1. Early Life and Amateur Career
1.1. Birth and Early Life
Kosuke Matsuda was born on September 26, 1986, in Tokyo, Japan.
1.2. Youth and University Football Career
Matsuda began his football journey at a club associated with Kitami Elementary School. He later joined the junior team of Mitsubishi Yowa SC, a prominent Japanese football club known for its youth development. During his junior high school years, he played for a club team within Shibuya Ward of Tokyo. After completing junior high, Matsuda moved to Nagano Prefecture to join the football club at Ueda Nishi High School, where he played from 2002 to 2004.
Following his high school graduation, Matsuda enrolled at Toin University of Yokohama in 2005, continuing his football career with the university's team until 2008. During his time at Toin University, he contributed to the team's promotion from the Kanagawa Prefectural League to the Kantō University Soccer League Division 2 in 2006. Notably, Yoshinori Katsumata, who would later become a professional footballer, was one academic year ahead of Matsuda at the university.
2. Professional Career
Kosuke Matsuda's professional football career was primarily defined by his nine-season tenure with YSCC Yokohama.
2.1. YSCC Yokohama (2009-2017)
Matsuda joined YSCC Yokohama in 2009, marking the beginning of his professional playing career.
2.1.1. Regional Leagues and JFL
In his early years with YSCC Yokohama, Matsuda competed in the Japanese Regional Leagues. During the 2010 season in the Kantō Soccer League Division 1, he scored 13 goals, an achievement that earned him recognition as the league's top scorer and a place in the Best Eleven selection for that year. YSCC Yokohama subsequently moved to the Japan Football League (JFL). Matsuda continued to be a key player for the club, making significant contributions during their time in the JFL.
2.1.2. J3 League
In 2014, YSCC Yokohama became one of the inaugural clubs in the newly formed J3 League, Japan's third-tier professional football league. Matsuda made his J-League debut on March 9, 2014, in the opening match of the J3 League season against Blaublitz Akita at Nippatsu Mitsuzawa Stadium. He scored his first J-League goal on April 29, 2014, in a J3 League match against FC Ryukyu at the same stadium. He continued to be a consistent presence for YSCC Yokohama throughout their early years in the J3 League.
2.2. Major Achievements and Play Style
Standing at 69 in (176 cm) and weighing 150 lb (68 kg), Kosuke Matsuda was known for his versatility, capable of playing both as a defender and a forward. His attacking prowess was particularly evident during his time in the regional leagues, where he earned the Top Scorer and Best Eleven awards in the 2010 Kantō Soccer League Division 1 season.
2.3. Retirement
Kosuke Matsuda retired from professional football at the end of the 2017 season, concluding his entire professional playing career with YSCC Yokohama.
3. Career Statistics
The table below details Kosuke Matsuda's professional career statistics from 2009 to 2017.
| Club performance | League | Cup | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Club | League | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Japan | League | Emperor's Cup | Total | |||||
| 2009 | YSCC Yokohama | Kantō, Div. 1 | 13 | 0 | - | 13 | 0 | |
| 2010 | 13 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 13 | ||
| 2011 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 6 | ||
| 2012 | JFL | 29 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 31 | 1 | |
| 2013 | 29 | 11 | - | 29 | 11 | |||
| 2014 | J3 League | 25 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 27 | 3 | |
| 2015 | 33 | 1 | - | 33 | 1 | |||
| 2016 | 28 | 1 | - | 28 | 1 | |||
| 2017 | 28 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 29 | 0 | ||
| Career Total | 207 | 35 | 6 | 1 | 213 | 36 | ||