In the past, only a handful of players were allowed to play in foreign leagues. However, as the level of Japanese football has improved, many Japanese players are now playing in these leagues. However, even if we get the results that “00” scored a goal, we don’t get the detailed information such as what kind of performance he made or how he is ranked in the team.
In this series of articles, we’re going to take a closer look at the players who have been selected for the national team and give you a detailed analysis of their performances for their clubs.
Here’s what we’ll be looking at
- Number of games played
- Number of games started
- games played during the season
- Goals scored (or clean sheets for goalkeepers)
- Assists
- Percentage of games played (club’s league time / games played)
- Average score on WhoScored (the website with the player data)
So let’s have a look.
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If you are interested, check them out now!
Japan National Team Players List
First of all, let’s have a look at the players and their clubs that will be scored in this article.
In this article, we will pick up 18 players who play outside of Japan from among the 28 players selected for the Japan national team for the FIFA World Cup final Asian qualifiers against Vietnam and Qatar, and check their performance and activities at their clubs.
Japan defenders
| Position | Name | Club | Country |
| GK | Eiji Kawashima | Strasbourg | France |
| DF | Sei Muroya | Hannover | Germany |
| DF | Ko Itakura | Schalke | Germany 2nd Division |
| DF | Takehiro Tomiyasu | Arsenal | England |
| DF | Yuta Nakayama | Zwolle | Netherlands |
| DF | Maya Yoshida | Sampdoria | Italy |
Eiji Kawashima
Reference: sorare
| Number of appearances | 0 games |
| Starts | 0 games |
| Midway | 0 games |
| Clean sheet | ー |
| Game time played | ０％ |
| Average score on WhoScored | ー |
The veteran of three World Cups is having a difficult season. He has yet to play a single minute on the pitch. The only saving grace so far has been his place on the bench as second-choice goalkeeper. The only thing that has helped him so far is that he has been on the bench as the second goalkeeper, and if the guardian Matt Serres has any problems, he might get a chance.
Sei Muroya
Reference: sorare
| Number of games played | 10 games |
| Starts | ８ games |
| Midway | ２ games |
| Goals | ０ |
| Assists | １ |
| Game time played | 64％ |
| Average score on WhoScored | 6.45 |
In his second season abroad he has made eight starts and has won a place at right-back. However, his attacking numbers, such as assists, are not good enough. If he can improve his attacking game, he could be in line for a place in the national team, as Hiroki Sakai, who was an absolute regular at right-back for the national team, has moved to the J.League and is in poor condition.
Ko Itakura
Reference: sorare
| Number of games played | 10 games |
| Starts | ９ games |
| Midway | １ games |
| Goals | ０ |
| Assists | ０ |
| Game time played | 93％ |
| Average score on WhoScored | 6.87 |
Itakura has made 10 appearances for Schalke so far this season as a centre-back. He has been a strong leader in the defence. He has been highly rated by the local supporters, who have high expectations of him. If he can get the German club back into the first division, Itakura will be able to take his game to the next level. Not only that, but he could even break into the hitherto dominant centre-back partnership of Tomiyasu and Yoshida.
Takehiro Tomiyasu
Reference: sorare
| Number of games played | ８ games |
| Starts | ８ games |
| Midway | ０ games |
| Goals | ０ |
| Assists | ０ |
| Game time played | 96％ |
| Average score on WhoScored | 6.97 |
Tomiyasu made the step up from Bologna to Arsenal in the summer and has made a name for himself at right-back. Tomiyasu has made the step up from Bologna to Arsenal this summer and is now a permanent fixture on the Arsenal right back bench, playing all but his first game for the club and earning the trust of manager Mikel Arteta.
Arsenal are fifth in the table, six points off the top, with a young squad. If they continue in that vein, they could well qualify for the Champions League for the first time in four seasons. Of course, it’s not all down to Tomiyasu, but he has had a big influence on the team. And he’s only 22. He is only 22 years old and we have high expectations for him.
Yuta Nakayama
Reference: sorare
| Number of games played | ８ games |
| Starts | ８ games |
| Midway | ０ games |
| Goals | ０ |
| Assists | ２ |
| Game time played | 66％ |
| Average score on WhoScored | 6.9 |
Nakayama plays for Zwolle in the Dutch first division, mainly as a left back. He has played in 66% of the games and his WhoScored score is as high as Tomiyasu’s, which shows his great contribution to the team. However, the team has lost just one game, one minute and ten minutes so far. They are bottom of the table and will be relegated if they continue like this. If Nakayama can save the team, he can break the stranglehold of Yuto Nagatomo, who has been the reigning left back of the national team for many years.
Maya Yoshida
Reference: sorare
| Number of games played | 12 games |
| Starts | 12 games |
| Midway | ０ games |
| Goals | ２ |
| Assists | ０ |
| Game time played | 100％ |
| Average score on WhoScored | 6.62 |
In his second season with the club, the Japan captain has been a key part of Sampdoria’s defensive line, starting every league game. The Japanese captain has been a key member of Sampdoria’s defensive line. His two goals so far have come against the likes of Inter Milan and Juventus. Can the captain lead the national team to the World Cup finals to maintain the good form.
Japan defenders summary
We have analysed Japan’s goalkeepers and defenders.
The players who support the national team’s defense, most of them have shown a major role in their clubs. The centre-backs Tomiyasu and Yoshida have been particularly impressive. Tomiyasu has been a stalwart right-back for Arsenal, while Yoshida has been the backbone of the team, despite reaching the age of veteran. If all of these players continue to perform well, Japan’s backline will be in safe hands.
Let’s take a look at the midfielders.
Japan Midfielders
| MF | Wataru Endo | Stuttgart | Germany |
| MF | Gaku Shibasaki | Leganes | Spain 2nd Division |
| MF | Genki Haraguchi | Union Berlin | Germany |
| MF | Hidemasa Morita | Santa Clara | Portugal |
| MF | Ao Tanaka | Dusseldorf | Germany 2nd Division |
| MF | Ritsu Doan | PSV | Netherlands |
Wataru Endo
Reference: sorare
| Number of games played | 12 games |
| Starts | 12 games |
| Midway | ０ games |
| Goals | １ |
| Assists | ２ |
| Game time played | 98％ |
| Average score on WhoScored | 6.96 |
The midfielder has become one of the mainstays of the Japanese national team and is also a mainstay at his club Stuttgart. The midfielder has been a mainstay at his club Stuttgart, playing in every game so far and only missing 12 minutes of action. He has also been named captain this season. However, Stuttgart’s form is deteriorating. They have lost all their last three games and are 15th in the table. Will he be able to lead the team to the top as captain? We’ll see.
Gaku Shibasaki
Reference: sorare
| Number of games played | 12 games |
| Starts | 12 games |
| Midway | ０ games |
| Goals | １ |
| Assists | ０ |
| Game time played | 72％ |
| Average score on WhoScored | － ※ |
※No score for Liga 2
In his second season with the club he has played in 72% of the games. In his second season with the club, he has played in 72% of the games and has only started one game on the bench, when he was absent due to national team commitments. He seems to have gained the trust of the coach, as he did last season. However, the team itself is still in 19th place out of 22 clubs. They are 16 points behind the promotion places (second) and are struggling to get back to winning ways. Shibasaki, who sometimes comes under fire for his performances for the national team, wants to be an integral part of the team’s push for promotion. If he can continue to perform well for his club, then his performances for Japan will naturally improve.
Genki Haraguchi
Reference: sorare
| Number of games played | 12 games |
| Starts | 10 games |
| Midway | ２ games |
| Goals | ０ |
| Assists | ４ |
| Game time played | 73％ |
| Average score on WhoScored | 6.67 |
The most notable thing about Haraguchi is that, unlike the national team, where he is mainly used on the wing, at the club he is used in the centre of midfield in a 3-1-4-2 system. In the past he was more of a fast side-player, but as he enters his 30s he is breaking new ground as a midfield centre.
The team is in eighth place in the Bundesliga and looks set to qualify for European competitions for the second season in a row. As for Haraguchi himself, his contribution to the team is growing, with four assists to his name, although no goals. I would like to see Haraguchi in the centre of midfield for Japan.
Hidemasa Morita
Reference: sorare
| Number of games played | ９ games |
| Starts | ９ games |
| Midway | ０ games |
| Goals | ０ |
| Assists | １ |
| Game time played | 81％ |
| Average score on WhoScored | － ※ |
※No score for the Portuguese League
In his second season with the club, he has played in 9 of the 11 league games. In his second season he has played in 9 of the 11 league games, starting in all of them. In his second season at the club he has started 9 out of 11 league games, all of which he has played. Although the team has been weaker this season than last, when we reached the play-offs for European competitions, the individual performances have been more consistent. The midfielder is starting to make his mark in the national team, and we will be keeping an eye on him.
Ao Tanaka
Reference: sorare
| Number of games played | ９ games |
| Starts | ６ games |
| Midway | ３ games |
| Goals | ０ |
| Assists | ０ |
| Game time played | 64％ |
| Average score on WhoScored | － ※ |
※No score for Bundesliga 2
The youngster from Kawasaki Frontale is still adjusting to his new surroundings in Dusseldorf. He has played in 9 of the 14 games, but has only started in 6 and played in one full game. But there is no need to worry: at 23 years of age, he has already started to establish himself in the national team and will soon become a mainstay at the club. He has already started to make a name for himself in the national team at the age of 23 and will soon become a key player at the club. Let’s hope for the best.
Ritsu Doan
Reference: sorare
| Number of games played | ７ games |
| Starts | ５ games |
| Midway | ２ games |
| Goals | ２ |
| Assists | ０ |
| Game time played | 61％ ※ |
| Average score on WhoScored | 7.01 |
※Excludes games 1 and 2 due to Olympic commitments and games 9, 10 and 11 due to injury off the bench.
After being loaned out to Bundesliga side Bielefeld last season, the lefty returns to PSV this season. After a disappointing season in the Bundesliga last year, he has returned to PSV this season and has scored two goals, although he has yet to make an appearance due to Olympic and injury problems. However, this season he has scored two goals, despite not getting many opportunities due to the Olympics and injuries. However, he has yet to become an absolute regular. In order to improve his position in the national team, he will need to play further in the club.
Japan midfielders summary
Ao Tanaka and Ritsu Doan are the future of the national team. It would not be an exaggeration to say that their performances at their clubs will determine the future of the national team. We will see what he can do in the future.
Next, let’s take a look at the forwards.
Japan’s forwards
In the FW section, we take a look at the players who play for the national team and what they are doing for their clubs.
We’ll take a look at the number of games they’ve played, the goals they’ve scored and the assists they’ve provided.
| FW | Takuma Asano | Bochum | Germany |
| FW | Kyogo Furuhashi | Celtic | Scotland |
| FW | Takumi Minamino | Liverpool | England |
| FW | Junya Ito | Genk | Belgium |
| FW | Daichi Kamada | Frankfurt | Germany |
Takuma Asano
Reference: sorare
| Number of games played | ９ games |
| Starts | ６ games |
| Midway | ３ games |
| Goals | ０ |
| Assists | １ |
| Game time played | 64％ ※ |
| Average score on WhoScored | 6.39 |
※Excluded from games 3 to 5 due to injury.
In his first season with the club, he has made a good start to the season, starting on the right wing. He has made a good start to the season. However, he has not scored a single goal so far this season, which is not very satisfying.
He has only managed 1.2 shots per game, so he needs to get himself into a position where he can shoot. Bochum itself is struggling to score goals, having conceded just 10 in the league so far, so we need goals not only from our centre-forwards, but also from Asano on the wing. As well as the centre-forward, Asano is also expected to score goals on the wing, as he will be looking to increase his deadly pattern of getting behind the defensive line and shooting.
Kyogo Furuhashi
Reference: sorare
| Number of games played | 10 games |
| Starts | ８ games |
| Midway | ２ games |
| Goals | ７ |
| Assists | ２ |
| Game time played | 74％ ※ |
| Average score on WhoScored | 7.27 |
※Not available for games 5-7 due to injury.
Furuhashi is probably the most successful of Japan’s FWs. He has scored seven goals in ten appearances so far. He has scored 13 goals in 19 games in the Europa League and League Cup, and has won the hearts of the local fans in his first season with the club. What’s more impressive is his determination, scoring seven goals while taking only 21 shots in total.
That’s one goal for every three shots he took. He is also a very accurate shooter, with half of his shots being on target. If he keeps up this form, he will not only become a regular in the national team, but he will also be able to move to one of the biggest clubs in Europe.
Takumi Minamino
Reference: sorare
| Number of games played | ３ games |
| Starts | ０ games |
| Midway | ３ games |
| Goals | １ |
| Assists | ０ |
| Game time played | ３％ ※ |
| Average score on WhoScored | 6.3 |
※4 games not available due to injury
It’s been a difficult start to his third season with the club. He has played just 27 minutes in the league so far. He has shown signs of improvement, scoring against Arsenal on matchday 12, but it is difficult to see him moving up the pecking order any time soon. He has shown signs of improvement, scoring against Arsenal on matchday 12, but it is difficult to see him changing his position any time soon.
With the familiar trio of Salah, Mane and Firmino, plus Jota, who has been in fine form this season, it will not be easy for him to take his place. It’s very difficult to get results in the small amount of time you have, but you have to make an impact if you want to become a starter. If he wants to play for the national team and prioritise his conditioning, he may have to make a move in January.
Junya Ito
Reference: sorare
| Number of games played | 14 games |
| Starts | 14 games |
| Midway | ０ games |
| Goals | ２ |
| Assists | ６ |
| Game time played | 92％ |
| Average score on WhoScored | 7.23 |
Ito has become a staple in the Henk squad as he has become a regular in the national team. He has started every league game so far. He has been involved in eight goals and assists, and has made 2.3 key passes per game.
He needs to increase his goalscoring output if he is to make an impact in the national team. In the first place, he has only 1.7 shots per game for his club, so he needs to be a bit more aggressive in his shooting. If he can get more goals, he will be an absolute regular in the national team.
Daichi Kamada
Reference: sorare
| Number of games played | 11 games |
| Starts | ８ games |
| Midway | ３ games |
| Goals | ０ |
| Assists | １ |
| Game time played | 69％ |
| Average score on WhoScored | 6.58 |
Compared to last season, when he exploded onto the scene with 5 goals and 15 assists in 32 games, this season has been less successful. With only one assist to his name, he has not been as impressive as he was last season. His performances at club level have also been affected by his decline in the ranks of the national team. His performances have started to improve recently, but he is still not as good as he was last season. The league will be more important in the future to become an absolute force in the national team.
Japan’s forwards – summary
What did you think? We have checked the activities of the national team players at their clubs.
We have introduced 18 players, some in good form, some in bad form. This was especially true for the forwards.
The condition of the forwards will be very important for Japan to qualify for the World Cup. We hope that this article will help you to find out which players are doing well.
