This is a list of J.League designated special players, picked by J.League clubs from universities and high schools all over Japan.
System information
The system, in place since 1998, aims to provide high potential players "a suitable environment in accordance with the player's ability."[1] Most young players are registered with their university or high school until they are at least 18 and as such cannot be registered with another team. The 'designated special players' system allows J.League clubs to invite a maximum of three players to train and play in J.League competitions, without changing their registration status from their current registered team. Therefore, during this time, the player is allowed to play for both their educational institution and their J.League club. This provides the players an opportunity to train and play at a higher level, whilst also giving the clubs an opportunity to sell themselves as a potential destination upon completion of their studies. Although most of the time players go on to sign a professional contract with their host club, there is no guarantees or assurances that it will always be the case.
A player is eligible to become a designated special players if they fulfill the following requirements:
- They have an official offer from a J. League club
- They have Japanese citizenship or do not apply as a foreign player
- They registered with teams under the Japan University Football Association, the All Japan High School Athletic Federation, or teams of the Japan Club Youth Federation Level 2 other than J.League club teams.
Once approved, the players can then participate in any of the following competitions:
- J1, J2, J3 League matches
- League Cup matches
- Pre-season matches
- J.League promotion/relegation play-off matches
- Other official matches organised by J.League and the Japan FA
Key
Legend | Meaning |
---|---|
Highlighted row | Player made appearances whilst registered as a designated special player |
Bold | Player has gone on to represent the Japan national football team |
- Player
- Full name of the player.
- From
- The institution or institutions football club which the player is registered for (usually their university or high school)
- To
- The J.League club which the player is designated to.
- Games played
- The number of caps and goals the player has played whilst a designated special player, including the competition in which they were attained.
- Year of affiliation
- The year and team in which the player signed a professional contract with.
Designated special players
1998
Player | From | To | Games played | Year of affiliation |
---|---|---|---|---|
Fumiya Iwamaru | Maebashi Ikuei High School | Urawa Red Diamonds | 2000 – Vissel Kobe | |
Tsutomu Fujihara | Kobe Koryo Gakuen High School | Vissel Kobe | 1999 – Cerezo Osaka | |
Masashi Kuwahon | Taisha High School | Sanfrecce Hiroshima | 1999 – Fukuoka University | |
Mitsuru Chiyotanda | Higashi Fukuoka High School | Avispa Fukuoka | 1999 – University of Tsukuba | |
Tomoyuki Yoshino | Narashino High School | Kashiwa Reysol | 1999 – Urawa Red Diamonds | |
Norihiro Nishi | Funabashi Ichiritsu High School | Yokohama Flügels | 1999 – Júbilo Iwata | |
Taichi Hasegawa | Mizuhashi High School | Nagoya Grampus Eight | 1999 – Albirex Niigata | |
Terawaki | Kusatsu Higashi High School | Kyoto Sanga | 1999 – Doshisha University | |
Keiji Tamada | Narashino High School | Kashiwa Reysol | 1999 – Kashiwa Reysol | |
Takuma Sugano | Narashino High School | JEF United Chiba | 1999 – JEF United Chiba |
1999
2000
2001
Player | From | To | Games played | Year of affiliation |
---|---|---|---|---|
Kenta Tokushige | Kunimi High School | Avispa Fukuoka | 2002 – Urawa Red Diamonds | |
Ryota Aoki | Funabashi Ichiritsu High School | FC Tokyo | 2003 – Gamba Osaka | |
Masatomo Kuba | Toko Gakuen High School | Tokyo Verdy | 2003 – Tokyo Verdy | |
Tatsuya Kamohara | Kunimi High School | Avispa Fukuoka | 2002 – Kokushikan University | |
Yutaro Abe | Toin Gakuen High School | Yokohama F. Marinos | 2003 – Yokohama F. Marinos |
2002
Player | From | To | Games played | Year of affiliation |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ryota Aoki | Funabashi Ichiritsu High School | FC Tokyo | 2003 – Gamba Osaka | |
Masatomo Kuba | Toko Gakuen High School | Tokyo Verdy | 2003 – Tokyo Verdy | |
Sho Naruoka | Fujieda Higashi High School | Júbilo Iwata | 2003 – Júbilo Iwata | |
Yutaro Abe | Toin Gakuen High School | Yokohama F. Marinos | J1: 3 caps, 0 goals | 2003 – Yokohama F. Marinos |
Kentaro Ohi | Fujieda Higashi High School | Júbilo Iwata | 2003 – Júbilo Iwata | |
Akihiro Kusaba | Nara Ikuei Gakuen | Cerezo Osaka | 2004 – Chukyo University | |
Takeshi Nakamura | Shiogama FC Youth | Vegalta Sendai | 2003 – Chuo University | |
Toshiki Chino | Nirasaki High School | FC Tokyo | 2004 – Ventforet Kofu | |
Kazumasa Takagi | Kagawa Nishi High School | Sanfrecce Hiroshima | 2003 – Sanfrecce Hiroshima | |
Tomoya Osawa | Teikyo High School | Urawa Red Diamonds | 2003 – Omiya Ardija | |
Kisho Yano | Hamana High School | Júbilo Iwata | 2003 – Kashiwa Reysol |
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
Player | From | To | Games played | Year of affiliation |
---|---|---|---|---|
Kohei Kawata | Fukuoka University | Sagan Tosu | 2010 – Gamba Osaka | |
Yusuke Tasaka | Aoyama Gakuin University | Kawasaki Frontale | J1: 1 cap, 0 goals | 2008 – Kawasaki Frontale |
Kengo Kawamata | Komatsu High School | Ehime FC | 2010 – Albirex Niigata | |
Hiroki Kato | Ryutsu Keizai University FC | Mito HollyHock | J2: 4 cap, 0 goals | 2009 – Mito HollyHock |
Koji Hashimoto | Meiji University | Nagoya Grampus Eight | JLC: 1 cap, 0 goals | 2009 – Nagoya Grampus Eight |
Yuto Nagatomo | Meiji University | FC Tokyo | JLC: 1 cap, 0 goals | 2008 – FC Tokyo |
Yusuke Murakami | Juntendo University | Kashiwa Reysol | 2008 – Kashiwa Reysol | |
Daisuke Suzuki | Seiryo High School | Albirex Niigata | 2008 – Albirex Niigata | |
Ryohei Hayashi | Meiji University | Yokohama FC | 2009 – Tokyo Verdy | |
Masaki Iida | Ryutsu Keizai University FC | Tokyo Verdy | 2008 – Tokyo Verdy | |
Takamitsu Tomiyama | Yaita Chuo High School | Vegalta Sendai | 2009 – Waseda University |
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
Caps and goals updated as of 28 April 2024.
Records
As of 16 August 2023.
- Educational institution with most designated special players:
- Fukuoka University and Meiji University (31)
- J.League club taken on most designated special players:
- FC Tokyo (36)
Caps
All records below are for while the player was specially designated
- Most J1 caps: 15
- Tomoya Fujii (Sanfrecce Hiroshima, 2020)
- Most J2 caps: 26
- Yoshihito Kondo (Iwaki FC, 2023)
- Most J3 caps: 16
- Takuya Koyama (FC Tokyo U-23, 2016)
- Most League Cup caps: 8
Goals
- Most J1 goals: 4
- Riki Matsuda (Oita Trinita, 2013)
- Ayase Ueda (Kashima Antlers, 2019)
- Most J2 goals: 6
- Yusuke Matsuo (Yokohama FC, 2019)
- Most J3 goals: 3
- Daisuke Kitahara (YSCC Yokohama, 2016)
References
External links
- JFA Youth Development at jfa.jp (in Japanese)