Memphis Depay, the Netherlands’ all-time leading goalscorer and talismanic forward, will begin his third World Cup campaign on the substitutes’ bench this Sunday as his side open Group F against Japan at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The Corinthians attacker, who only recently returned from a two-month layoff caused by a grade-two muscle strain in his right thigh, has been deemed not fully match-fit by manager Ronald Koeman. In his pre-match press conference, Koeman stopped short of confirming whether Depay would feature at all, merely noting the player was ‘an option for the second half’—a cautious approach that reflects both the stakes of the fixture and the lingering uncertainty surrounding the 31-year-old’s physical condition.

Depay’s absence from the starting eleven reshapes a Dutch side that will rely on Donyell Malen to lead the line, with support from Cody Gakpo and Crysencio Summerville. The back four, anchored by Virgil van Dijk alongside Jan Paul van Hecke, Micky van de Ven, and Denzel Dumfries, will seek to contain a Japanese attack that has shown occasional flashes of brilliance, most notably a 3-2 friendly victory over Brazil last autumn. For Japan, manager Hajime Moriyasu can call upon the vast experience of 39-year-old Yuto Nagatomo, who becomes the first Japanese player to appear in five World Cups, a milestone that underscores the blend of veteran savvy and emerging talent within the Samurai Blue squad.

Kick-off is set for 5 p.m. local time (7 p.m. GMT) in Dallas, a venue that will also host Sweden versus Tunisia later on Sunday to complete the first round of Group F fixtures. Brazilian audiences can follow the match across a broad array of platforms, from terrestrial broadcasters TV Globo and SBT to pay-TV channels Nsports and Sportv, as well as digital streams on CazéTV and geTV—a reflection of the tournament’s global commercial reach.

From a tactical standpoint, the Dutch will need to compensate for Depay’s limited involvement. Without their primary goal threat, Koeman’s side must find goals through wide interplay and midfield runners, while maintaining the compact defensive shape that has been a hallmark of recent Netherlands teams. Japan, by contrast, enter the contest with a reputation for disciplined, high-tempo football that can unsettle more fancied opponents—a style that propelled them to top their group ahead of Spain four years ago. The Samurai Blue’s recent inconsistency, however, leaves them a volatile proposition.

As both nations anticipate a deep tournament run, the outcome of this opener could prove decisive in determining the pecking order of Group F. A Dutch team still chasing a first World Cup title cannot afford an early slip, yet an unproven frontline and a cautious selection around Depay inject a note of vulnerability. For Japan, a positive result would validate years of steady progression and stake a claim as genuine contenders for a knockout-stage berth. The early exchanges in Texas will test whether cautious pragmatism or bold ambition prevails.