Advance reputations were unpredictably overturned. And powerhouse teams have turned out to be more diverse than ever.

The quadrennial World Cup in Qatar, which has entered its second half of the heated battle, has been a showcase of the thrills and charms of soccer.

The first half of the games was full of upset matches.

Four-time champion Germany, two-time victor Uruguay, and Belgium, which finished third in the last World Cup, all bowed out in the group stage.

They were perhaps ill-prepared for the games, which were opened in November in a break from tradition. But the setbacks of the powerhouses are probably proof that other national teams have grown to be on par with them in strength.

The showings of Asian and African squads were particularly remarkable.

Saudi Arabia came from behind to beat Argentina, which many believe is within reach of the championship, in the opening match of the group. South Korea, Australia and Japan were through to the round of 16. Never before did three teams from the Asian section make it into the best 16.

Among African nations, Morocco qualified for the final 16 by ranking top in the group. Cameroon won a close game over Brazil, one of the most likely favorites to clinch the title.

These and other developments brought home to us that the power map is shifting.

Japan’s come-from-behind victories over Germany and Spain, among other things, arguably provided the biggest surprise in the first half of the competition, even though Japan failed to win a slot among the best eight in the end.

The world soccer scene has revolved around Europe, which enjoys a concentration of quality players and funding on top of historical ground, with Latin America, a highly fertile soil for distinguished players, also securing its own place in the picture.

Among Asian countries, North Korea made it to the top eight in the 1966 games, and South Korea was through to the top four in the 2002 games it co-hosted, but it was not uncommon for Asian teams to be beaten by wide margins in the group stage.

Among the key factors for the change in the power map are the generalization of data analysis and training methods that draw on medical sciences, along with the presence of competent leaders who are making careers across national borders.

World Cup venues were previously in the hands of Europe and Latin America alone. But the games have since been hosted outside those regions: in the United States in 1994, Japan and South Korea in 2002, South Africa in 2010 and in the Middle East this time around. The impact of that geographical factor should also be factored in.

The foundation of postwar Japan’s soccer was laid out by the late German Dettmar Cramer (1925-2015). Japanese acquired skills from him and even turned to him for guidance on matters of organization, such as how to set up a national league and how to develop coaches.

In more recent years, Japan learned much from Spain, which has an advanced personnel development system, mostly through an exchange of junior players and leaders.

Japan’s victories over the two powerhouses are therefore so significant they could be deemed as symbolic “repayment” of the favors the country had received from them.

Japan’s 26-strong national squad for the current games remarkably relied on its full strength in its matches. The majority of the squad’s members either are playing, or have played, for overseas clubs, so they are no longer feeling intimidated in the face of global powerhouses.

The Japanese national team previously betrayed its limitations, from physical and mental fatigue, when it survived the group stage on three past occasions.

By contrast, the national squad this time is broader-based and more experienced. The way it has evolved into what it is would qualify it to be called a “newborn” Japanese team.

We are here 30 years after officials set up the professional J.League with a target of winning a slot in the World Cup.

Apart from the training of athletes, teams in the league have also set the goal of staying close to their hosting communities and have worked to foster a climate for themselves.

Different teams have had their own ebbs and flows. Some have also suffered failures. But they set a long-term perspective, and they have continued moving forward without wavering.

Those stances that J.League officials have taken likely provide many clues for officials of other sports to learn from.

--The Asahi Shimbun, Dec. 7