Yūta Nakayama

Yūta Nakayama (中山 雄太, Nakayama Yūta; born 16 February 1997) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a centre back for J1 League club Machida Zelvia^[1][2] and the Japan national team.

Yūta Nakayama
中山 雄太

Personal information
Full name	Yūta Nakayama
Date of birth	(1997-02-16) 16 February 1997 (age 28)
Place of birth	Ryūgasaki, Ibaraki, Japan
Height	1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s)	Centre back
Team information
Current team	Machida Zelvia
Number	19
Youth career
2003–2008	Kitamonma SSS
2009–2010	Atago Junior High School
2011–2014	Kashiwa Reysol
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2015–2018	Kashiwa Reysol	76	(6)
2015	→ J. League U-22 (loan)	12	(0)
2019–2022	PEC Zwolle	79	(5)
2022–2024	Huddersfield Town	37	(2)
2024–	Machida Zelvia	6	(1)
International career‡
2015–2017	Japan U-20	30	(0)
2018–2021	Japan U-23	18	(4)
2019–	Japan	22	(0)
Medal record Representing  Japan AFC U-19 Championship 2016 Bahrain
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 22:54, 3 January 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 31 January 2024 (UTC)

Club career

Kashiwa Reysol

Nakayama was born in Ibaraki, Japan. He made his official debut for Kashiwa Reysol in the J. League Division 1, AFC Champions League on 6 May 2015 against the Vietnam-based club Binh Duong F.C in Go Dau Stadium in Thu Dau Mot, Vietnam. He started and played the full match, receiving a yellow card in the 83rd minute. Nakayama and his club lost the match 1–0.^[3]

In 2017, Nakayama was named J.League Rookie of the Year.^[4]

PEC Zwolle

On 15 January 2019, Nakayama joined Eredivisie team PEC Zwolle on a three-and-a-half-year deal.^[5] He made his debut for Zwolle on 31 March 2019, in a 3–0 home victory over FC Emmen.^[6] He scored his first goal in the Netherlands, on 17 January 2020, in a 3–3 draw against Utrecht.^[7]

Huddersfield Town

On 15 July 2022, following PEC Zwolle's relegation from the Eredivisie, Nakayama joined EFL Championship club Huddersfield Town on a two-year deal.^[8] Nakayama scored his first goal in England in his third appearance for Huddersfield, a 3–1 victory over Stoke City on 13 August 2022.^[9]

Machida Zelvia

On 14 August 2024, Nakayama was announced at Machida Zelvia.^[10]

International career

In May 2017, Nakayama was elected Japan U-20 national team for 2017 U-20 World Cup. At this tournament, he played full time in all four matches as center back.

He made his Japan national team debut on 17 June 2019 in the 2019 Copa América game against Chile, as a starter.^[11]

Nakayama was selected for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, but he was forced to withdraw from the official squad list, due to an achilles injury.^[12]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 5 May 2024^[13][14][15]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National cup		League cup		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Kashiwa Reysol	2015	J1 League	1	0	0	0	1	0	2[a]	0	—		4	0
	2016	J1 League	26	2	2	0	4	0	—		—		32	2
	2017	J1 League	30	1	4	0	4	0	—		—		38	1
	2018	J1 League	19	3	0	0	2	0	4[a]	0	—		25	3
	Total		76	6	6	0	11	0	6	0	0	0	99	6
J.League U-22 Selection (loan)	2015	J3 League	12	0	—		—		—		—		12	0
PEC Zwolle	2018–19	Eredivisie	4	0	0	0	—		—		—		4	0
	2019–20	Eredivisie	14	2	1	0	—		—		—		15	2
	2020–21	Eredivisie	32	2	1	0	—		—		—		33	2
	2021–22	Eredivisie	29	1	3	1	—		—		—		32	2
	Total		79	5	5	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	84	6
Huddersfield Town	2022–23	Championship	14	2	0	0	1	0	—		—		15	2
	2023–24	Championship	23	0	0	0	1	0	—		—		24	0
	Total		37	2	0	0	2	0	—		—		39	2
Total			199	13	11	1	13	0	6	0	0	0	229	14

1. Appearances in AFC Champions League

International

As of match played 31 January 2024^[16]

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Japan	2019	1	0
	2020	4	0
	2021	4	0
	2022	8	0
	2023	3	0
	2024	2	0
Total		22	0

Honors

Individual

• J.League Rookie of the Year: 2017