Yuki Abe

Yuki Abe (阿部 勇樹, Abe Yūki, born 6 September 1981) is a Japanese former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder.[2] He played 53 times for Japan between 2005 and 2011 and was a member of the 2010 FIFA World Cup squad.[3]

For footballer, born 1989, see Yuki Abe (footballer, born 1989).

Yuki Abe
阿部 勇樹
Abe playing for Leicester City in 2011
Personal information
Full name Yuki Abe[1]
Date of birth (1981-09-06) 6 September 1981[1]
Place of birth Ichikawa, Chiba, Japan
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
Youth career
1997–1998 JEF United Ichihara
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1998–2006 JEF United Chiba 214 (36)
2007–2010 Urawa Reds 120 (14)
2010–2012 Leicester City 52 (2)
2012–2022 Urawa Reds 256 (25)
Total 642 (77)
International career
2000 Japan U-20 2 (2)
2002–2004 Japan U-23 13 (3)
2005–2011 Japan 53 (3)
Medal record
JEF United Chiba
WinnerJ.League Cup2005
WinnerJ.League Cup2006
Runner-upJ.League Cup1998
Urawa Reds
WinnerAFC Champions League2007
WinnerAFC Champions League2017
Runner-upJ1 League2007
Runner-upJ1 League2014
Runner-upJ1 League2016
WinnerJ.League Cup2016
Runner-upJ.League Cup2013
WinnerEmperor's Cup2018
Runner-upEmperor's Cup2015
Representing  Japan
Asian Games
Silver medal – second place2002 BusanTeam
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

JEF United Chiba

Born in Ichikawa, Chiba, Abe, then a member of the JEF United Ichihara (now JEF United Chiba) youth side, made his debut with the senior club at the age of 16 years and 333 days on 5 August 1998, at the time a record for the youngest Japanese professional player and J1 League. He went on to become JEF United's captain, and led the club to the 2005 and 2006 J.League Cup titles while being named to the league's Best Eleven during the span.

Urawa Reds
Abe (right) playing for Urawa Reds in 2007

On 22 January 2007, Abe joined Urawa Reds, the defending J1 League and Emperor's Cup champions, for a transfer fee of around ¥360 million (around $3 million), a record amount for a Japanese player in a domestic deal.[4]

Abe helped Urawa Reds to win the 2007 AFC Champions League. He scored once in the second leg of the final against Iran's Sepahan FC.[5] Abe participated in the 2007 Club World Cup playing for Urawa who eventually lost to AC Milan. Urawa finished in third place.

Leicester City
Abe in his final season with Leicester City on 25 September 2011

On 26 August 2010, Abe was signed by English Championship club Leicester City,[6] signing a three-year contract.[7] He made his debut in a 2-1 league win over Cardiff City on 14 September,[8] scoring his first goal for the club in a 4-2 win over Ipswich Town on 7 May 2011.[9] His last league goal for the club was in a 1-0 win over Brighton on 17 September 2011.[10] Suffering from homesickness, Abe's contract was cancelled by mutual consent on 22 January 2012 and he returned to Japan to re-join former club Urawa Reds.[11]

Urawa Reds

In 2012, Abe returned to Urawa Reds. He played all matches in J1 League except for one match in 2013 season until 2016 season.[12][13] In 2016, Reds won the champions in J.League Cup and the 2nd place in J1 League. He was also selected Best Eleven award.[14] In 2017, Reds won the champions in AFC Champions League for the first time in 10 years. In 2018, Reds won the Emperor's Cup.

On 14 November 2021, Abe announced that he would retire from football at the end of the 2021 season.[15][16]

International career

Abe made his senior national team debut on 29 January 2005, in a friendly match against Kazakhstan and scored his first national team goal on 6 September 2006 against Yemen in a 2007 Asian Cup qualification match. He was not selected to Japan's 2006 World Cup team, but he has become a regular under his former JEF United coach Ivica Osim, who took over as the national team head coach after the World Cup. He had previously represented Japan at the Under-20 and Under-23 levels, appearing in all three first round matches at the 2004 Olympics and scoring a goal against Italy. He appeared in all of Japan's games at the 2010 World Cup. Despite missing out on Japan's 2011 Asian Cup victory, on 29 March 2011 he played 45 minutes against the J-League All Stars. On 4 August 2011 Abe was announced in the Japan squad to play South Korea. He played 53 games and scored 3 goals for Japan until 2011.[17]

Career statistics

Club
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[18][19]
Club Season League National cup[lower-alpha 1] League cup[lower-alpha 2] Continental[lower-alpha 3] Other[lower-alpha 4] Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
JEF United Ichihara 1998 J1 League 100000––10
1999 3011020––331
2000 2503230––312
2001 1732020––213
2002 2412030––291
2003 2734030––343
2004 2451051––306
JEF United Chiba 2005 331210105––4417
2006 33111082–314514
Total 21436152368–3126847
Urawa Reds 2007 J1 League 333100012360526
2008 336101040–396
2009 3420040––382
2010 2030021––224
Total 1201420711636015118
Leicester City 2010/11 Championship 3612020––401
2011/12 1611020––191
Total 5223040––592
Urawa Reds 2012 J1 League 3443040––414
2013 336005061–447
2014 3441171––426
2015 34341225020477
2016 341104160–473
2017 333001011041393
2018 2715050––371
2019 11010106010200
2020 300000000030
2021 9300400000133
Total 252251523343411134133
Career total 638773548013504162819100
  1. Includes Emperor's Cup and FA Cup.
  2. Includes J.League Cup and Football League Cup.
  3. Includes AFC Champions League.
  4. Includes Japanese Super Cup, A3 Champions Cup, Suruga Bank Championship, J.League Championship and FIFA Club World Cup.

International
Appearances and goals by national team and year[20]
National teamYearAppsGoals
Japan 200550
200681
2007111
200890
200981
201090
201130
Total533
Scores and results list Japan's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Abe goal.
List of international goals scored by Yuki Abe
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
116 August 2006Niigata Stadium, Niigata, Japan Yemen2–02007 AFC Asian Cup qualification
225 July 2007Mỹ Đình National Stadium, Hanoi, Vietnam Saudi Arabia2–32007 AFC Asian Cup Semifinals
327 May 2009Nagai Stadium, Osaka, Japan Chile4–0Kirin Cup 2009

Honours

JEF United Chiba

Urawa Red Diamonds

Individual

References
  1. "FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2017: List of Players: Urawa Reds" (PDF). FIFA. 29 November 2017. p. 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 December 2017.
  2. Yuki Abe at J.League (archive) (in Japanese)
  3. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Yūki Abe (Player)". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  4. "Abe makes record switch to Japan's Urawa Reds". Reuters. 22 January 2007. Retrieved 22 January 2007.
  5. (in English) Reds rule Asia / Sink Sepahan to become 1st J.League club to win ACL, earn Club World Cup berth
  6. "Japan midfielder Yuki Abe completes Leicester City move". BBC Sport. 31 August 2010. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
  7. "Leicester City new boy Yuki Abe brushes up on his history". this is Leicestershire. 17 September 2010. Archived from the original on 21 April 2013. Retrieved 11 May 2011.
  8. "Leicester 2 – 1 Cardiff". BBC Sport. 13 September 2010. Retrieved 22 December 2010.
  9. "Leicester 4 – 2 Ipswich". BBC Sport. 7 May 2011. Retrieved 8 May 2011.
  10. Leicester 1-0 Brighton, BBC Sport, 17 September 2011, retrieved 10 March 2012
  11. "Yuki Abe leaves Leicester City for return to Japan". BBC Sport. 22 January 2012. Retrieved 22 January 2012.
  12. Yuki Abe at J.League (archive) (in Japanese)
  13. J.League
  14. J.League
  15. "Former Japan and Leicester midfielder to retire". Japan Times. 15 November 2021. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  16. Abbott, Matt (15 November 2021). "Leicester City title-winning hero sends retirement message". Leicester Mercury. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  17. Japan National Football Team Database
  18. Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing inc./日本スポーツ企画出版社, "J1&J2&J3選手名鑑ハンディ版 2018 (NSK MOOK)", 7 February 2018, Japan, ISBN 978-4905411529 (p. 59 out of 289)
  19. Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing inc./日本スポーツ企画出版社, "2017 J1&J2&J3選手名鑑 (NSK MOOK)", 8 February 2017, Japan, ISBN 978-4905411420 (p. 19 out of 289)
  20. Yuki Abe at National-Football-Teams.com
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