Riku Handa (半田 陸, Handa Riku, born 1 January 2002) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a right back for J1 League club Gamba Osaka.[2][3]

Riku Handa
半田 陸
Personal information
Full name Riku Handa[1]
Date of birth (2002-01-01) 1 January 2002 (age 22)
Place of birth Yamagata, Japan
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Right back
Team information
Current team
Gamba Osaka
Number 3
Youth career
2014–2019 Montedio Yamagata
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019–2022 Montedio Yamagata 94 (3)
2023– Gamba Osaka 16 (1)
International career
2018 Japan U16
2019 Japan U19 3 (0)
2022– Japan U23 6 (0)
Medal record
Representing  Japan
AFC U-16 Championship
Gold medal – first place 2018 Malaysia
AFC U-23 Asian Cup
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Uzbekistan Team
Gold medal – first place 2024 Qatar Team
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11 June 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 18 June 2022

Club career

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Handa started his career with Montedio Yamagata Youth and was given his first professional contract for Montedio Yamagata in March 2019.[4] He made his first-team debut in May 2019, coming on as a late substitute for Kai Miki in a J2 League game against JEF United Chiba.[5] In July of the same year, he made his first start for the club in the second round of the Emperor's Cup in a 2–1 defeat to Tochigi SC.[6] Handa went on to play six times in his debut season.

In the 2020 season, Handa played 15 times for Montedio Yamagata but 2021 was his breakthrough year – playing in 37 games and being in the starting XI on 36 occasions. He also scored his first goal for the club in a 3–1 defeat to V-Varen Nagasaki and went on to score three goals during the rest of the season.[7] In the 2022 season, Handa was again a key member of the starting XI, playing more than 3000 minutes over 37 games. He made a total of 95 appearances in four seasons with Yamagata.

In January 2023, Handa signed for J1 League club Gamba Osaka.[8][9]

International career

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In March 2023, Handa was called up to the Japan national team for the first time by manager Hajime Moriyasu to play in the 2023 Kirin Challenge Cup.[10]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of 11 June 2023[11]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Montedio Yamagata 2019 J2 League 5 0 1 0 6 0
2020 J2 League 15 0 0 0 15 0
2021 J2 League 37 3 0 0 37 3
2022 J2 League 37 0 0 0 37 0
Total 94 3 1 0 0 0 95 3
Gamba Osaka 2023 J1 League 16 1 0 0 0 0 16 1
Career total 91 4 3 1 14 2 108 7

Honours

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Japan U16

Japan U23

References

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  1. ^ "FIFA U-17 World Cup Brazil 2019: List of Players: Japan" (PDF). FIFA. 31 October 2019. p. 13. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 December 2019.
  2. ^ "半田 陸:モンテディオ山形:Jリーグ.jp". Jリーグ.jp(日本プロサッカーリーグ) (in Japanese). Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  3. ^ "Riku Handa :: Riku Handa :: Montedio Yamagata".
  4. ^ "山形、ユース所属DF半田陸とプロ契約締結「山形のために闘います」". サッカーキング (in Japanese). 11 March 2019. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  5. ^ "Soccer D.B. : 2019 J2 League 19/05/12 Montedio Yamagata - JEF United Chiba Results, Players, Highlight". Soccer D.B. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  6. ^ "Soccer D.B. : 2019 Emperors Cup 19/07/03 Montedio Yamagata - Tochigi SC Results, Players, Highlight". Soccer D.B. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  7. ^ "Soccer D.B. : 2021 J2 League 21/04/21 Montedio Yamagata - V-Varen Nagasaki Results, Players, Highlight". Soccer D.B. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  8. ^ "半田 陸選手 モンテディオ山形より完全移籍加入のお知らせ". ガンバ大阪オフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). 8 January 2023. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  9. ^ "G大阪が山形の"生え抜き"DF半田陸を獲得「初めての大阪なので飲食店や温泉など教えていただけると嬉しいです」". ゲキサカ (in Japanese). 8 January 2023. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  10. ^ "SAMURAI BLUE (Japan National Team) squad - KIRIN CHALLENGE CUP 2023 vs Uruguay (3/24@Tokyo) vs Colombia (3/28@Osaka)". www.jfa.jp (in Japanese). 15 March 2023.
  11. ^ "Soccer D.B. : 2022 Riku Handa Result by Season". Soccer D.B. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
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