Celtic hero Daizen Maeda will be able to take a well-earned break after today's Scottish Cup Final as Japan boss Hajime Moriyasu revealed he has rested him for their World Cup qualifiers.
Japan were the first team to clinch their qualification for the Finals next year in USA, Canada and Mexico and they still have two more dead rubber games to come in their group, away to Australia and at home to Indonesia.
But Maeda - and injured Celtic teammate Reo Hatate - won't have to make the exhausting trip halfway around the world after Moriyasu opted to leave out some of his most established stars to look at other domestic-based players instead.
He explained: "Some of the regular players who are always in the squads have been left out for these games.
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"Considering that some of the main players had played a lot of games before and suffered frequent injuries throughout the season, we decided not to call them up this time.
"The guys who have played a lot of football deserve a rest."
Maeda is set to play his 56th game of the season for club and country today when he starts in the Scottish Cup Final against Aberdeen. He's scored 34 goals.
