1. Personal Information
1.1. Birth and Background
Tatsuya Uchida was born on February 8, 1992, in Takarazuka City, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. He began his football journey at a young age, playing for a local youth team, Coniglio Nakayama FC, from 1999 to 2003. In 2004, he joined the Gamba Osaka junior youth system, a prominent club in Japanese football. He then progressed to the Gamba Osaka youth team in 2007, simultaneously attending Hyogo Prefectural Takarazuka Higashi High School. During his junior high school years and throughout his youth career, Uchida gained significant experience with various age-group Japan national teams, often serving as a defense leader and captain. His leadership qualities were evident early on, notably when he participated in the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup alongside his teammate, Takashi Usami, who was one year his junior.
1.2. Physical Information
Uchida stands at 70 in (177 cm) and weighs 154 lb (70 kg). He is right-footed.
2. Career
Tatsuya Uchida's football career began in his youth, progressing through prominent club academies and representing Japan at various age-group national teams. He then embarked on a professional career spanning over a decade with several J.League clubs before joining FC TIAMO Hirakata.
2.1. Youth Career
Uchida's youth career laid the foundation for his professional path.
- 1999-2003: Coniglio Nakayama FC
- 2004-2006: Gamba Osaka Junior Youth
- 2007-2009: Gamba Osaka Youth (while attending Hyogo Prefectural Takarazuka Higashi High School)
His national youth team experience includes:
- U-14 Japan National Team
- U-15 Japan National Team, participating in the AFC U-16 Championship Qualifiers in 2007.
- U-16 Japan National Team, participating in the AFC U-16 Championship in 2008.
- U-17 Japan National Team, where he served as captain and played full time in all three matches as a center-back during the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
- U-18 Japan National Team
- U-19 Japan National Team, participating in the AFC U-19 Championship in 2010.
2.2. Professional Career
Tatsuya Uchida's professional career began in 2010 with Gamba Osaka, where he spent seven seasons. He then moved to Tokyo Verdy, initially on loan before a permanent transfer, followed by a four-year tenure at Thespakusatsu Gunma. He currently plays for FC TIAMO Hirakata.
2.2.1. Gamba Osaka
Uchida was promoted to the Gamba Osaka top team in 2010. He made his J.League debut on May 21, 2011, in a J1 League match against Albirex Niigata at Banpaku Memorial Stadium. In his initial years, he faced strong competition for a regular starting position as a center-back from experienced players like Satoshi Yamaguchi and Sota Nakazawa. This limited his league appearances to just 10 matches over his first three years until 2012, and he was also not selected for age-group Japan national teams during this period.
In 2013, Uchida's role changed as his position registration was officially switched to midfielder, leading to his conversion to a defensive midfielder (volante). Although he initially had limited playing time at the start of the season, he seized an opportunity in June when key national team players Yasuhito Endō and Yasuyuki Konno were absent, earning a starting role. Even after their return in July, Uchida maintained his regular spot, often forming a double-volante partnership with Konno. On August 21, 2013, he scored his first professional goal in a J2 League match against Gainare Tottori at Tottori Bank Bird Stadium.
In 2014, Uchida frequently started at the beginning of the season, but his appearances decreased in the latter half. In November of that year, he suffered a left knee ligament injury, which was diagnosed to require an eight-month recovery period, resulting in a prolonged absence from play. In 2015, he made no league appearances but successfully returned to action in the Emperor's Cup. His overall statistics for Gamba Osaka from 2010 to 2016 include 58 appearances and 1 goal in league play, 8 appearances in the Emperor's Cup, 6 appearances in the J.League Cup, and 3 appearances in the AFC Champions League.
2.2.2. Gamba Osaka U-23
In 2016, Tatsuya Uchida also played for Gamba Osaka U-23, the reserve team of Gamba Osaka, which competed in the J3 League. During his time with the U-23 squad, he made 14 appearances and scored 1 goal.
2.2.3. Tokyo Verdy
On December 28, 2016, Uchida was loaned to Tokyo Verdy. He made his debut for the club on February 26, 2017, starting in the opening match of the season against Tokushima Vortis. A significant moment came on November 19, 2017, in the final match of the J2 League season against Tokushima Vortis, where he scored the winning goal. This crucial goal helped Tokyo Verdy secure a spot in the promotion playoffs. In 2018, his loan move was made permanent, and he continued to be a key player for Tokyo Verdy, participating in the 2017 J1 Promotion Playoffs and the 2018 J1 Entry Playoffs. In December 2019, Uchida departed Tokyo Verdy after his contract expired. During his tenure from 2017 to 2019, he accumulated 97 league appearances and 2 goals, along with appearances in the Emperor's Cup and J.League Cup.
2.2.4. Thespak Kusatsu Gunma
In 2020, Uchida joined Thespakusatsu Gunma. He scored his first goal for the club on October 14, 2020, in a J2 League match against FC Ryukyu. His time at Thespakusatsu Gunma was significantly impacted by injuries. On February 20, 2022, he suffered a facial bone fracture during training, which sidelined him for approximately 4 to 6 weeks. After recovering and returning to league play, he sustained another serious injury on June 5, 2022, a right anterior cruciate ligament injury, during a match against Renofa Yamaguchi FC. This severe injury required 6 to 8 months for recovery, causing him to miss the remainder of the 2022 season. On November 18, 2023, Thespakusatsu Gunma announced that Uchida's contract would not be renewed. He made 121 league appearances and scored 3 goals during his four seasons with the club, in addition to appearances in the Emperor's Cup.
2.2.5. FC TIAMO Hirakata
In 2024, Uchida transferred to FC TIAMO Hirakata, where he currently plays in the Japan Football League (JFL).
| Club performance | League | Emperor's Cup | J.League Cup | AFC Champions League | Other | Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Club | League | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Japan | ||||||||||||||
| 2010 | Gamba Osaka | J1 League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | |
| 2011 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | 8 | 0 | |||
| 2012 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | 6 | 0 | |||
| 2013 | J2 League | 33 | 1 | 2 | 0 | - | - | - | 35 | 1 | ||||
| 2014 | J1 League | 12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | - | - | 19 | 0 | |||
| 2015 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2016 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | ||
| Total Gamba Osaka | 58 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 75 | 1 | ||
| 2016 | Gamba Osaka U-23 | J3 League | 14 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 14 | 1 | ||||
| Total Gamba Osaka U-23 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 1 | ||
| 2017 | Tokyo Verdy | J2 League | 41 | 2 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 1 | 0 | 43 | 2 | ||
| 2018 | 41 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 1 | 0 | 42 | 0 | ||||
| 2019 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 16 | 0 | ||||
| Total Tokyo Verdy | 97 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 101 | 2 | ||
| 2020 | Thespakusatsu Gunma | J2 League | 31 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | 31 | 1 | |||
| 2021 | 39 | 0 | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | 42 | 1 | |||||
| 2022 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | 13 | 1 | |||||
| 2023 | 38 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | 38 | 1 | |||||
| Total Thespakusatsu Gunma | 121 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 124 | 4 | ||
| 2024 | FC TIAMO Hirakata | JFL | - | - | - | |||||||||
| Career Total | 290 | 7 | 12 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 314 | 8 | ||
2.3. National Team Career
Tatsuya Uchida has represented Japan at various youth levels, demonstrating his talent and leadership from an early age. His national team career includes:
- U-14 Japan National Team
- U-15 Japan National Team (participated in the AFC U-16 Championship Qualifiers in 2007)
- U-16 Japan National Team (participated in the AFC U-16 Championship in 2008)
- U-17 Japan National Team: In October 2009, Uchida was selected for the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup. He served as captain for the team and played full time in all three matches as a center-back.
- U-18 Japan National Team
- U-19 Japan National Team (participated in the AFC U-19 Championship in 2010)
3. Playing Style and Evaluation
Tatsuya Uchida is primarily known as a libero-type center-back or defensive midfielder. Despite not being particularly tall, he excels in defensive aspects due to his exceptional covering abilities and strong situational awareness. He is adept at ball control and is recognized for his distinctive coaching from the back, guiding his teammates with vocal instructions. Throughout his career, Uchida has consistently demonstrated strong leadership qualities, notably serving as captain for the Japan U-17 national team.
4. Honours
4.1. Club
- Gamba Osaka Junior Youth:**
- Prince Takamado Trophy All Japan Youth (U-15) Football Championship: 2006
- Gamba Osaka Youth:**
- Japan Club Youth Football Championship (U-18): 2007
- J.League Youth Championship (J-Youth Cup): 2008
- Gamba Osaka:**
- J1 League: 2014
- J2 League: 2013
- J.League Cup: 2014
- Emperor's Cup: 2014, 2015
- FUJI XEROX SUPER CUP: 2015
4.2. Individual
- MBC International Youth Tournament Most Valuable Player Award: 2005
5. Personal Life
Tatsuya Uchida married in January 2017. His first child, a son, was born in December 2020.