1. Overview
Yudai Iwama (岩間 雄大Iwama YūdaiJapanese) is a Japanese professional footballer who primarily plays as a midfielder or defender. Born on February 21, 1986, in Nerima Ward, Tokyo, he has had an extensive career in Japanese football, playing for several clubs across various leagues. He began his professional journey with Arte Takasaki in 2007, later gaining prominence as captain of V-Varen Nagasaki during their promotion to the J2 League. He also had significant spells at Matsumoto Yamaga FC, Tochigi SC, and Fujieda MYFC, before joining ReinMeer Aomori and currently playing for Ocochias Kyoto AC. His career is marked by consistent appearances and a reputation for high work rate in midfield.
2. Personal Information
Yudai Iwama was born on February 21, 1986, in Nerima Ward, Tokyo, Japan. He stands at 70 in (178 cm) tall and weighs 157 lb (71 kg). He is a versatile player, primarily operating as a midfielder, often in a defensive midfield role (ボランチboranchiJapanese), but can also play as a defender. His preferred foot is his right.
3. Early Career and Youth
Yudai Iwama began his football development in the junior team of Tokyo Verdy, a prominent Japanese football club. He continued his youth career playing for the football club of Horikoshi High School from 2001 to 2003. After graduating from high school in 2004, Iwama spent six months studying football in Brazil, a country renowned for its footballing culture. Upon his return to Japan, he joined FC Korea, an amateur club participating in the Tokyo Shakaijin Soccer League 1st Division, where he played for three seasons from 2004 to 2006. FC Korea, founded by Zainichi Koreans (Korean residents in Japan), emphasizes its connection with the Zainichi Korean community while also promoting sports exchange in East Asia, allowing Japanese players like Iwama to join.
4. Professional Career
Yudai Iwama's professional career spans several clubs across the JFL, J2 League, and J1 League, demonstrating his longevity and adaptability in Japanese football.
4.1. Arte Takasaki
Iwama joined Arte Takasaki in 2007, continuing his career as an amateur player in the JFL. During his four seasons with the club, from 2007 to 2010, he established himself as a key midfielder. He made 24 appearances and scored 4 goals in the 2007 JFL season. In 2008, he played 6 league matches and appeared in 1 Emperor's Cup match. He featured in 31 league games in both the 2009 and 2010 seasons, also making 2 appearances in the Emperor's Cup in each of those years. His consistent performance contributed significantly to the team's midfield operations.
4.2. V-Varen Nagasaki
In 2011, Iwama transferred to V-Varen Nagasaki, marking a significant step in his career as he signed his first professional contract. In his inaugural year with the club, he was appointed captain and became a regular defensive midfielder (ボランチboranchiJapanese), known for his "abundant stamina." During the 2011 season, he played 33 JFL matches, scoring 3 goals, and also made 1 appearance in the Emperor's Cup, scoring 1 goal. He reached 100 JFL appearances in 2011. In 2012, V-Varen Nagasaki won the JFL title, securing promotion to the J2 League for the following season. Although he handed over the captaincy to Yukihiko Sato, Iwama remained a vital part of the team's midfield, playing 29 league matches and scoring 3 goals, along with 1 Emperor's Cup appearance. In 2013, he renewed his contract with Nagasaki and made his J.League debut at the age of 27 in the opening match of the J2 League season on March 24, 2013, against Matsumoto Yamaga FC, a match that ended in a 1-1 draw. He played 41 league matches in his final season with the club.
4.3. Matsumoto Yamaga FC
Iwama made a permanent transfer to Matsumoto Yamaga FC in 2014. He spent five seasons with the club, from 2014 to 2018, playing a crucial role in their campaigns. In the 2014 J2 League season, he featured in 36 matches, scoring 1 goal, and also played in 1 Emperor's Cup match. The team was promoted to the J1 League for the 2015 season, where Iwama made 34 appearances and played in 2 J.League Cup matches and 4 Emperor's Cup matches. Following their relegation, he continued to be a key player in the J2 League, making 39 appearances and scoring 4 goals in 2016, along with 1 Emperor's Cup appearance. In 2017, he played 38 league matches, scoring 2 goals. His tenure at Matsumoto Yamaga concluded after the 2018 season, during which he made 34 league appearances and scored 1 goal. His contract with the club expired in November 2018.
4.4. Tochigi SC
In December 2018, Iwama's permanent transfer to Tochigi SC was announced. He played for the club for two seasons, 2019 and 2020. In April 2019, he suffered a significant injury, a rupture of the right anterior cruciate ligament, which required a recovery period of seven to eight months, leading to a long-term absence from play. Despite the injury, he returned to the starting lineup during the 2020 season, making 32 league appearances and scoring 1 goal. His contract with Tochigi SC expired in December 2020.
4.5. Fujieda MYFC
Iwama joined Fujieda MYFC in 2021. He spent the 2021 and part of the 2022 seasons with the club. In the 2021 J3 League season, he played 23 matches. His appearances for Fujieda MYFC in 2022 were limited, with only 1 league match played before his departure.
4.6. ReinMeer Aomori
On June 28, 2022, Iwama was loaned to JFL club ReinMeer Aomori for the mid-2022 season. He made 14 appearances for ReinMeer Aomori during his loan spell. Following the conclusion of his loan period, it was announced on January 16, 2023, that Iwama would permanently transfer to ReinMeer Aomori from Fujieda MYFC. In the 2023 JFL season, he made 28 appearances and scored 1 goal.
4.7. Ocochias Kyoto AC
On January 22, 2024, it was announced that Yudai Iwama would be transferring to Ocochias Kyoto AC. He currently plays for the club, which competes in the Kansai Soccer League Division 2.
5. Career Statistics
Yudai Iwama's career statistics are compiled below, reflecting his appearances and goals across various clubs and competitions up to January 24, 2024.
| Club | Season | League | J. League Cup | Emperor's Cup | AFC | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| FC Korea | 2005 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0 | 0 |
| 2006 | 7 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7 | 2 | |
| Arte Takasaki | 2007 | 24 | 4 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 24 | 4 |
| 2008 | 6 | 0 | - | - | 1 | 0 | - | - | 7 | 0 | |
| 2009 | 31 | 0 | - | - | 2 | 0 | - | - | 33 | 0 | |
| 2010 | 31 | 0 | - | - | 2 | 0 | - | - | 33 | 0 | |
| V-Varen Nagasaki | 2011 | 33 | 3 | - | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | 34 | 4 |
| 2012 | 29 | 3 | - | - | 1 | 0 | - | - | 30 | 3 | |
| 2013 | 41 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | - | - | 41 | 0 | |
| Matsumoto Yamaga | 2014 | 36 | 1 | - | - | 1 | 0 | - | - | 37 | 1 |
| 2015 | 34 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | - | 40 | 0 | ||
| 2016 | 39 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | 40 | 4 | ||
| 2017 | 38 | 2 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 38 | 2 | |||
| 2018 | 34 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 34 | 1 | |||
| Tochigi SC | 2019 | 11 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | - | - | 11 | 0 |
| 2020 | 32 | 1 | - | - | 0 | 0 | - | - | 32 | 1 | |
| Fujieda MYFC | 2021 | 23 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | - | - | 23 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | - | - | 1 | 0 | |
| ReinMeer Aomori | 2022 | 14 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | - | - | 14 | 0 |
| 2023 | 28 | 1 | - | - | 0 | 0 | - | - | 28 | 1 | |
| Ocochias Kyoto AC | 2024 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 |
| Career total | 492 | 22 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 507 | 23 | |
- J.League Debut**: March 3, 2013, J2 League Matchday 1, against Fagiano Okayama FC at Kanko Stadium.
- J.League First Goal**: August 10, 2014, J2 League Matchday 26, against Tochigi SC at Matsumoto Stadium.
Other Official Matches:
- 2013**: J1 Promotion Play-off - 1 appearance, 0 goals
- 2016**: J1 Promotion Play-off - 1 appearance, 0 goals
- 2023**: Aomori Prefectural Football Championship - 1 appearance, 0 goals