Daniel Schmidt (footballer)

Daniel Yuji Yabuki Schmidt (矢吹シュミット・ダニエル勇二, Yabuki Shumitto Danieru Yūji, born 3 February 1992) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for the Belgian Pro League club Gent and the Japan national team.

Daniel Schmidt
Schmidt with Vegalta Sendai in 2019
Personal information
Full name Daniel Yuji Yabuki Schmidt
Date of birth (1992-02-03) 3 February 1992 (age 32)
Place of birth Illinois, United States
Height 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
Gent
Number 1
Youth career
2001 Hachiman SSS
2002–2003 Sendai Sports Schule
2004–2006 Tohoku Gakuin Junior High School
2007–2009 Tohoku Gakuin High School
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2013 Chuo University
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2012 Kawasaki Frontale (DSP) 0 (0)
2014–2019 Vegalta Sendai 57 (0)
2014Roasso Kumamoto (loan) 4 (0)
2015Roasso Kumamoto (loan) 26 (0)
2016Matsumoto Yamaga (loan) 41 (0)
2019–2023 Sint-Truiden 110 (0)
2023– Gent 10 (0)
International career
2018– Japan 14 (0)
Medal record
Vegalta Sendai
Runner-up Emperor's Cup 2018
Representing  Japan
AFC Asian Cup
Silver medal – second place 2019 United Arab Emirates
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 10 November 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 12 September 2023

Early life

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Born in the United States to a German father and Japanese mother, Schmidt moved to Sendai, Japan at the age of two. He attended Chuo University.[1][2]

Club career

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Schmidt played three consecutive seasons as a Designated Special Player for Kawasaki Frontale while at the Chuo University, before entering the professional ranks in 2013.[3]

He later signed for Vegalta Sendai,[4] but Schmidt played his first pro match during a one-month loan to Roasso Kumamoto in April 2014.[5] After playing his first ever game with Vegalta in J. League Cup, he was again loaned to Roasso, this time until the end of 2015 season.[6] A third loan was established in 2016, this time to Matsumoto Yamaga.[7]

On 18 July 2019, Schmidt joined Belgian side Sint-Truiden on a permanent deal.[8]

On 4 February 2023, he made his 100th appearance in the Belgian Pro League against Kortrijk.[citation needed]

On 28 December 2023, Schmidt joined fellow Belgian club Gent on a permanent deal, signing a contract until June 2027.[9][10]

International career

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On 30 August 2018, Schmidt received his first international callup from the Japan national team for the Kirin Challenge Cup 2018.[11] He made his debut appearance in a friendly match against Venezuela on 16 November 2018 and played his first competitive match for Japan on 17 January 2019 in the 2–1 win against Uzbekistan during the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.[12]

In September 2022, he stopped a penalty kick in Japan's friendly match against Ecuador, which ended in a scoreless draw. Schmidt was selected as the man of the match by the media.[13] He was selected for the 2022 FIFA World Cup team in November 2022.[14]

On March 24, 2023, Schmidt played for Japan in a friendly against Uruguay that ended in a 1–1 draw.[15] He played in the second half of a friendly against Turkey on 12 September after replacing injured starter Kosuke Nakamura.[16]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of match played 28 November 2024[17][18][19]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Vegalta Sendai 2014 J1 League 0 0 1 0 1 0
2015 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2017 20 0 0 0 4 0 24 0
2018 18 0 3 0 1 0 22 0
2019 17 0 0 0 2 0 19 0
Total 55 0 3 0 8 0 66 0
Roasso Kumamoto (loan) 2014 J2 League 4 0 4 0
2015 26 0 2 0 28 0
Total 30 0 2 0 32 0
Matsumoto Yamaga (loan) 2016 J2 League 41 0 1 0 42 0
Sint-Truiden 2019–20 Belgian Pro League 20 0 2 0 22 0
2020–21 24 0 0 0 24 0
2021–22 31 0 0 0 31 0
2022–23 31 0 2 0 33 0
2023–24 4 0 0 0 4 0
Total 110 0 4 0 114 0
Gent 2023–24 Belgian Pro League 9 0 1 0 0 0 10 0
2024–25 1 0 1 0 2[c] 0 4 0
Total 10 0 2 0 2 0 14 0
Career total 246 0 12 0 8 0 2 0 268 0
  1. ^ Includes Emperor's Cup, Belgian Cup
  2. ^ Includes J. League Cup
  3. ^ Appearances in UEFA Conference League

International

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Appearances and goals by national team and year[20]
National team Year Apps Goals
Japan 2018 1 0
2019 4 0
2020 2 0
2022 4 0
2023 2 0
Total 13 0

Honours

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Vegalta Sendai

Japan

Individual

  • Japan Pro-Footballers Association Best XI: 2022

References

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  1. ^ "J最長身ダニエル仙台で定位置奪取だ - J1ニュース".
  2. ^ "WM 2022 - JAPAN-TORWART DANIEL SCHMIDT IM INTERVIEW: "WIR HABEN EINE CHANCE GEGEN DEUTSCHLAND"".
  3. ^ "川崎フロンターレ オフィシャルWebサイト".
  4. ^ "バックナンバー2013 | 中央大学 シュミット ダニエル選手 2014シーズン新加入内定のお知らせ".
  5. ^ "トップページ|ロアッソ熊本 公式サイト|Roasso Kumamoto Official Website".
  6. ^ "トップページ|ロアッソ熊本 公式サイト|Roasso Kumamoto Official Website".
  7. ^ "シュミット ダニエル選手 ベガルタ仙台から 期限付移籍加入のお知らせ". 24 December 2015.
  8. ^ "#WelcomeDaniel". STVV (in Flemish). 18 July 2019. Archived from the original on 19 July 2019. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  9. ^ "Welkom, Daniel!". KAA Gent (in Flemish). 28 December 2023. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  10. ^ "Football: Japan's World Cup goalkeeper Daniel Schmidt joins Belgium's Gent". Kyodo News+. 28 December 2023. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  11. ^ "SAMURAI BLUE (Japan National Team) Squad, Schedule - KIRIN CHALLENGE CUP 2018【9/7@Hokkaido vs Chile】【9/11@Osaka vs Costa Rica】". jfa.jp. 30 August 2018. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  12. ^ "AFCS".
  13. ^ "Scoring by everyone!! Ecuador and Moriyasu J who scored a scoreless draw, the highest evaluation was..." 28 September 2022.
  14. ^ "SAMURAI BLUE (Japan National Team) squad - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™". 8 December 2022.
  15. ^ "Substitute Nishimura strikes to earn Japan draw against Uruguay". ESPN. Reuters. 24 March 2023. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
  16. ^ "Keito Nakamura bags brace as Japan overpower Turkey 4-2". Kyodo News. 12 September 2023. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
  17. ^ 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. 96 out of 289)
  18. ^ 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. 96 out of 289)
  19. ^ Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing inc./日本スポーツ企画出版社, "2016J1&J2&J3選手名鑑", 10 February 2016, Japan, ISBN 978-4905411338 (p. 159 out of 289)
  20. ^ Daniel Schmidt at National-Football-Teams.com  
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