Yasuhito_Endō

Yasuhito Endō

Yasuhito Endō

Japanese footballer (born 1980)

Yasuhito Endō (遠藤 保仁, Endō Yasuhito, born 28 January 1980) is a Japanese former footballer who played as a midfielder.[3]

Quick Facts Personal information, Full name ...

Endō's playing career unfolded entirely within Japan, where he was associated with Gamba Osaka for 20 years. 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. He is also one of the few players to have made over 1,100 official appearances and the highest number of J.League appearances in history with 672 appearances.

His brother Akihiro Endō is also a former footballer. However, both of them are not related to Wataru Endō.

Club career

Yokohama Flügels

Endō 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.[3][4] 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 and merged with Yokohama Marinos.

Kyoto Purple Sanga

In 1999, Endō 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 the J2 League at the end of the 2000 season.

Gamba Osaka

Endō in action for Gamba Osaka in an AFC Champions League match against Melbourne Victory in 2008

In 2001, Endō 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 the J1 League for the first time in the club's history. In 2008, Gamba won the championship in the AFC Champions League for 2 years in a row as a Japanese club (Urawa Reds won it in 2007). Gamba also won the Emperor's Cup. Endō was selected as the "Japanese Footballer of the Year". In 2009, Gamba won the Emperor's Cup for 2 years in a row. Endō was selected as the Asian Footballer of the Year.

Endō (rear) looking on as Yosuke Ideguchi takes a free kick against Vissel Kobe in 2017

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 the J2 League. Endō remained with Gamba and Gamba won the championship in the 2013 season. In the 2014 season, Gamba returned to J1 and won all three major titles in Japan, J1 League, J.League Cup and Emperor's Cup. Endō was selected as the J.League MVP and "Japanese Footballer of the Year" for the second time.

Júbilo Iwata

In October 2020, he joined J2 League side Júbilo Iwata on loan from Gamba Osaka.[5] In December 2021, he joined Júbilo Iwata on a full transfer.[6] In May 2023, Endō was named MVP of J.League's first 30 years.[7]

On 9 January 2024, Endō announced his retirement from professional football, having played in a record of 672 J.League matches.[8]

International career

Endō playing for Japan at the 2010 FIFA World Cup

Endō played in the 1999 World Youth Championship and Japan finished as runner-up, losing to Spain in the final. Since 2002, Endō had been a member of the Japan national team, and was selected for Japan's 2006, 2010 and 2014 World Cup squads.[9] He was also 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.[10]

On 12 October 2010, he became the fourth player to earn a 100th full international cap for Japan in a friendly match against South Korea. On 16 October 2012, Endō became Japan's most capped player in a friendly match against Brazil.[11] His start in this match was his 123rd appearance for the national team, surpassing Masami Ihara's previous record of 122 caps.[11]

Endō was included in 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.[12] In the team's next match, he earned his 150th cap as Japan defeated Iraq 1–0.[13] He played 152 games and scored 15 goals for Japan until 2015.[14]

Style of play

He is considered a cult hero among fans of Gamba Osaka and the Japan national team, attributed to his longevity as a professional athlete, technical 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, this despite only playing domestically in his home country.

Career statistics

Club

More information Club, Season ...
  1. Includes Japanese Super Cup, A3 Champions Cup and FIFA Club World Cup and J. League Championship and 2015 Suruga Bank Championship

International

Endō playing for Japan in 2008
More information National team, Year ...
Scores and results list Japan's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Endō goal.
More information No., Date ...

Honours

Yokohama Flügels

Gamba Osaka

Júbilo Iwata

Japan

Individual

See also

References

  1. [1]
    "2006 FIFA World Cup Germany: List of Players: Japan" (PDF). FIFA. 21 March 2014. p. 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 June 2019.
  2. [2]
    "FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2008 Presented By TOYOTA — List Of Players" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 5 December 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 December 2008.
  3. [3]
    Yasuhito Endō at J.League (archive) (in Japanese) Edit this at Wikidata
  4. [4]
    "J.League". Archived from the original on 7 August 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
  5. [5]
    "Veteran Yasuhito Endo joins J2 Jubilo on loan from Gamba". The Japan Times. 5 October 2020. Archived from the original on 8 October 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  6. [6]
    "Veteran Yasuhito Endo leaves Gamba to join Jubilo". JapanTimes.Co.jp. The Japan Times. 27 December 2021. Archived from the original on 21 January 2022. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  7. [7]
    "J30: Yasuhito Endo named MVP of J.League's first 30 years". JLeague.co. J.League. 16 May 2023. Archived from the original on 17 May 2023. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
  8. [8]
    "Longest-serving Japan international Yasuhito Endo retires". The Japan Times. 9 January 2024. Archived from the original on 9 January 2024. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  9. [9]
    "Squads on FIFA".[dead link]
  10. [10]
    Sheringham, Sam (24 June 2010). "Denmark 1–3 Japan". BBC Sport. BBC. Archived from the original on 20 June 2018. Retrieved 24 June 2010.
  11. [11]
    "SOCCER/ Endo's Japan record ruined by Brazil thumping". Asahi Shimbun. 18 October 2012. Archived from the original on 17 January 2013. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
  12. [12]
    "Japan opens Asian Cup with 4–0 win over Palestine in Group D". USA Today. 12 January 2015. Archived from the original on 24 July 2020. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  13. [13]
    "Japan's midfielder Endo reaches 150 int'l caps". Yahoo. 17 January 2015. Archived from the original on 20 January 2015. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  14. [14]
    "Japan National Football Team Database". Archived from the original on 21 April 2018. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
  15. [15]
    Yasuhito Endō – jubilo-iwata.co.jp. Archived 17 February 2022 at the Wayback Machine (in Japanese).
  16. [16]
    "Yasuhito Endo named J-League 30-year MVP, Kazuyoshi Miura, Shunsuke Nakamura in best XI". Mainichi Shimbun. Archived from the original on 15 May 2023. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Yasuhito Endo.
Share this article:

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article Yasuhito_Endō, and is written by contributors. Text is available under a CC BY-SA 4.0 International License; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.