Yasuhito Endō

Yasuhito Endō
	Endō playing for Japan in 2008
Personal information
Full name	Yasuhito Endo
Date of birth	28 January 1980 (age 44)
Place of birth	Kagoshima, Japan
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Youth career
1995–1997	Kagoshima Jitsugyo High School
Senior career*
Years	Team
1998–1999	Yokohama Flügels
1999–2001	Kyoto Purple Sanga
2001–2021	Gamba Osaka
2020–2021	→ Júbilo Iwata (loan)
2022–2023	Júbilo Iwata
Total
International career
1998–1999	Japan U-20
1999	Japan U-23
2002–2015	Japan
Medal record
Representing Japan
AFC Asian Cup
FIFA U-20 World Cup
AFC U-19 Championship
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

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

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, neither of them are 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

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition^[15]
Club	Season	League		Emperor's Cup		J.League Cup		AFC		Other^[a]		Total
Club	Season	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Kagoshima Jitsugyo HS	1997	—		1	0	—		—		—		1	0
Yokohama Flügels	1998	16	1	0	0	4	0	—		—		20	1
Kyoto Purple Sanga	1999	24	4	1	0	2	0	—		—		27	4
	2000	29	5	0	0	6	1	—		—		35	6
	Total	53	9	1	0	8	1	—		—		62	10
Gamba Osaka	2001	29	4	3	1	4	0	—		—		36	5
	2002	30	5	1	0	8	1	—		—		39	6
	2003	30	4	2	0	6	0	—		—		38	4
	2004	29	9	3	0	0	0	—		—		32	9
	2005	33	10	2	0	4	0	—		—		39	10
	2006	25	9	4	1	0	0	5	3	4	1	38	14
	2007	34	8	4	0	8	1	—		1	0	47	9
	2008	27	6	3	0	1	0	10	3	3	2	44	11
	2009	32	10	4	3	2	0	6	1	1	0	45	14
	2010	30	3	2	2	0	0	3	0	1	0	36	5
	2011	33	4	0	0	0	0	7	1	—		40	5
	2012	34	5	4	3	2	0	4	1	—		44	9
	2013	33	5	0	0	—		—		—		33	5
	2014	34	6	5	0	6	0	—		—		45	6
	2015	34	5	4	0	3	1	12	0	5	0	58	6
	2016	34	2	2	0	3	1	5	1	1	0	45	4
	2017	31	1	1	0	4	0	7	0	—		43	1
	2018	34	1	1	0	6	0	—		—		41	1
	2019	28	1	1	0	5	0	—		—		34	1
	2020	11	0	0	0	2	0	—		—		13	0
	Total	605	98	46	10	64	4	59	10	16	3	790	125
Júbilo Iwata (loan)	2020	15	2	—		—		—		—		15	2
	2021	35	3	—		—		—		—		35	3
	Total	50	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	50	5
Júbilo Iwata	2022	31	0	—		1	0	—		—		32	0
Júbilo Iwata	2023	20	0	2	0	1	0	—		—		23	0
Career total		775	113	50	10	78	5	59	10	16	3	978	141

^ 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

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Japan^[14]	2002	1	0
	2003	11	1
	2004	16	2
	2005	8	0
	2006	8	0
	2007	13	1
	2008	16	3
	2009	12	0
	2010	15	2
	2011	13	0
	2012	11	1
	2013	16	2
	2014	8	2
	2015	4	1
Total		152	15

Scores and results list Japan's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Endō goal.

List of international goals scored by Yasuhito Endō
No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	20 August 2003	National Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan	Nigeria	3–0	3–0	Friendly
2	7 February 2004	Kashima Stadium, Kashima, Japan	Malaysia	4–0	4–0	Friendly
3	7 July 2004	International Stadium Yokohama, Yokohama, Japan	Serbia and Montenegro	1–0	1–0	Friendly
4	16 July 2007	Mỹ Đình National Stadium, Hanoi, Vietnam	Vietnam	2–1	4–1	2007 AFC Asian Cup
5	6 February 2008	Saitama Stadium, Saitama, Japan	Thailand	1–0	4–1	2010 FIFA World Cup Qualification
6	7 June 2008	Royal Oman Police Stadium, Muscat, Oman	Oman	1–1	1–1	2010 FIFA World Cup Qualification
7	6 September 2008	Bahrain National Stadium, Riffa, Bahrain	Bahrain	2–0	3–2	2010 FIFA World Cup Qualification
8	14 February 2010	National Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan	South Korea	1–0	1–3	2010 East Asian Football Championship
9	24 June 2010	Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg, South Africa	Denmark	2–0	3–1	2010 FIFA World Cup
10	15 August 2012	Sapporo Dome, Sapporo, Japan	Venezuela	1–0	1–1	Friendly
11	6 September 2013	Nagai Stadium, Osaka, Japan	Guatemala	3–0	3–0	Friendly
12	10 September 2013	International Stadium Yokohama, Yokohama, Japan	Ghana	2–1	3–1	Friendly
13	2 June 2014	Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, United States	Costa Rica	1–1	3–1	Friendly
14	14 November 2014	Toyota Stadium, Toyota, Japan	Honduras	3–0	6–0	Friendly
15	12 January 2015	Newcastle Stadium, Newcastle, Australia	Palestine	1–0	4–0	2015 AFC Asian Cup