Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni said Monday he craves tough matchups for his team at the Confederations Cup next June, such as Brazil and France, against whom Samurai Blue struggled in last month's friendlies.
"It's a crucial competition for us," Zaccheroni said at Narita airport, before departing for Sao Paulo for Saturday's Confederations Cup draw.
"We should gain some good experience by playing against the world's best teams at the Confederations Cup, and we need to build on that experience for the World Cup the following year."