Reo Hatate’s frustration with the Japanese national team continues, as the Celtic midfielder was an unused substitute in Japan’s 2-0 World Cup qualifying win over Saudi Arabia in Jeddah.

Despite making the matchday squad, Hatate remained on the sidelines while his Celtic teammate Daizen Maeda came off the bench in the 63rd minute.

Soccer Football – World Cup – AFC Qualifiers – Group C – Japan v China – Saitama Stadium, Saitama, Japan – September 5, 2024 China’s Zexiang Yang in action with Japan’s Daizen Maeda REUTERS/Issei Kato

Hatate’s omission from the starting lineup marks another missed opportunity for the midfielder, who had been edging closer to establishing himself in Japan’s squad before injuries disrupted his progress last season. Since then, he has struggled to regain his place and earn valuable minutes on the pitch for his country.

For Celtic, Hatate remains an important figure, but his ongoing absence from Japan’s lineup will be a source of disappointment as he works to reclaim his form and standing within the national team setup.

He missed out on the starting line-up in Dortmund; however, he came on from the bench.

Hatate is a player that contributes a lot to the Celtic team, but sometimes isn’t realised until he’s sitting on the bench.

Japan play Australia next. Reo Hatate will be hoping that he can at least get some minutes in this match, otherwise it could be seen as another wasted trip for the player.

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