1. Early Life and Education
Rui Komatsu was born on August 29, 1983, in Aki, Kōchi Prefecture, Japan. He attended Kōchi Otemae High School from 1999 to 2001. Following high school, he enrolled at Kwansei Gakuin University, playing for their football team from 2002 to 2005. During his university years in 2005, Komatsu was selected as a Designated Player for Development by the J.League and the JFA. This status allowed him to be registered as a player for Cerezo Osaka even while still eligible to play for his university club, although he did not participate in any official matches for Cerezo during this period. In the same year, he was part of the Japan national team that won the football competition at the Universiade in Izmir. He also represented Japan at the 2005 East Asian Games. Standing at 75 in (190 cm) tall and weighing 174 lb (79 kg), Komatsu developed into a prominent center-forward during his collegiate career.
2. Playing Career
Rui Komatsu's playing career spanned over a decade, primarily in Japan's professional leagues, marked by periods of prolific goal-scoring and significant contributions to his teams.
2.1. Club Career Development
After graduating from Kwansei Gakuin University in 2006, Rui Komatsu officially signed with Cerezo Osaka. He made his J. League debut on August 12, 2006, in a match against Omiya Ardija at Nagai Stadium, which Cerezo Osaka lost 1-0. In October 2006, during his first season, he was loaned to V-Varen Nagasaki, then a Kyu-League side, as they aimed for promotion to the JFL. During his brief spell at Nagasaki, he formed a "twin-tower" partnership with fellow loanee Yusei Hayashi. However, he did not play any official matches for V-Varen Nagasaki during this loan period.
Komatsu returned to Cerezo Osaka for the 2007 season. Despite initially struggling for playing time, he began to feature regularly after Levir Culpi took over as manager, who recognized his comprehensive abilities as a forward and promoted him to the starting lineup. His first goal for the club came on May 23, 2007, in a 3-1 win against Mito HollyHock at Kasamatsu Stadium. He remained a key player for Cerezo Osaka through the 2011 season.
In 2012, Komatsu transferred to Kawasaki Frontale. He started in the opening few matches of the league season but struggled to produce results. Following a change in management from Naoki Soma to Yahiro Kazama, his opportunities for playing time significantly decreased.
The 2013 season saw Komatsu move to Oita Trinita. Later in the same year, on July 22, he was loaned back to V-Varen Nagasaki for a second spell, which lasted until the end of the 2014 season.
In 2015, he made a permanent transfer to Giravanz Kitakyushu. He spent three seasons with the club until 2017, concluding his professional playing career there.
2.2. Key Achievements and Highlights
Rui Komatsu's career was marked by several notable achievements and impactful periods, particularly during his time at Cerezo Osaka and Giravanz Kitakyushu.
In the 2007 season with Cerezo Osaka, he formed a formidable strike partnership with Tatsuya Furuhashi. Together, the duo accounted for a total of 30 goals, with Komatsu contributing 12 goals, making him the team's second-highest scorer. The following year, in the 2008 season, he initially faced challenges but regained a starting position in the 8th match against Roasso Kumamoto. He then scored in five consecutive matches, starting from the 9th match against Yokohama FC. After Furuhashi's injury, Komatsu often played as a lone striker, with support from Shinji Kagawa, Yoichiro Kakitani, Kent Shirotani, and later Takashi Inui as shadow players. He also occasionally formed a "twin-tower" attack with players like Yasuhito Morishima or Caio Felipe Gonçalves. Despite losing his regular position later in the season due to a formation change, he still finished as the team's joint top scorer with Shinji Kagawa, both netting 16 goals.
The 2009 season saw Komatsu struggle for consistency in a tactical setup that emphasized two shadow players (Kagawa and Inui) behind a lone striker. His personal focus on scoring goals, rather than facilitating his teammates, led to difficulties in securing a regular starting spot over Caio.
In 2015, during his time at Giravanz Kitakyushu, Komatsu enjoyed his most prolific season. He scored a personal best of 18 goals in the J2 League, finishing as the league's third-highest scorer and the top Japanese player. This included scoring 8 goals in the first half of the season and an additional 10 goals in 9 of 12 matches between the 30th and 41st rounds. Notably, he scored 6 goals in 5 consecutive matches from the 37th round. However, in 2016, his goal tally significantly dropped to 4 goals in 33 appearances, and Giravanz Kitakyushu was relegated to J3. In 2017, he scored one goal in the Emperor's Cup against Shimizu S-Pulse but failed to score in 14 J3 League matches. Following the 2017 season, his contract was not renewed, and he participated in the J.League joint tryout but was unable to secure a new club.
2.3. International Career
Rui Komatsu represented Japan on the international stage during his university years. In 2005, he was part of the Japan national football team that competed in the Universiade in Izmir, contributing to their victory in the tournament. In the same year, he also played for the Japan national team in the 2005 East Asian Games.
3. Career Statistics
Updated to 26 February 2018.
| Club | Season | League | Emperor's Cup | J. League Cup | Asia | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Cerezo Osaka | 2006 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 1 | 0 | |
| V-Varen Nagasaki | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Cerezo Osaka | 2007 | 32 | 12 | 2 | 0 | - | - | 34 | 12 | ||
| 2008 | 32 | 16 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 33 | 16 | |||
| 2009 | 35 | 6 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 36 | 6 | |||
| 2010 | 23 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | - | 29 | 4 | ||
| 2011 | 23 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 33 | 7 | |
| Kawasaki Frontale | 2012 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | 15 | 0 | |
| Oita Trinita | 2013 | 5 | 1 | - | 2 | 0 | - | 7 | 1 | ||
| V-Varen Nagasaki | 12 | 4 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 13 | 4 | |||
| 2014 | 30 | 4 | 3 | 1 | - | - | 33 | 5 | |||
| Giravanz Kitakyushu | 2015 | 41 | 18 | 2 | 1 | - | - | 43 | 19 | ||
| 2016 | 33 | 4 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 33 | 4 | |||
| 2017 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 15 | 1 | |||
| Career total | 293 | 72 | 16 | 4 | 10 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 325 | 79 | |
4. Retirement and Coaching Career
After failing to secure a new club following his departure from Giravanz Kitakyushu and grappling with injuries, Rui Komatsu announced his retirement from professional football on January 30, 2018. Immediately following his retirement, he embarked on a coaching career. He joined the Cerezo Osaka Sports Club, an incorporated association separate from the professional football team, where he initially took on the role of a school coach.
His coaching career at Cerezo Osaka Sports Club has seen him progress through various age groups and roles:
- 2018 (February - May): School Coach
- 2018 (June - December): Ladies' and Girls' Coach / School Coach
- 2019 - 2022: U-15 Coach
- 2023 - 2024: U-18 Coach
- 2025 - Present: Top Team Coach
5. Legacy and Reception
Rui Komatsu is remembered in Japanese football for his physical presence and goal-scoring prowess as a center-forward. His ability to form effective partnerships and deliver crucial goals, particularly during his early years at Cerezo Osaka and his prolific season with Giravanz Kitakyushu, cemented his reputation as a formidable striker in the J.League. Despite facing challenges with injuries and competition for places later in his playing career, his dedication to the sport persisted.
His transition into coaching immediately after retirement highlights his commitment to Japanese football's development. By remaining within the Cerezo Osaka organization, where he spent many formative years as a player, Komatsu continues to contribute to the growth of young talent and the overall success of the club, transitioning his experience from the field to a mentorship role for future generations of footballers.