{"id":16646,"date":"2026-07-02T06:08:17","date_gmt":"2026-07-02T00:38:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/?p=16646"},"modified":"2026-07-02T06:08:17","modified_gmt":"2026-07-02T00:38:17","slug":"fifa-world-cup-2026-goal-of-the-week-daizen-maedas-masterpiece-against-sweden","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-goal-of-the-week-daizen-maedas-masterpiece-against-sweden\/","title":{"rendered":"FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 | Goal of the Week | Daizen Maeda&#8217;s Masterpiece Against Sweden"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The group stage of FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 produced 215 goals \u2014 a new tournament record. More goals than any group phase in the history of the competition. Choosing one is never easy.<\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_73 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-black ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Page Contents:<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #282fff;color:#282fff\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #282fff;color:#282fff\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-goal-of-the-week-daizen-maedas-masterpiece-against-sweden\/#The_Goal_%E2%80%94_Pass_by_Pass\" title=\"The Goal \u2014 Pass by Pass\">The Goal \u2014 Pass by Pass<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-goal-of-the-week-daizen-maedas-masterpiece-against-sweden\/#Why_This_Goal_Stands_Out\" title=\"Why This Goal Stands Out\">Why This Goal Stands Out<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-goal-of-the-week-daizen-maedas-masterpiece-against-sweden\/#The_Match_%E2%80%94_and_What_Came_After\" title=\"The Match \u2014 and What Came After\">The Match \u2014 and What Came After<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p>We chose Daizen Maeda&#8217;s 56th-minute strike for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/sports\/football\/fifa-world-cup\/2026\/0-6-4z5974253\/0-2-5z5974716\/teams\/japan\/japan-squad\">Japan<\/a> against <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/sports\/football\/fifa-world-cup\/2026\/0-6-4z5974253\/0-2-5z5974716\/teams\/sweden\/sweden-squad\">Sweden<\/a> at the Dallas Stadium, on June 25. Not because it was the hardest shot. Because it was the most complete goal.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Relive every great goal of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/sports\/football\/fifa-world-cup\/2026\">FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122<\/a> live and on-demand on ZEE 5 \u2014 get the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/myaccount\/subscription?plan-ref=0-11-7467&amp;asset-ref=0-6-4z5914493&amp;visibility=SELECTED&amp;context=FIFA\">ZEE5 FIFA Subscription<\/a> Quarterly Plan at \u20b9799 and never miss a moment.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Goal_%E2%80%94_Pass_by_Pass\"><\/span><b>The Goal \u2014 Pass by Pass<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Sweden sat in a low block under Graham Potter, compact and organised, daring Japan to find a way through. Japan found it in five passes.<\/p>\n<p>It started with Yukinari Sugawara, Japan&#8217;s right-back, playing infield to Ritsu Doan. Doan moved quickly \u2014 a one-two with Ayase Ueda that carved a pocket of space where none had existed. The exchange was the heartbeat of the move: Doan dummy-ran, received the return, and without looking up, sliced an angled through-ball directly into the channel between Sweden&#8217;s centre-backs.<\/p>\n<p>Maeda had timed his run to perfection off Alexander Bernhardsson. He took the pass on his left foot inside the box, set himself in one movement, and stroked a right-footed finish into the bottom-left corner past Jacob Widell Zetterstr\u00f6m. Clean. Precise. Unhurried. The 56th minute. Japan 1\u20130 Sweden.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_This_Goal_Stands_Out\"><\/span><b>Why This Goal Stands Out<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The World Cup is full of individual brilliance this year \u2014 Demb\u00e9l\u00e9&#8217;s 20-yard thunderbolt against Norway, Pape Gueye&#8217;s instinctive strike against Iraq, Nusa\u2019s right-footed curling stunner, Amad Diallo\u2019s left-footed shot after beating 3 defenders and many others. Any one of those could have been here.<\/p>\n<p>Maeda&#8217;s goal is different because it required everyone. Five players touched the ball. Each pass was deliberate. The one-two between Doan and Ueda \u2014 two players thinking faster than Sweden&#8217;s defenders could react \u2014 was the moment the goal was made, not the finish. That is rare.<\/p>\n<p>In a tournament where so many teams are struggling to break down deep, organised defences, Japan showed the cleanest possible answer. Not power. Not a set piece. Not individual genius. Movement, geometry, and trust. Pass to a teammate. Move. Receive it back. Thread the needle. Score.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Watch <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/sports\/football\/fifa-world-cup\/2026\/match-clips\/0-6-4z5974253\/jpn-vs-swe-quickfire-highlights-fifa-world-cup-2026\/0-1-6z5990802?utm_source=GoogleOneBox&amp;utm_medium=GoogleSearch&amp;utm_campaign=OneBox_quick_fire_highlight\">Japan vs Sweden Match Highlight<\/a> Free Only On ZEE5.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Match_%E2%80%94_and_What_Came_After\"><\/span><b>The Match \u2014 and What Came After<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Japan&#8217;s lead lasted until Anthony Elanga equalised for Sweden, the match ending 1\u20131. It was ultimately not enough to carry Japan deeper into the tournament \u2014 they lost to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/sports\/football\/fifa-world-cup\/2026\/0-6-4z5974253\/0-2-5z5974716\/teams\/brazil\/brazil-squad\">Brazil<\/a> 2\u20131 in the Round of 32 and are now heading home.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Watch <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/sports\/football\/fifa-world-cup\/2026\/match-clips\/0-6-4z5974253\/bra-vs-jpn-quickfire-highlights-fifa-world-cup-2026\/0-1-6z5994741?utm_source=GoogleOneBox&amp;utm_medium=GoogleSearch&amp;utm_campaign=OneBox_quick_fire_highlight\">Japan vs Brazil Match Highlight<\/a> Free Only On ZEE5.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>But Maeda&#8217;s goal will outlast Japan&#8217;s exit. It will be in the goal of the tournament conversation long after the final is played. In a World Cup that has given us some of the most spectacular individual strikes in recent memory, this one stands apart because it could not have been scored by a single player.<\/p>\n<p>That, in the end, is what football means.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><i>Watch every iconic moment of FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 live on ZEE 5 \u2014 India&#8217;s official home of the World Cup.<\/i><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><i>Disclaimer: Subscription pack prices are subject to change from time to time. Please visit the subscription page for the most up-to-date pricing information.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The group stage of FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 produced 215 goals \u2014 a new tournament record. More goals than any group phase in the history of the competition. Choosing one is never easy. We chose Daizen Maeda&#8217;s 56th-minute strike for Japan against Sweden at the Dallas Stadium, on June 25. Not because it was the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":14976,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"ub_ctt_via":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3019],"tags":[3031,3299,3432,3431],"class_list":["post-16646","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fifa-world-cup-2026","tag-fifa-world-cup-2026","tag-goal-of-the-week","tag-japan-vs-brazil","tag-japan-vs-sweden"],"acf":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400-4.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"Sourav K","author_link":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/author\/sourav-k\/"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 | Goal of the Week | Daizen Maeda&#039;s Masterpiece Against 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