1. Overview
Ryo Matsumura (松村 亮Matsumura RyōJapanese, born 15 June 1994) is a Japanese professional footballer who primarily plays as an attacking midfielder or a winger. He is currently affiliated with Liga 1 club Persija Jakarta. Throughout his career, Matsumura has been known for his exceptional dribbling skills, earning him the nickname "Messi of Kobe" (神戸のメッシKōbe no MessiJapanese). His professional journey includes significant spells with Vissel Kobe in Japan, various clubs in the Thai leagues, and currently in the Indonesian Liga 1, where he has achieved both club and individual honours.
2. Early life and youth career
Matsumura was born on 15 June 1994 in Uji, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. His early football development began at Iseda Soccer Club from 2001 to 2006, while he attended Uji Municipal Uji Elementary School. He then progressed to Uji FC Junior Youth from 2007 to 2009, during his time at Uji Municipal Uji Junior High School. In 2010, Matsumura joined the Vissel Kobe U-18 team, where his teammates included future professional footballers Takuya Iwanami, Ryosuke Maeda, and Tomoki Wada. He concurrently attended Keimei Gakuin High School.
In 2011, Matsumura was selected for the Japan U-17 national team and participated in a training camp and matches in Mexico. Although he was considered a promising talent, he was ultimately not selected for the squad that competed in the 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup. That same year, with Vissel Kobe U-18, Matsumura achieved significant success by finishing as runner-up in the 35th Japan Club Youth Football Championship (U-18) Tournament. His team also secured the championship in the Prince League Kansai 1st division, which led to their promotion to the Premier League West after winning the promotion playoff. Matsumura was a pivotal player for Vissel Kobe U-18 in the Prince League, contributing significantly with 12 goals and 14 assists, accounting for more than half of the team's total goals. His outstanding performance earned him the league's Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. In 2012, he continued his impressive scoring form in the Premier League West, leading the scoring charts with a total of 22 goals, earning him the top scorer title.
3. Professional club career
Matsumura's professional career spans multiple clubs across Japan, Thailand, and Indonesia, marked by a series of transfers and loan spells as he sought to maximize his playing opportunities and contributions.
3.1. Vissel Kobe
Matsumura officially became a second-category player for Vissel Kobe on 11 May 2012. Just five days later, on 16 May, he made his official match debut in the Nabisco Cup Group Stage, Matchday 4, against Shimizu S-Pulse at Kobe Wing Stadium. In this match, he scored his first professional goal just two minutes after coming on as a substitute in the 62nd minute. This goal set a new club record for the youngest goalscorer, achieved at 17 years, 11 months, and 1 day, surpassing the previous record held by Keijiro Ogawa. Matsumura later made his J1 League debut on 24 November 2012 against Kashiwa Reysol. In 2013, he was promoted to Vissel Kobe's top team alongside Ryosuke Maeda and Tomoki Wada. He scored his first J2 League goal on 1 September 2013 in a match against Giravanz Kitakyushu.
In 2014, Matsumura was personally designated by Takahiko Yoshida, who had retired at the end of the previous year, to inherit the prestigious number 17 shirt. He marked his J1 League debut for the season with a goal as a substitute in the opening match against Kawasaki Frontale on 3 March 2014. However, his time at Vissel Kobe was also impacted by injuries. In February 2016, during a training camp in Okinawa, he suffered a right hamstring strain, which required approximately eight weeks for recovery. After his return, he sustained another injury on 31 October 2016, a right iliacus muscle strain, sidelining him for five to six weeks and effectively ending his season in rehabilitation. On 6 December 2017, it was announced that his loan spell with Tokushima Vortis had ended, and concurrently, Vissel Kobe also confirmed the expiration of his contract with the club. He subsequently participated in the J.League Joint Tryout held in December of that year.
3.2. Loans and transfers in Japan
Following his initial period with Vissel Kobe, Matsumura was loaned to Tochigi SC in 2015 for a season. After his loan period concluded at the end of 2015, he returned to Vissel Kobe in 2016. In 2017, he moved to Tokushima Vortis on a loan spell, where he played four matches. After his contract expired with Vissel Kobe at the end of 2017, Matsumura joined AC Nagano Parceiro in 2018. During his time at AC Nagano Parceiro, he made 22 appearances, but his contract was terminated on 28 November 2018.
3.3. Career in Thailand
In January 2019, Matsumura ventured outside Japan, joining Rayong FC in Thai League 2. He quickly made an impact, playing 32 matches and scoring 10 goals, significantly contributing to the team's promotion to the top tier. In December of the same year, he announced his transfer to another Thai League 2 club, Chiangmai FC. At Chiangmai FC, he continued his strong performance, appearing in 34 matches and scoring 16 goals.
In 2021, Matsumura made a move to Thai League 1 champions BG Pathum United. In September 2021, he scored the winning goal in the Thailand Champions Cup, which earned him the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award for the tournament and contributed to his team's title victory. From December 2021 to May 2022, he was loaned to Police Tero FC.
3.4. Career in Indonesia
On 5 August 2022, Matsumura's career took him to Indonesia, where he joined Liga 1 club Persis Solo on a loan deal. During his time with Persis Solo, he proved to be a prolific scorer, netting 11 goals in 28 appearances. His impressive performance in Indonesia led to a permanent transfer to another Liga 1 club, Persija Jakarta, on 26 May 2023, signing a three-year contract. He typically wears the number 7 shirt for Persija Jakarta. By the end of the 2023-24 season, he had made 33 appearances for Persija Jakarta, scoring 10 goals. In August 2024, Matsumura was recognized with the Liga 1 Goal of the Month award for his exceptional strike.
4. Playing style
Ryo Matsumura is widely recognized for his exceptional dribbling ability, which earned him the moniker "Messi of Kobe," a reference to the renowned Argentine footballer Lionel Messi. His playing style is characterized by an explosive initial burst of speed, coupled with sharp, intricate turns and effective shifts in his center of gravity. These attributes allow him to fluidly maneuver the ball and create offensive opportunities. Matsumura possesses the versatility to break through defensive lines from either the left or right wing, consistently driving towards the goal and taking shots. He is known for his ability to open up play and create scoring chances from various positions in the attacking third. Matsumura stands at 66 in (168 cm) and weighs 128 lb (58 kg), and his preferred foot is his right foot.
5. National team career
Matsumura has represented Japan at the age-group national team level. In 2010, he was part of the Japan U-16 national team and participated in the Sanix Cup International Youth Soccer Tournament. The following year, in 2011, he was called up to the Japan U-17 national team for a training camp and matches in Mexico. Despite his involvement with the U-17 squad, he was not ultimately included in the final roster for the 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
6. Honours
Ryo Matsumura has accumulated several team and individual honours throughout his youth and professional career.
6.1. Club
- Vissel Kobe U-18
- Prince League Kansai 1st division: 2011
- BG Pathum United
- Thailand Champions Cup: 2021
6.2. Individual
- Prince League Kansai 1st division - Most Valuable Player: 2011
- Prince Takamado Trophy Prince League West - Top Scorer: 2012
- Thailand Champions Cup - Most Valuable Player: 2021
- Liga 1 Goal of the Month: August 2024
7. Career statistics
Ryo Matsumura's career statistics provide a comprehensive overview of his appearances and goals across various clubs and competitions.
7.1. Club statistics
| Season | Club | League | Apps | Goals | Domestic Cup | Goals | League Cup | Goals | Total Apps | Total Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | ||||||||||
| 2012 | Vissel Kobe | J1 League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 2013 | J2 League | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | 9 | 1 | ||
| 2014 | J1 League | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 24 | 2 | |
| 2015 | Tochigi SC | J2 League | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 23 | 0 | |
| 2016 | Vissel Kobe | J1 League | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| 2017 | Tokushima Vortis | J2 League | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 4 | 0 | |
| 2018 | AC Nagano Parceiro | J3 League | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 24 | 0 |
| Thailand | ||||||||||
| 2019 | Rayong | Thai League 2 | 32 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 36 | 13 |
| 2020 | Chiangmai | Thai League 2 | 34 | 16 | - | 3 | 3 | 37 | 19 | |
| 2021 | BG Pathum United | Thai League 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021-2022 | Police Tero (loan) | Thai League 1 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Indonesia | ||||||||||
| 2022-2023 | Persis Solo (loan) | Liga 1 | 28 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 11 |
| 2023-2024 | Persija Jakarta | Liga 1 | 33 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 10 |
| Career total (Japan) | 66 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 14 | 2 | 88 | 4 | ||
| Career total (Thailand) | 76 | 26 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 83 | 32 | ||
| Career total (Indonesia) | 61 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 61 | 21 | ||
| Career total (All Clubs) | 203 | 49 | 5 | 0 | 20 | 8 | 228 | 57 | ||
Note: Matsumura appeared as a 2nd category player for Vissel Kobe in 2012.
7.2. Japan U-22 Selection statistics
These statistics reflect his appearances for the J.League Under-22 Selection team in official matches.
| Season | Club | League | Apps | Goals | Total Apps | Total Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | J.League U-22 Selection | J3 League | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 2015 | J3 League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Career total | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | ||
7.3. Appearance records
- First official match and goal: 16 May 2012, Nabisco Cup Group Stage, Matchday 4, vs. Shimizu S-Pulse at Kobe Wing Stadium (now Noevir Stadium Kobe).
- First J.League appearance: 24 November 2012, J1 League Matchday 33, vs. Kashiwa Reysol at Hitachi Kashiwa Soccer Stadium.
- First J.League goal: 1 September 2013, J2 League Matchday 32, vs. Giravanz Kitakyushu at Honjo Athletic Stadium.
8. External links
- [https://data.j-league.or.jp/SFIX04/?player_id=11230 Ryo Matsumura at J.League Data Site]
- [https://www.vissel-kobe.co.jp/profile/2016/player_27.html Profile at Vissel Kobe]
- [http://www.vortis.jp/player/detail.php?id=6338 Profile at Tokushima Vortis]
- [https://www.instagram.com/ryomatsumura.official/ Ryo Matsumura on Instagram]