Yūichi Komano

1.1. Early Life and Education

Yuichi Komano was born on July 25, 1981, in Kainan, Wakayama, Japan. In elementary school, he played as a forward. His position shifted to left side-half in his second year of junior high school when he was selected for the Kansai regional team, a role he excelled in due to his left-footed kicking ability. By his third year of junior high, he was being scouted by several private high schools and clubs. His father's death in the autumn of 1996 led Komano to choose the Sanfrecce Hiroshima youth team, which offered reduced dormitory fees. He then transferred to Yoshida Junior High School in Hiroshima. He later graduated from Hiroshima Prefectural Yoshida High School.

1.2. Youth Club Career

Komano joined the Sanfrecce Hiroshima youth team in 1997, during his first year of high school. His teammates during this period included 森崎兄弟_{Morisaki Kyōdai}^Japanese and Manabu Kubota. He distinguished himself as a wing-back, and by his third year of high school, he, along with the Morisaki brothers, was registered as a 2nd-type player, allowing them to play for the professional team while still in high school. His formal professional contract with Sanfrecce Hiroshima was signed in 2000. His fellow new professional recruits that year included Kazuyuki Morisaki, Koji Morisaki, Kosuke Hatta, Yuki Matsushita, Kyohei Yamagata, and Genki Nakayama.

2.1. Sanfrecce Hiroshima

Yuichi Komano began his professional career with Sanfrecce Hiroshima in 2000. In 2001, under coach Valeriy Nepomnyashchy, he established himself as the first-choice right-back, taking over from Kentaro Sawada. His stable play contributed to Sanfrecce Hiroshima's third-place finish in the 2nd stage of the J1 League that year. He continued to excel as a regular right-sided player.

In August 2003, during a J2 League match against Yokohama FC, Komano suffered a severe cruciate ligament tear in his left knee. While recovering in the hospital after surgery, he developed venous thrombosis, a life-threatening condition due to blood clots. He spent time on the sidelines until April 2004, when he returned to play in a Nabisco Cup match against Yokohama F. Marinos. During his absence, no other player fully secured the right-sided position for Hiroshima. In September 2004, he also suffered from uveitis, an eye inflammation that posed a risk of blindness, though it fortunately proved to be a mild case.

By 2005, Komano had fully recovered his form, generating numerous scoring opportunities through his crosses to players like Hisato Sato. He recorded nine assists as a right-back, a notable achievement for a defender. His distinctive sharp-curving early crosses, which he himself trained to match the movements of forwards, became a significant weapon. A football magazine even ranked him as the best J-League player in the "crossing" category.

In 2007, Sanfrecce Hiroshima finished 16th due to defensive breakdowns and was relegated to the J2 League after a playoff. Despite efforts from Hiroshima to retain him and offers from other clubs like Vissel Kobe, Komano decided to transfer to Júbilo Iwata in January 2008. He was the only key player, besides the loaned Wesley, to leave the club after the relegation.

2.2. Júbilo Iwata

Komano joined Júbilo Iwata in 2008. From 2009, he changed his jersey number back to "5," the same number he wore at Hiroshima, and switched his primary position from midfielder to defender (specifically full-back). For two consecutive years, he was involved in the J1 relegation battle. Towards the end of 2009, he showed interest in returning to Sanfrecce Hiroshima, but due to Hiroshima's financial difficulties, the move fell through, and he remained with Júbilo Iwata.

In October 2010, during a match against the South Korea national team, Komano sustained a fracture to his right humerus. This injury forced him to miss the final matches of the season, including the 2010 J.League Cup final, which Júbilo Iwata won, ending a 12-year title drought.

In 2011, he played every J1 League match as a right-back and recorded the most assists in the league (though this was an unofficial record as the J.League does not formally track assists). In January 2012, he reached a basic agreement to transfer to Sint-Truiden, a club in the Belgian First Division A. However, due to remaining contract obligations with Júbilo Iwata and difficulties in arranging the transfer fee, the move ultimately collapsed, and he remained with the club.

Komano continued his consistent performance in 2012, playing in all league matches and earning his first selection for the J.League Best XI. In 2013, under manager Hitoshi Morishita, his position shifted from full-back to wing-back in a new formation. However, this change did not prove successful, and the team struggled, leading to their relegation to the J2 League, marking Komano's third relegation in his career. Despite the team's struggles, he served as club captain in 2013 and achieved his 350th J1 League appearance in the 23rd match against Albirex Niigata.

In 2015, Komano's starting position as a left-back was taken by Tomohiko Miyazaki in the latter half of the season. Nevertheless, he proved to be a valuable veteran presence, scoring a decisive goal from a direct free-kick in the 33rd match against Thespakusatsu Gunma, contributing to Iwata's promotion back to J1. Despite being offered a contract extension by Iwata, it was a single-year deal due to the club's strategy of rejuvenating the squad. Komano decided to leave the club.

2.3. FC Tokyo and Avispa Fukuoka

In 2016, Komano transferred to FC Tokyo. His debut for the club came on February 9, 2016, in the 2016 AFC Champions League playoff match against Chonburi FC. He suffered a muscle strain in his first ACL match against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, which caused him to miss the opening league match. He also made appearances for FC Tokyo U-23, the club's reserve team, in the J3 League, playing his first J3 match on April 3 against Blaublitz Akita.

In July 2016, with limited playing opportunities due to injuries and the rise of young player Ryoya Ogawa, Komano was loaned to Avispa Fukuoka. Although he played in many matches for Avispa, the team finished last in the 2016 J1 League and was relegated to the J2 League. On November 22, 2016, FC Tokyo announced that Komano's contract would not be renewed. On January 6, 2017, it was confirmed that he would make his loan move to Avispa Fukuoka permanent. On October 22, he achieved his 500th J-League appearance in a match against JEF United Chiba. While he was a regular player in 2017, his playing time decreased in 2018, and he left the club at the end of the 2018 season.

2.4. FC Imabari and Retirement

On January 4, 2019, Komano signed with FC Imabari, a club in the Japan Football League (JFL), which was then led by Takeshi Okada, his former Japan national team manager during the 2010 World Cup, and Tsuyoshi Ono, his former manager at Sanfrecce Hiroshima. This move reunited him with two influential figures from his career. In the 2019 season, he was named to the JFL Best XI.

On October 11, 2022, Komano announced his retirement from professional football at the end of the 2022 season, concluding a distinguished 23-year career.

3.1. Youth National Teams

Komano's international career began with Japan's youth national teams. In June 2001, he was selected for the Japan U20 national team to participate in the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship. In this tournament, he played all three matches as a left-sided midfielder and left-sided back.

In August 2004, he represented the Japan U23 national team at the 2004 Summer Olympics. He played two matches as a left-sided back and left-sided midfielder. During a match against Ghana at the Olympics, he suffered a left collarbone fracture.

His youth career also included participation in numerous other tournaments with various age groups:

• U-18 Japan National Team: Groningen International Youth Tournament (1999), SBS Cup International Youth Football (1999, won).
• U-19 Japan National Team: Japan Youth Cup (2000), Terborg International Youth Tournament (2000), AFC Youth Championship Qualifiers (2000), SBS Cup (2000, won), AFC Youth Championship (2000, runners-up).
• U-20 Japan National Team: Football of the Future U-20 Football Tournament (2001), Japan Youth Cup (2001, won), Toulon International Tournament (2001), FIFA World Youth Championship (2001, group stage elimination).
• U-21 Japan National Team: Toulon International Tournament (2002, 3rd place), Asian Games (2002, runners-up, silver medal).
• U-22 Japan National Team: Athens Olympics Asia 2nd Qualifiers (2003).

3.2. Senior National Team

Komano made his full international debut for the Japan national football team on August 3, 2005, in a 2005 East Asian Football Championship match against China. He quickly established himself as a backup for the first-choice right-back, Akira Kaji, and was included in Japan's squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. During the tournament, he started Japan's opening match against Australia due to Kaji's injury. In that game, he created a crucial opportunity by dribbling into the penalty area and being fouled by an opposing defender, which was later recognized by FIFA's referee committee as a clear penalty that should have been awarded. However, Japan lost the match, and Kaji's recovery meant Komano returned to a reserve role for subsequent games.

He was also a member of the Japan squad for the 2007 AFC Asian Cup finals, playing in all matches except one where he was suspended. Under manager Ivica Osim (2006-2007), Komano was frequently utilized as a primary left-back and left-wing-back, highly valued for his speed, which included not only physical agility but also his quick and accurate decision-making. However, under Osim's successor, Takeshi Okada, Komano's role reverted to a backup position due to the emergence of younger talents like Atsuto Uchida and Yuto Nagatomo.

On October 11, 2011, Komano scored his first international goal in a friendly match against Tajikistan at Nagai Stadium during the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. This goal came in his 65th international cap, making him the player with the most appearances before scoring his first goal for Japan, excluding goalkeepers. In that match, he contributed one goal and two assists.

He continued to be a reserve player under manager Alberto Zaccheroni for Uchida and Nagatomo. For the 2013 EAFF East Asian Cup, Komano was entrusted with the team captaincy, a recognition of his high contribution to the team over the years. Despite being involved in two conceded goals in the opening match against China, he helped forge a sense of unity in the makeshift team, contributing to Japan's first-ever victory in the tournament. Zaccheroni praised Komano's dedicated attitude, calling him a "true professional." However, for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, he was only included in the 30-man provisional squad and ultimately missed out on the final tournament roster, preventing his third World Cup appearance.

3.3. 2010 FIFA World Cup

Komano played a prominent role for Japan at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Prior to the tournament, he re-established his starting position due to an injury sustained by Yasuyuki Konno in a warm-up match against Ivory Coast. Komano started all three group stage matches and Japan's single knockout stage match as the right-back.

He maintained excellent form throughout the tournament, known for his relentless effort in both attack and defense. Data from the tournament showed that Komano, along with Keisuke Honda, were the only Japanese players to record over 100 sprints in all four matches. In the match against Cameroon, he recorded a top speed of 16 mph ^{(25.77 km/h)}. His comprehensive performance was crucial to Japan's advancement to the knockout stage.

In the Round of 16 match against Paraguay, Komano displayed high work rate, frequently advancing deep into the opponent's half to deliver crosses and making critical defensive plays. The match ended in a 0-0 draw after extra time, leading to a penalty shootout. Komano was chosen as Japan's third penalty taker. Unfortunately, his shot struck the crossbar, resulting in a miss. As all Paraguayan players successfully converted their penalties, Japan lost 3-5, missing out on a spot in the quarterfinals. Despite the heartbreak, upon his return to Japan, he received a medal of merit from the governor of Wakayama Prefecture, recognizing his overall contributions.

4.1. Playing Style

Komano was primarily a defender, excelling in both full-back and wing-back positions. His preferred position was on the right side, but he demonstrated capability on the left as well. A key characteristic of his play was his ability to deliver sharp-curving early crosses, which he meticulously practiced to align with the movements of his forwards. He was recognized for his high work rate and speed, which encompassed not only physical agility but also quick and accurate decision-making on the field. Komano's contributions to team tactics were often described as diligent and consistent, making him a reliable asset in both offensive and defensive phases of the game.

4.2. Personal Life and Anecdotes

While Komano's preferred kicking foot in football was his right, he is naturally left-handed. This is reflected in his personal life, as he writes with his right hand but plays baseball left-handed and enjoys golf as a left-handed player. His younger brother, Yuki Morikawa (formerly Komano), also played amateur football in the Kansai League.

Komano was known among his teammates and in the media for his approachable and "teasable" personality. On the popular Japanese football show Yabecchi FC, he was affectionately called "Komakichi" by former player Masashi Nakayama. Numerous anecdotes circulated about him being the subject of jokes among club and national team members. For instance, when Daisuke Matsui joined Júbilo Iwata in 2014, he jokingly stated in his introductory press conference that he intended to "tease Komano all year."

A notable anecdote involves his jersey number. Komano held a strong attachment to the number "3," which he wore for the Japan national team in two World Cups. In 2012, Keisuke Honda reportedly asked Komano to give him the number 3 jersey, but Komano refused, leading Honda to consistently wear number 4 thereafter. In 2014, Komano signed a management contract with Yoshimoto Creative Agency as a "Furusato Athlete."

6.1. Club Statistics

6.2. National Team Statistics

6.3. National Team Goals

Yuichi Komano scored one goal for the Japan national team.

7.1. Club

• Júbilo Iwata
  • J.League Cup: 2010
  • Suruga Bank Championship: 2011

7.2. National Team

• Japan
  • EAFF East Asian Cup: 2013
  • Asian Games: Silver Medal (2002)

7.3. Individual

• J.League Best XI: 2012
• J.League Awards - Excellence Player: 2005, 2007, 2012
• JFL Best XI: 2019