DUSHANBE, 08.02.2019. (NIAT Khovar) – Japanese specialist Musashi Mizushima joined the coaching staff of the junior football team of Tajikistan (U-17). His primary task is to help the head coach Zainiddin Rahimov to prepare the country’s junior team for the 2019 World Cup, which will be held on October 5-27 in Peru, reported the Football Federation of Tajikistan.

Mizushima has already started his work. The Japanese specialist together with the Tajik team is at a Turkish training camp, which will end on February 19.

Mizushima was born in Tokyo. He played for the Brazilian clubs São Paulo, São Bento, Portuguesa, Santos as well as in the Japanese clubs Hitachi and Yokohama as a defender.

He also has experiencr coaching the youth team of Yokohama. He headed the  Ituano of Sao Paulo Brazil and the Japanese Fujieda. He likewise coached the football team of the University of Economics of Japan. Last year, Mizushima worked in Cambodia, where he led the youth team (U-19) and worked in parallel at the Cambodian Football Academy.

The junior team of Tajikistan will take part in the 2019 World Cup, which will be held on October 5-27 in Peru. The Tajik team will find out who they will play against on May 14, when the tournament draw will take place. Twenty-four teams that will pass through the continental selection will be able to take part in the 2019 World Cup. Currently, the names of seven teams that take part in the World Cup are known. In addition to the host team Peru, teams from Japan, Tajikistan, Australia and South Korea, New Zealand and Solomon Islands will participate in the championship.