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WORLD CUP 2022

Who is the referee for Germany vs Japan in the World Cup 2022 first group game?

Group E gets underway on Wednesday with four-time winners Germany taking on Hajime Moriyasu’s Japan at Khalifa International Stadium in Doha.

Update:
(From L to R): Germanys defender Antonio Ruediger, Germanys forward Thomas Mueller, Germanys forward Youssoufa Moukoko and Germanys defender Niklas Suele attend a training session at Al Shamal Stadium in Al Shamal, north of Doha on November 20, 2022, ahead of the Qatar 2022 World Cup football tournament. (Photo by INA FASSBENDER / AFP) (Photo by INA FASSBENDER/AFP via Getty Images)
INA FASSBENDERGetty

The first game in Group E takes place on Wednesday with four-time winners Germany facing Japan at Khalifa International stadium in Doha.

For Germany, this will be their 20th appearance in the finals. They last lifted the trophy in 2014 under Joachim Löw but didn’t make it past the group stage at Russia and are not among the fancied teams in Qatar. Not that they can ever be ruled out - their early exit last time around was pretty much a one-off, Die Mannschaft is a well-organised side and one of the most experienced set of players at this edition of the competition although the side is now starting to age and for many of their stars, this will be their last World Cup.

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The two nations have several connections through football, as Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu noted in his pre-match press briefing. German coach Dettmar Cramer, the Football Professor, spent three years working as a football instructor with the national team at the start of the 1960s and is regarded as the father of modern Japanese football. Cramer set the foundations for the Samurai Blue, who have qualified for every World Cup since 1998 although have never made it as far as the quarter finals. They face a tough task of rectifying that at Qatar 2022 where they couldn’t have landed in a much tougher group with Germany and Spain also looking to lock down one of the top two qualifying places in the group.

Japan players during training.
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Japan players during training.AMANDA PEROBELLIREUTERS

Japan’s hopes

Japan captain Maya Yoshida is something of an authority on European football after spells at Sampdoria and Southampton. He is currently with Bundesliga side Schalke 04, one of a number of Japan internationals who are playing in the German top flight. “The Bundesliga players have been sharing information with the rest of the squad,” Yoshida said. “The most important thing is to defend well. We might not have much opportunity to attack but we should have chances on the counter-attack. We believe that we have a chance.”

Germany coach Hansi Flick praised the quality of Japanese football in his pre-match press conference, telling the media, “I have to confess that I am a bit of a fan of Japanese football. They are really doing it well. We see the quality they have in the Bundesliga with Eintracht Frankfurt’s (Daichi) Kamada playing a great season or (Wataru) Endo who is one of the best midfielders in the Bundesliga. It is a very big task but we go into the match prepared and look forward to it”.

Leroy Sané, who is carrying a knee injury, will sit the game out.

Germany vs Japan match official

Today’s clash in Doha will be overseen by Salvadoran referee Ivan Arcides Barton Cisneros. The 31-year-old has been a full FIFA-qualified match official since 2018 and has officiated at a number of major tournaments including the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup and CONCACAF Nations League although this will be his first experience at the World Cup finals.

He will be accompanied by assistants David Jonathan Morán Santos and Zachari Zeegelaar with Said Martinez designated as the Fourth Official.