Watanabe mentioned the confrontation with the Netherlands and the departure of Van Persie

Feyenoord player Tsuyoshi Watanabe is eagerly awaiting Japan's first World Cup match against the Netherlands next Sunday. The defender appreciated the strength of the Netherlands, as he shared four days before the match. Watanabe also mentioned the departure of Robin van Persie at Feyenoord.

One of five players in Japan's World Cup squad who played in the Eredivisie last season, Watanabe said if he returns to Rotterdam this summer he will no longer see Van Persie. "It's a pity that he was fired," Watanabe said in an interview with Japanese media Gekisaka. "The coach put a lot of trust in me and Ayase (Ueda). We went through many good and bad times together, but in the end we still finished second and qualified for the Champions League group stage. We talked about doing better together next season, but now he has left. I don't know the exact reason from the club management, but I regret that decision."

Watanabe is now focused on the start of the World Cup, with the match against the Netherlands in Kansas City. "The first match of a major tournament is always very important. We know the qualities of the Netherlands: they have tall and strong players. But I am also someone who knows how to use my body well. It is important that we keep the compactness of our play. If we don't have a positive result on Sunday, the remaining two matches in the group will become very decisive.