1. Early Life and Background
Isao Homma was born on April 19, 1981, in Tainai, Niigata Prefecture, Japan. His journey in football began at the age of eight when he joined the local Nakajo Junior Soccer Club. He continued his youth football development through Tainai Municipal Nakajo Junior High School.
1.1. Youth and Education
From 1997 to 1999, Homma attended Narashino High School in Chiba Prefecture, where he played for the school's football team. During his time there, his team achieved victory in the Chiba Prefectural Tournament in 1998, qualifying for the National High School Soccer Championship. In one instance during the prefectural tournament, his penalty kick was saved by Takaya Kurokawa, who would later become his teammate at Funabashi Municipal Funabashi High School.
2. Playing Career
Isao Homma's professional football career spanned 17 years, primarily with Albirex Niigata, where he became a key player and leader, before a spell with Tochigi SC and a final return to his original club.
2.1. Debut and Early Career (2000-2004)
Homma began his professional career with Albirex Niigata in 2000 after graduating from high school. He made his professional debut on May 5, 2000, in a J2 League match against Mito HollyHock. Just three days later, he scored his first professional goal in a 2-1 away victory over Shonan Bellmare. In his rookie season, Homma made 31 total appearances and scored three goals, initially playing as an attacking midfielder, often on the right side.
However, in the subsequent years, his playing opportunities decreased, and he spent much of his time as a substitute. Under then-manager Yasuharu Sorimachi, Homma was converted to a defensive midfielder, a position he would primarily occupy for the rest of his career. In 2002, he underwent a three-month short-term training program in Brazil, which notably coincided with the 2002 FIFA World Cup. During this early period, Albirex Niigata finished 4th in the J2 League in 2001 and went on to win the J2 League championship in 2003, securing promotion to the J1 League.
2.2. Albirex Niigata (2005-2014)
Following Albirex Niigata's promotion to the J1 League in 2004, Homma established himself as a regular player in 2005. His importance to the team was recognized even by opponents; Jun Uchida, who later joined Albirex Niigata from Kashima Antlers, recalled that then-Kashima manager Toninho Cerezo had specifically instructed his players to "stop this guy" during pre-match meetings against Niigata, highlighting Homma's influence despite his relative anonymity nationwide.
From 2007, Homma served as the game captain, and by 2008, he had become the central figure and playmaker in the midfield. In July 2008, he celebrated the birth of his first child. In the 2009 season, under manager Jun Suzuki, Homma played a crucial role as a lone defensive midfielder in the team's 4-3-3 formation, making 42 total appearances. His defensive contributions were praised by then-Kyoto Sanga F.C. manager Hisashi Kato, who noted how Homma effectively closed down spaces in front of the defenders within an attacking team.
In 2010, Homma was officially appointed as the team captain. With the transfer of Takayuki Kitano, Homma became the sole remaining player who had experienced the J2 League era with the club, solidifying his status as a club legend. Media outlets began referring to him as "Mr. Albirex" due to his long tenure and deep connection to the club and his hometown. He maintained his starting position even under subsequent managers Hisashi Kurosaki and Masaaki Yanagishita. In 2011, he played in every J1 League match. On September 24, 2011, he made his 200th J1 League appearance in a match against Júbilo Iwata. In 2012, he reached 300 career appearances in the J.League.
Albirex Niigata achieved its highest J1 League finish in club history, placing 6th in 2007, with Homma as a key contributor. The club also reached the quarter-finals of the Emperor's Cup in 2009 and the J.League Cup in 2011. However, from 2013 onwards, Homma's playing opportunities diminished due to the arrival of new players like Léo Silva and Yuki Kobayashi. He did not make any league appearances in 2014.
2.3. Tochigi SC (2014-2016)
Seeking more playing time, Homma moved to J2 League club Tochigi SC in August 2014 on a six-month loan. After the season, his transfer to Tochigi was made permanent on January 5, 2015, marking his departure from Albirex Niigata after 15 years since his high school graduation. At Tochigi SC, he played as a regular defensive midfielder. However, the club finished last in the J2 League in 2015 and was relegated to the J3 League. In 2016, Homma continued to play as a regular, and Tochigi SC finished as J3 League runner-up, but they ultimately lost in the promotion playoffs and failed to return to J2.
2.4. Return to Albirex Niigata and Retirement (2017)
In 2017, Homma returned to his former club, Albirex Niigata. He played 12 official matches during his final season, including five league appearances. On November 25, 2017, he announced his retirement from professional football. His final J.League match was on December 2, 2017, the last league game of the 2017 season, against Cerezo Osaka, where he came on as a substitute. He concluded his professional career with a total of 460 official appearances and 18 goals.
3. Career Statistics
| Club | Season | League | Emperor's Cup | J.League Cup | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Albirex Niigata | 2000 | 29 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 31 | 3 |
| 2001 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 1 | |
| 2002 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | - | 7 | 1 | ||
| 2003 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 15 | 0 | ||
| 2004 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 15 | 0 | |
| 2005 | 28 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 33 | 0 | |
| 2006 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 1 | |
| 2007 | 30 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 35 | 2 | |
| 2008 | 25 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 32 | 1 | |
| 2009 | 32 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 42 | 0 | |
| 2010 | 32 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 41 | 3 | |
| 2011 | 34 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 38 | 3 | |
| 2012 | 33 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 36 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 17 | 1 | |
| 2014 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Tochigi SC | 2014 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 13 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 34 | 2 | 1 | 0 | - | 35 | 2 | ||
| 2016 | 29 | 0 | - | - | 29 | 0 | |||
| Albirex Niigata | 2017 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Career total | 393 | 15 | 24 | 2 | 43 | 1 | 460 | 18 | |
4. Honors
Isao Homma achieved several significant honors with his clubs throughout his career.
4.1. Club Honors
With Albirex Niigata, Homma was part of the squad that won the J2 League championship in 2003. The club also finished 4th in the J2 League in 2001. After his transfer to Tochigi SC, he contributed to their J3 League runner-up finish in 2016.
5. Post-Retirement Career
After retiring as a player, Isao Homma remained involved in football, taking on various roles within Albirex Niigata. From 2018 until November 2020, he served as a coach for the Albirex Niigata Soccer School. Additionally, from July to November 2020, he concurrently held the position of scout for the academy division. In November 2020, he transitioned to the role of scout for the reinforcement department, succeeding Yoshito Terakawa.
6. Retirement Match
A special retirement match was held to commemorate Isao Homma's career on July 1, 2018, at Denka Big Swan Stadium in Niigata, with an attendance of 15,229 persons. The match featured two teams: ISAO FRIENDS and HONMA FRIENDS, composed of approximately 50 former teammates, club legends, and active J-League players. The game ended in a 5-5 draw.
For ISAO FRIENDS, goals were scored by Fabinho (8th minute), Masaki Fukai (42nd minute), Kengo Kawamata (46th minute), and Isao Homma himself, who scored two goals (49th and 80+1 minutes). The team was led by player-manager Motohiro Yamaguchi, with Gerson as goalkeeper coach and Motoharu Watanabe as coach. Notable players for ISAO FRIENDS included Yasuhiro Watanabe, Daisuke Suzuki, Mitsuru Chiyoda, Fabio dos Santos, Dai Kato, Naoki Naruo, Katsuyuki Miyazawa, Kenji Arai, Naoki Takahashi, Yoshito Terakawa, Ahn Young-hak, Shingo Suzuki, Kisho Yano, Yosuke Nozawa, Takamichi Kobayashi, Koichiro Katafuchi, Fumiya Hayakawa, Tatsuya Tanaka, and Katsuo Kanda.
For HONMA FRIENDS, goals were scored by Ryoji Ujihara (19th minute), Isao Homma (26th minute, playing for both teams), Kentaro Oi (31st minute), Atomu Tanaka (66th minute), and Homma's eldest son, Hibiki Homma (76th minute), who was a fourth-grader in Niigata's youth system at the time. The team was led by player-manager Tadahiro Akiba, with Katsushi Kurihara and Takeshi Nonaka as coaches. Other participants for HONMA FRIENDS included Koichi Kitera, Masanori Kizawa, Kenta Hirose, Yudai Mikado, Koji Hirose, Hisashi Kurosaki, Takayuki Nakahara, Noriyuki Shikida, Jun Uchida, Sho Naruoka, Mitsuru Nagata, Tetsuya Okayama, Daigo Nishi, Takayuki Kitano, Daisuke Aono, Yuzo Funakoshi, Tatsunori Yamagata, Takuya Nagayoshi, and Naoya Kikuchi.
7. Legacy and Impact
Isao Homma is widely regarded as a significant figure in Japanese football, particularly for his profound impact and enduring legacy at Albirex Niigata. His long tenure, leadership as captain, and consistent performance made him a symbol of the club, earning him the affectionate nickname "Mr. Albirex." His dedication to the team and his hometown of Niigata resonated deeply with fans, establishing him as one of the most beloved players in the club's history. His career exemplifies loyalty and commitment in professional football.