Yasuhito Endō

Yasuhito Endō (遠藤 保仁, Endō Yasuhito, born 28 January 1980) is a Japanese football player who plays for J1 League club Gamba Osaka.[1] His brother Akihiro Endō is also a professional footballer.

Yasuhito Endo
遠藤 保仁
Endo playing for Japan in 2008
Personal information
Full name Yasuhito Endo
Date of birth (1980-01-28) 28 January 1980
Place of birth Kagoshima, Kagoshima, Japan
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing position(s) Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Gamba Osaka
Number 7
Youth career
1995–1997 Kagoshima Jitsugyo High School
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1998 Yokohama Flügels 16 (1)
1999–2000 Kyoto Purple Sanga 53 (9)
2001– Gamba Osaka 595 (98)
National team
1998–1999 Japan U-20 11 (1)
1999 Japan U-23 7 (0)
2002–2015 Japan 152 (15)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 7 December 2019

He made his senior international debut in 2002, representing Japan in three World Cups and three Confederations Cups. In the process he earned over 150 caps, scoring 15 goals and becoming the most capped Japanese male player of all-time.

Club career

Endo was born in Kagoshima on 28 January 1980. After graduating from Kagoshima Jitsugyo High School, he joined J1 League club Yokohama Flügels in 1998. In March, he debuted against Yokohama Marinos in the opening game of the 1998 season.[1][2] Largely as a central midfielder, he helped his club win the championship in the 1998 Emperor's Cup. Due to financial strain, the club was disbanded at the end of the season.

In 1999, Endo moved to Kyoto Purple Sanga with contemporaries Kazuki Teshima and Hideo Oshima. He became a regular player and played many matches. However the club was relegated to J2 League at the end of the 2000 season.

In 2001, Endo moved to J1 club Gamba Osaka. He was a central player for the club for a long time under manager Akira Nishino (2002–2011). He was selected as a J.League Best Eleven 10 years in a row (2003-2012). In 2005, Gamba won the championship in J1 League for the first time in club history. In 2008, Gamba won the championship in AFC Champions League for 2 years in a row as Japanese club (Urawa Reds won in 2007). Gamba also won the Emperor's Cup. Endo was selected "Japanese Footballer of the Year". In 2009, Gamba won the Emperor's Cup for 2 years in a row. Endo was selected Asian Footballer of the Year.

Manager Nishino left Gamba after the 2011 season and the club's performance deteriorated. In 2012, Gamba finished at the 17th place of 18 clubs and was relegated to J2 League. Endo remained with Gamba and Gamba won the champions in 2013 season. In 2014 season, Gamba returned to J1 and won all three major title in Japan, J1 League, J.League Cup and Emperor's Cup. Endo was selected J.League MVP first time and "Japanese Footballer of the Year" second time.

International career

Endō played in the 1999 World Youth Championship and Japan finished as runner-up, losing to Spain in the final. Since 2002, Endō has been a member of the senior national team, and was selected for Japan's 2006, 2010 and 2014 World Cup squads.[3] He also was a member of the 2004 and 2011 Asian Cup winning teams.

On 24 June 2010, Endō scored from a free-kick against Denmark in a 3–1 win as Japan qualified for the second round of the World Cup.[4]

On 12 October 2010, he became the fourth player to earn 100th full international cap for Japan in a friendly match against South Korea. On 16 October 2012, Endo became Japan's most capped player in a friendly against Brazil.[5] His start in this match was his 123rd appearance for the national team, surpassing Masami Ihara's previous record of 122 caps.[5]

Endō (right) while he is about to free-kick against Vissel Kobe in 2017, flanked by his teammate Yōsuke Ideguchi (left)
Endō playing for Gamba Osaka in an AFC Champions League match against Melbourne Victory

Endō was included on Japan's squad for the 2015 Asian Cup and scored the team's opening goal of the tournament in a 4–0 defeat of Palestine.[6] In the team's next match, he earned his 150th cap as Japan defeated Iraq 1–0.[7] He played 152 games and scored 15 goals for Japan until 2015.[8]

Style of play

He is considered a cult hero among fans of Gamba Osaka and the Japanese National Football Team. It is because he has formidable passing ability, leadership, and goal scoring ability. He is also known for his excellent accuracy on free kicks and is revered as one of Japan's most creative midfielders as well as one of the most talented Japanese footballers and playmakers of his generation, despite only playing domestically in his home country.

Career statistics

Club
As of 14 December 2019[9]
Club Season League Emperor's Cup J.League Cup AFC Other* Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Kagoshima Jitsugyo HS 1997 —10———10
Total —10———10
Yokohama Flügels 1998 1610040——201
Total 1610040——201
Kyoto Purple Sanga 1999 2442020——284
2000 2951061——366
Total 5393080——6410
Gamba Osaka 2001 2943140——365
2002 3051081——396
2003 3042060——384
2004 2993000——329
2005 33102040——3910
2006 259410053413814
2007 3484081—10479
2008 2763010103324411
2009 3210432061104514
2010 30322003010365
2011 334000071—405
2012 345432041—449
2013 33500———335
2014 3465060——456
2015 345403112040586
2016 34220315110454
2017 311104070—431
2018 3411060——411
20192811050——341
Total 5949846106245910153776125
Career total 66310850107445910153861136

*Includes other competitive competitions, including the Japanese Super Cup, A3 Champions Cup and FIFA Club World Cup and J. League Championship.

International
Endō playing for Gamba Osaka in 2011
Japan national team[8]
YearAppsGoals
200210
2003111
2004162
200580
200680
2007131
2008163
2009120
2010152
2011130
2012111
2013162
201482
201541
Total15215

International goals
#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.20 August 2003National Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan Nigeria
3–0
3–0
Friendly Match (Kirin Challenge Cup 2003)
2.7 February 2004Kashima Stadium, Kashima, Japan Malaysia
4–0
4–0
Friendly Match (Kirin Challenge Cup 2004)
3.7 July 2004International Stadium Yokohama, Yokohama, Japan Serbia and Montenegro
1–0
1–0
Kirin Cup 2004
4.16 July 2007My Dinh National Stadium, Hanoi, Vietnam Vietnam
2–1
4–1
2007 AFC Asian Cup
5.6 February 2008Saitama Stadium, Saitama, Japan Thailand
1–0
4–1
2010 FIFA World Cup Qualification
6.7 June 2008Royal Oman Police Stadium, Muscat, Oman Oman
1–1
1–1
2010 FIFA World Cup Qualification
7.6 September 2008Bahrain National Stadium, Riffa, Bahrain Bahrain
2–0
3–2
2010 FIFA World Cup Qualification
8.14 February 2010National Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan South Korea
1–0
1–3
2010 East Asian Football Championship
9.24 June 2010Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg, South Africa Denmark
2–0
3–1
2010 FIFA World Cup
10.15 August 2012Sapporo Dome, Sapporo, Japan Venezuela
1–0
1–1
Friendly
11.6 September 2013Nagai Stadium, Osaka, Japan Guatemala
3–0
3–0
Friendly
12.10 September 2013International Stadium Yokohama, Yokohama, Japan Ghana
2–1
3–1
Friendly
13.2 June 2014Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, United States Costa Rica
1–1
3–1
Friendly
14.14 November 2014Toyota Stadium, Toyota, Japan Honduras
3–0
6–0
Friendly
15.12 January 2015Newcastle Stadium, Newcastle, Australia Palestine
1–0
4–0
2015 AFC Asian Cup

Honours

Club
Yokohama Flügels
Gamba Osaka

International
Japan

Individual

References
  1. Yasuhito Endō at J.League (in Japanese)
  2. J.League
  3. "FIFA.com".
  4. Sheringham, Sam (24 June 2010). "Denmark 1–3 Japan". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 24 June 2010.
  5. "SOCCER/ Endo's Japan record ruined by Brazil thumping". Asahi Shimbun. 18 October 2012. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
  6. "Japan 4-0 Palestine: Defending champions open Asian Cup campaign with impressive win over newcomers in Group D". The Daily Mail. 13 January 2015.
  7. "Japan's midfielder Endo reaches 150 int'l caps". Yahoo. 17 January 2015.
  8. Japan National Football Team Database
  9. Gamba Osaka(in Japanese)
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