya Yoshida, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Shogo Taniguchi, Ko Itakura, Hiroki Ito, Yuto Nagatomo, Yuta Nakayama
- Midfielders: Wataru Endo, Hidemasa Morita, Ao Tanaka, Gaku Shibasaki, Kaoru Mitoma, Daichi Kamada, Ritsu Doan, Junya Ito, Takumi Minamino, Takefusa Kubo, Yuki Soma
- Forwards: Daizen Maeda, Takuma Asano, Ayase Ueda
Spain squad
- Goalkeepers: Unai Simon, Robert Sanchez, David Raya
- Defenders: Cesar Azpilicueta, Dani Carvajal, Aymeric Laporte, Eric Garcia, Jordi Alba, Pau Torres, Jose Gaya, Hugo Guillamon
- Midfielders: Sergio Busquets, Rodri, Gavi, Pedri, Carlos Soler, Koke, Marcos Llorente
- Forwards: Ferran Torres, Alvaro Morata, Marco Asensio, Ansu Fati, Nico Williams, Pablo Sarabia, Yeremy Pino, Dani Olmo
Japan vs Spain: Match facts
- Álvaro Morata has scored in both of his appearances for Spain at the 2022 World Cup, with both goals coming as a substitute. Only one player has ever scored in his first three World Cup appearances for Spain, with Telmo Zarra doing so in 1950.
- No player has had more shots (7) or created more chances (2) for Japan at the 2022 World Cup than Takuma Asano. Indeed, the 28-year-old scored one of Japan’s only two goals at the tournament so far, with his strike against Germany on MD1 being the winning goal (2-1).
- Among all teams in Group E at the 2022 World Cup, no player has been involved in more open play sequences ending in shots (14) or goals (4) than Spain’s Dani Olmo.
- Japan have conceded one goal in both of their games at the 2022 World Cup. Against Germany on MD1, they faced 26 shots, nine on target and had an xG against of 3.1, while against Costa Rica last time out, they conceded the same amount despite facing only four shots, one on target and having an xG against of 0.1.
- Japan could qualify for the knockout stages in consecutive World Cup tournaments for the first time in their history. In that event, Hajime Moriyasu would be the third Japanese manager to lead Japan into the knockout stages of a World Cup tournament, after Takeshi Okada in 2010 and Akira Nishino in 2018.
- Spain are now unbeaten in their last seven matches at the World Cup (W3 D4) – only once in their history have they had a longer run in the competition without suffering defeat (10 games between 1998 and 2006).
- Japan have lost three of their last four World Cup matches (W1), as many as in their previous nine games at the tournament (W3 D3), while they are looking to avoid failing to score in consecutive World Cup matches for the first time since 1998 (vs Argentina and Croatia).
- Spain have won their final group game in eight of their last nine participations in the FIFA World Cup, with the exception being a 2-2 draw with Morocco last time out in 2018.
- Spain have never lost in five previous FIFA World Cup matches against Asian opposition (W3 D2), though they were eliminated via penalties by Korea Republic in 2002 following one of those draws.
- Spain won their only previous meeting with Japan in all competitions, winning a friendly match 1-0 in April 2001.
Watch the World Cup with talkSPORT
At talkSPORT we are powered by fans, so come and join us for the ultimate World Cup fan experience this winter – at the talkSPORT Fan Zone.
In a huge indoor venue under the arches at Waterloo in London, we’ll bring you live screenings of every World Cup game.
There will be Q&As with talkSPORT talent, you’ll be part of our live broadcasts, and there will be plenty of food and drink on offer too.
Come and enjoy the best World Cup fan experience in London – and enjoy a pint on us – with tickets for all remaining games on sale HERE!
