1. Early Life and Background
Rodrigo Barbosa Tabata was born on November 19, 1980, in Araçatuba, a city in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. He is of Japanese descent, specifically a third-generation Japanese Brazilian. This ancestry would later become a notable point in his career as he explored options to obtain a Japanese passport.
2. Club Career
Rodrigo Tabata's club career spans over two decades, featuring significant spells in Brazil, Turkey, and prominently, in Qatar, where he built a lasting legacy across multiple clubs.
2.1. Career in Brazil
Tabata began his professional career as a journeyman footballer in Brazil, playing for 11 different clubs between 1999 and 2003. During this early period, he gained experience at clubs such as Paulista, São Bento, Santo André, Ferroviário-CE, Inter de Limeira, Treze, Serrano-PB, Ceará, XV de Piracicaba, Campinense, and América-RN.
In 2004, Tabata joined Goiás, where he played in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A for the first time. His strong performances were crucial in helping Goiás achieve their best-ever finish in the top flight, securing third place in the 2005 season. This historic achievement also qualified the club for the Copa Libertadores for the first time.
In 2006, Santos purchased Tabata. He quickly became a key player for Santos, donning the prestigious number 10 jersey. During his time at the club, he won the Campeonato Paulista twice consecutively in 2006 and 2007. There were even rumors of his potential call-up to the Japan national team due to his Japanese heritage and impressive form. In 2008, he moved abroad to begin his European career.
2.2. Career in Turkey
Tabata's first venture into European football began in 2008 when he moved to Gaziantepspor in Turkey on a three-year loan deal, which included an option for a permanent purchase. He quickly established himself as a central figure, wearing the number 10 shirt and becoming a key player for the club.
Following a successful season with Gaziantepspor, Tabata transferred to Beşiktaş in 2009 for a reported transfer fee of 8.00 M EUR. This transfer, however, sparked controversy, as Santos claimed they had not received the fee from Gaziantepspor to finalize his permanent purchase before the deal with Beşiktaş was completed. Tabata played one full season at Beşiktaş before moving on loan to Al Rayyan in 2010.
2.3. Career in Qatar
Rodrigo Tabata has enjoyed a highly successful and enduring career in Qatar, marked by multiple impactful stints at leading clubs and significant contributions to the Qatar Stars League.
2.3.1. First Stint at Al Rayyan (2010-2014)
Tabata initially joined Al Rayyan on loan in 2010 and was subsequently purchased by the Qatari club in 2011. During this period, the Al Rayyan administration encouraged him to obtain a Japanese passport, leveraging his Japanese grandparents, to fulfill foreign player quotas for the AFC Champions League. Despite his personal desire to play for the Japanese national team, Tabata was unable to meet the prerequisites, particularly the inability to read or write Japanese.
His early years at Al Rayyan were marked by remarkable individual success. On April 8, 2012, he received a 100.00 K USD cash award for scoring a super hat-trick (four goals) against Qatar SC in a league match, contributing to an 8-2 victory. This match was the highest-scoring game of the 2011-12 season. In the same season, he was named the Qatar Stars League Player of the Year, having recorded an impressive 17 goals and 9 assists. He also won the 2012 Sheikh Jassim Cup.
2.3.2. Loan to Al Sadd (2014-2015)
On January 31, 2014, Tabata signed a loan deal with another prominent Qatari club and then-title holders, Al Sadd. He played for Al Sadd for the remainder of the 2013-14 season before returning to Al Rayyan in 2015.
2.3.3. Second Stint at Al Rayyan (2015-2020)
Upon his return to Al Rayyan in 2015, Tabata continued his impactful contributions. He played a pivotal role in the club's success, notably winning the Qatar Stars League title in the 2015-16 season. His consistent performances and leadership made him a fan favorite and a central figure in Al Rayyan's squad for five more seasons.
2.3.4. First Stint at Al Sadd (2020-2023)
In July 2020, Tabata signed a permanent one-year deal with Al Sadd. During this period, he continued to add to his impressive trophy collection, winning the Qatar Stars League in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons. He also secured the Qatar Cup and the Emir of Qatar Cup in 2020, followed by the Qatar Cup and Emir of Qatar Cup in 2021.
2.3.5. Second Stint at Al Rayyan (2023-present)
Rodrigo Tabata made another return to Al Rayyan in 2023, where he continues his professional football career. He remains an active part of the team, contributing his experience and skill to the club's ongoing campaigns.
3. International Career
After years of playing in Qatar, Rodrigo Tabata became a naturalized Qatari citizen, making him eligible to represent the Qatar national team. This opportunity arose after his attempts to acquire Japanese citizenship to represent Japan did not materialize.
In August 2015, Tabata was selected for the Qatar national team's training camp in Austria. His unofficial debut for Qatar occurred in a friendly match against Austrian club LASK Linz on August 17, 2015. He made his official debut in a FIFA World Cup qualifier match against Hong Kong, which Qatar won 2-0.
4. Playing Style and Characteristics
Rodrigo Tabata is primarily an attacking midfielder, known for his technical skills and on-field presence. He is particularly recognized as a free-kick specialist, possessing a precise and powerful shot from set pieces. As a passer, he is adept at distributing the ball and orchestrating attacks from midfield.
Tabata is characterized by his active play, often seeking to receive the ball and drive forward aggressively. While he is a diligent and skillful player, he is also noted for his fiery temperament, frequently displaying his emotions during matches. This can sometimes lead to rough play or arguments with referees, resulting in disciplinary warnings. Despite these tendencies, his leadership qualities and offensive contributions have made him a highly valued player throughout his career.
5. Career Statistics
Rodrigo Tabata has maintained a consistent and impressive statistical record throughout his career across various clubs and competitions.
5.1. Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Treze | 2002 | Série C | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | - | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | |
| XV de Novembro | 2003 | Série A3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 3 | 1 | ||
| América(RN) | 2003 | Série B | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | |
| Campinense | 2003 | Série C | 17 | 4 | 0 | 0 | - | 8 | 5 | 25 | 9 | |
| Goiás | 2004 | Série A | 37 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 14 | 9 | 60 | 22 |
| 2005 | 39 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 4 | 53 | 12 | ||
| Total | 76 | 18 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 26 | 13 | 113 | 34 | ||
| Santos | 2006 | Série A | 36 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 18 | 2 | 63 | 10 |
| 2007 | 37 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 20 | 4 | 67 | 12 | ||
| 2008 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 21 | 1 | ||
| Total | 79 | 15 | 5 | 0 | 18 | 1 | 49 | 7 | 151 | 23 | ||
| Gaziantepspor | 2008-09 | Süper Lig | 26 | 11 | 5 | 2 | - | - | 31 | 13 | ||
| 2009-10 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 3 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 29 | 12 | 5 | 2 | - | - | 34 | 14 | ||||
| Beşiktaş | 2009-10 | Süper Lig | 16 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 2 |
| 2010-11 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 0 | - | 27 | 0 | |||
| Total | 30 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 48 | 2 | ||
| Al-Rayyan (loan) | 2010-11 | QSL | 11 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 11 |
| Al-Rayyan | 2011-12 | QSL | 21 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 32 | 25 |
| 2012-13 | 22 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 36 | 16 | ||
| 2013-14 | 16 | 4 | 0 | 0 | - | 5 | 6 | 21 | 10 | |||
| 2014-15 | QSD | 8 | 21 | 4 | 4 | - | 7 | 5 | 19 | 30 | ||
| 2015-16 | QSL | 24 | 21 | 2 | 3 | - | 1 | 0 | 27 | 24 | ||
| 2016-17 | 24 | 20 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 35 | 28 | ||
| 2017-18 | 21 | 15 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 35 | 22 | ||
| 2018-19 | 20 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 35 | 17 | ||
| 2019-20 | 16 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 24 | 9 | ||
| Total | 172 | 122 | 20 | 17 | 28 | 11 | 44 | 31 | 264 | 181 | ||
| Al-Sadd (loan) | 2013-14 | QSL | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 20 | 10 |
| Al-Sadd (loan) | 2014-15 | QSL | 15 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 18 | 9 |
| Al-Sadd | 2019-20 | QSL | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 3 |
| 2020-21 | 21 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 34 | 14 | ||
| 2021-22 | 21 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 3 | - | 29 | 11 | |||
| 2022-23 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 22 | 7 | ||
| Total | 81 | 36 | 13 | 3 | 22 | 6 | 18 | 9 | 134 | 54 | ||
| Al-Rayyan | 2023-24 | QSL | 14 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 22 | 3 |
| 2024-25 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 18 | 2 | ||
| Total | 24 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 3 | 40 | 5 | ||
| Career total | 528 | 222 | 61 | 27 | 93 | 20 | 159 | 70 | 841 | 339 | ||
5.2. International
Scores and results list Qatar's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Rodrigo Tabata goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 August 2016 | Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, Doha, Qatar | Iraq | 1-0 | 2-1 | Friendly |
| 2 | 25 August 2016 | Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, Doha, Qatar | Thailand | 2-0 | 3-0 | Friendly |
6. Honours
Santos
- Campeonato Paulista: 2006, 2007
Al Rayyan
- Qatar Stars League: 2015-16
- Emir of Qatar Cup: 2013
- Sheikh Jassim Cup: 2012, 2013, 2018
Al Sadd
- Qatar Stars League: 2020-21, 2021-22
- Qatar Cup: 2020, 2021
- Emir of Qatar Cup: 2014, 2020, 2021
- Sheikh Jassim Cup: 2014
Individual
- Qatar Stars League Player of the Year: 2011-12, 2015-16
- Qatar Stars League Top Scorer: 2015-16
7. Criticism and Controversies
Rodrigo Tabata's career has seen some notable controversies. One significant issue arose during his transfer from Santos to Beşiktaş in 2009. Santos claimed that they had not received the full transfer fee from Gaziantepspor to make Tabata's loan move permanent before the deal between the two Turkish clubs was finalized, leading to a financial dispute.
On the field, Tabata is known for his passionate and sometimes aggressive demeanor. His tendency to express his emotions openly, combined with a willingness to engage in physical play, has led to instances of rough tackles and protests against referees. These actions have occasionally resulted in him receiving disciplinary warnings.