Japan never fails to amuse with their innovations; this time it's their men's football team head coach, Hajime Moriyasu, who is turning heads at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with an old-school yet innovative method
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NEW DELHI — Japan never fails to amuse with their innovations; this time it's their men's football team head coach, Hajime Moriyasu, who is turning heads at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with an old-school yet innovative method of giving instructions to his team during the 2026 FIFA World Cup match against the Netherlands in Dallas.
In video clips that went viral on social media, Moriyasu can be seen utilising a hand-held whiteboard flashed with massive numbers, starting from three and ending with 1, to communicate directly with his players on the pitch.
The move clearly paid off as it gave his players some urgency as time was running out for Japan as they chased a goal with the score at 2-1 in the final minutes. Japan scored an 88th-minute equaliser as they twice fought back to rescue a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands in front of 69,285 fans.
The bizarre method quickly went viral on social media as fans were full of praise for Moriyasu’s old-fashioned move and tried everything they could to figure out the manager's instructions.
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A fan wrote, "It's very smart. Why would he shout so much in a crowded and noisy stadium while something visual is much more appealing and clear?" another user said, "Performative coach," while a fan said, "They are superior, all that’s left is to applaud and enjoy." Another user said, "If a Japanese person gets their brain going, they turn into something unnatural."
Meanwhile, some fans started to decode what the manager was trying to communicate with those numbers on the board. A user wrote, "This is the instruction code. Each number represents a specific plan and tactic. Japan treats football as a science and study, not just talent and running and cohesion."
One user said, "I believe it's an instruction code where each number represents a specific command." Another one fan tried to explain the instructions, saying, '4 means 'headshot the CK' and 5 means 'hit an ally's head to change direction'."