“I AM THE FIRST TO BE DISAPPOINTED” 

These are the words of Bahrain head coach Dragan Talajic following the 0-5 loss against Japan in FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying.  

In a post-game press conference, Talajic defended his player and took full responsibility for his team’s performance. He also acknowledged that the Japan team played an “excellent game.” 

“My apologies to the Bahrain supporters who came to cheer for us. We have disappointed them in this game. But this is just the start of this qualification round – let us not forget that this is a marathon and not a 100-meter race.”  

“I am really sorry for this kind of result–really, it is too much. I am the first to be disappointed,” he added.  

Talajic also urged Bahrainis to continue supporting the team and not lose faith in them while assuring that they would bounce back stronger from this defeat.  

“All teams are excellent. The job is not finished in two games. We will learn, and we will fight,” he stressed.