In the past, only a handful of players could be enrolled in overseas leagues. However, with the improvement of the level of Japanese soccer, many Japanese players are now playing an active role. However, even though we get the results that “00” scored a goal, we don’t get detailed information on what kind of performance he had or how he is ranked in the team.
So, in this series of articles, I will analyze in detail how the players who were selected for the national team performed at their clubs, and provide you with detailed information.
Here are the items we will be checking
- Number of games played
- Number of games played as a starter
- Number of intermediate appearances
- Goals scored (or clean sheets if you are a goalkeeper)
- Assists
- Percentage of games played (club’s league games played / games played)
- Average score on WhoScored (a website with player data)
Let’s take a quick look.
Sorare also carries cards of Japanese national team players!
If you are interested in them, check them out now!
Sorare also carries cards of Japanese national team players!
If you are interested in them, check them out now!
Japan National Team Players List
First of all, let’s check out 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 in the FIFA World Cup final Asian qualifiers against Vietnam and Qatar, and check their performance and activities at their clubs.
Japan National Team 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 tough season. He has yet to play a single minute on the pitch. The only saving grace so far is that he has been able to make the bench as the second goalkeeper. If guardian Matt Serus 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 year abroad, he has started 8 games and won the right back spot. However, his offensive numbers, such as assists, are still lacking. Hiroki Sakai, who was the absolute regular right back for the national team, has moved to the J-League and is in poor condition, so if he can improve his attacking skills, he may be able to find a place in the national team.
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 moved to Schalke this season and has made 10 appearances as a center back. As a defensive leader, he has been a strong leader of the defense. He is highly regarded by the local supporters, and they have high expectations for him. If he can bring the prestigious German club back to the first division, Itakura will be able to make a further step up. Not only that, but he may even be able to break into the center back duo of Tomiyasu and Yoshida, who have been absolutely dominant so far.
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 |
After making the step up from Bologna to Arsenal this summer, Tomiyasu has settled into the Arsenal right back role. Tomiyasu made the step up from Bologna to Arsenal this summer, and he’s now a permanent fixture at right back for Arsenal, playing all but his first game for the club and earning the trust of manager Mikel Arteta.
Arsenal, using mainly young players, are in 5th place, 6 points behind the leaders. If things continue to go well for them, they could see themselves qualifying for the Champions League for the first time in four seasons. Of course, we can’t say it’s all about Tomiyasu, but it’s true that his arrival has had more than a little impact. Moreover, Tomiyasu is only 22 years old. We can expect a lot of growth in the future.
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, indicating his great contribution to the team. However, the team has lost a lot of games so far, winning one, drawing one, and losing ten. They are in the bottom half of the table, and if they continue like this, they will be relegated. Can Nakayama save the team? If he can, he will be able to break the stronghold of Yuto Nagatomo, the reigning left back of the Japanese 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 Sampdoria, the captain of the Japanese national team has been the mainstay of the Sampdoria defensive line, making full appearances in every league game. What shines above all is his competitive nature. The two goals he has scored so far have come against the likes of Inter Milan and Juventus. Will the captain to maintain a good performance can lead the Japan national team to the World Cup finals?
Japan National Team Defenders Summary
We have analyzed the goalkeepers and defenders of the Japanese national team.
The players supporting the defense of the national team, most of them have shown the work of the mainstay in their clubs. In particular, center backs Tomiyasu and Yoshida have been spectacular. Tomiyasu is the right back for Arsenal, supporting the team’s solid defense, and Yoshida is the backbone of the team, even though he is approaching the age of a veteran. If all of these players continue to perform well, Japan’s back line will be in good hands.
Next, let’s take a look at the midfielders.
Japan National Team 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 for his club, Stuttgart, and has played in every game so far, only missing 12 minutes of action. He has also been named captain this season. The only thing that worries me is that Stuttgart’s form is declining. They have lost all their last three games and are in 15th place. Will he be able to lead the team to the top as captain? It will be interesting to see how he does.
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 scoring in 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, except for one game where he was absent due to national team activities, in which he started from the bench. He seems to have gained the trust of the coach, as he did last season. Nevertheless, the team itself is still in 19th place out of 22 clubs. They are 16 points behind the promotion zone (2nd place) and are still struggling. As for Shibasaki, who sometimes comes under fire for his play for the Japanese national team, he would like to be an absolute force in the team’s quest for promotion. If he can continue to perform well for his club, his performance for the national team will naturally improve as well.
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 as a winger, at the club he is used as the center of midfield in a 3-1-4-2 system. In the past, he had a strong impression of being a fast side player, but now that he is in his 30s, he is breaking new ground as a midfield center.
His team is also doing well, finishing 8th in the Bundesliga, and they are aiming to qualify for European competitions for the second consecutive season. As for Haraguchi himself, he has not scored a goal, but he has recorded 4 assists, and his contribution to the team is becoming more and more significant. I would like to see Haraguchi in the center of the 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 Portuguese League
In his second season with the club, he has played in 9 of the 11 league games. In his second season with the club, he has played in 9 out of 11 league games, starting in all of them. In his second season with the club, he has started 9 out of 11 league games, all of them as a starter, and despite joining the club in the middle of the season (in the January transfer window), he has managed to keep his momentum from last season, starting almost every game. While the team’s lackluster performance this season compared to last season, when they made it to the playoffs of the European competition, is a concern, individual performances have been consistent. The midfielder has started to become a staple in the national team and will continue to attract attention.
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 promising youngster who moved to Dusseldorf from Kawasaki Frontale is still adjusting to the foreign environment. He has played in 9 of the 14 games, but has only started in 6 of them, and has only played in one full game. However, there is no need to worry, as he has already started to establish himself as a starter for the national team at the young age of 23, and will soon become a mainstay at the club as well. At 23 years old, he has already started to establish himself as a staple in the national team and will soon become a mainstay at the club. Let’s look forward to seeing what he can do in the future.
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 |
※Not available for games 1 and 2 due to not being able to join the team due to the Olympics, and not available for games 9, 10 and 11 due to injury.
After being loaned to Bielefeld in the Bundesliga last season, the lefty returns to PSV this season. This season, he has scored two goals despite not getting a chance to play yet due to the Olympics and injuries. However, this season he has scored two goals even though he hasn’t had a chance to play yet due to the Olympics and injuries, and he has shown his growth. However, he has yet to become an absolute regular. In order to improve his position in the national team, he will need to play more in the club.
Japan National Team Midfielders Summary
Ao Tanaka and Ritsu Doan are two of the best players who will play for Japan in the future. It would not be an exaggeration to say that the future of the national team will depend on how well they perform at their clubs. His future activities are a must-see.
Next, let’s take a look at the forwards.
Japan’s Forwards
In the FW section, we will take a look at the players who are playing for the national team and what they are doing for their clubs.
In the FW section, we will analyze their performance based on detailed data such as the number of games played, goals and assists.
| 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 started the season as a starter and secured a place on the right wing. He has shown a good start. However, as a FW player, the fact that he has not scored any goals so far is not satisfactory.
In the first place, he has only taken 1.2 shots per game, so he needs to create a situation where he can shoot. The Bochum team itself is suffering from a lack of scoring ability, having scored 10 goals in the league so far, so goals are needed not only from the center forward but also from Asano on the wing. Asano, who plays on the wing, needs to score goals as well as the center forward. We hope to see more of his deadly pattern of shooting through the back of the opposing defense line.
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 |
※Excluded from games 5 to 7 due to injury.
Furuhashi is probably the most successful of all the FWs in Japan. He has scored 7 goals in 10 matches so far. He has scored 7 goals in 10 appearances, and 13 goals in 19 games in the Europa League and League Cup. What’s more impressive is that he scored 7 goals despite taking only 21 shots in total.
It is calculated that if you take three shots, you can score one goal. Furthermore, he is also very accurate, with half of his shots being on target. If he continues to play like this, he will not only become a regular member of the Japanese national team, but he will also be able to move to a powerful club 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 |
※Excluded from the list of available games due to injury.
It’s been a tough start to his third season with the club. He has played only 27 minutes in the league so far. He has shown signs of improvement by scoring against Arsenal on matchday 12, but it is difficult to see how he can change the pecking order anytime soon. Minamino mainly plays in the front three, but that is the position where Liverpool has the most depth.
With the familiar trio of Salah, Mane, and Firmino, plus Jota continuing to perform well this season, it will not be easy for him to take over the position. It is very difficult to get results in a small amount of time, but the only way to become a staple is to make an impact. If you are thinking about playing for the national team and prioritizing conditioning, you may need 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 is becoming a staple in the national team and has become an indispensable member of the Henk squad. He has started every league game so far. He has scored 8 goals and assisted on 8 goals, and has made 2.3 key passes (passes leading to shots) per game.
In order to be even more successful in the national team, he needs to increase his scoring ability. In the first place, he takes only 1.7 shots per game for his club, so he should be more conscious of shooting more aggressively. If he can score more goals, he will become an absolute regular in the Japanese 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 with 5 goals and 15 assists in 32 games, this season has been less successful. He has only recorded one assist so far and has not been as impressive as he was last season. Perhaps it is because of his declining performance at the club, but he is also falling down the ranks of the Japanese national team. Although his performance has started to improve recently, he has not been as successful as last season. In order to become an absolute presence in the national team, future league games will become more important.
Japan national team forwards summary
What did you think? We have checked the activities of Japan’s national team players in their clubs.
We have introduced 18 players, some of them are in good shape, some of them are in bad shape. This may have been especially true for the forwards.
The condition of the forwards will be very important for Japan to qualify for the World Cup. I hope this article will help you to find out which players are doing well and how they are doing.
