View source for Yuki Abe

{{Short description|Japanese footballer (born 1981)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Yuki Abe<br/>阿部 勇樹
| image = Yuki Abe 7.05.2011.jpg
| upright = 0.9
| caption = Abe playing for [[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]] in 2011
| full_name = Yuki Abe<ref name="FCWC 2017">{{cite web |title=FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2017: List of Players: Urawa Reds |url=http://www.fifadata.com/documents/FCWC/2017/pdf/FCWC_2017_Squadlists.pdf |publisher=FIFA |page=6 |date=29 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201043355/http://www.fifadata.com/documents/FCWC/2017/pdf/FCWC_2017_Squadlists.pdf |archive-date=1 December 2017 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1981|9|6|df=y}}<ref name="FCWC 2017"/>
| birth_place = [[Ichikawa, Chiba|Ichikawa]], [[Chiba Prefecture|Chiba]], Japan
| death_date = 
| death_place = 
| height = 1.78 m<ref name="FCWC 2017"/>
| position = [[Midfielder (association football)#Defensive midfielder|Defensive midfielder]]
| currentclub = 
| youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–1987
| youthclubs1 = Fumihama FC
| youthyears2 = 1988–1993
| youthclubs2 = Ichikawa FC
| youthyears3 = 1994–1999
| youthclubs3 = [[JEF United Chiba|JEF United Ichihara]]
| years1 = 1998–2006
| clubs1 = [[JEF United Chiba]]
| caps1 = 214
| goals1 = 36
| years2 = 2007–2010
| clubs2 = [[Urawa Red Diamonds]]
| caps2 = 120
| goals2 = 14
| years3 = 2010–2012
| clubs3 = [[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]]
| caps3 = 52
| goals3 = 2
| years4 = 2012–2022
| clubs4 = [[Urawa Red Diamonds]]
| caps4 = 256
| goals4 = 25
| totalcaps = 642
| totalgoals = 77
| nationalyears1 = 2000
| nationalteam1 = [[Japan national under-20 football team|Japan U-20]]
| nationalcaps1 = 2
| nationalgoals1 = 2
| nationalyears2 = 2002–2004
| nationalteam2 = [[Japan national under-23 football team|Japan U-23]]
| nationalcaps2 = 13
| nationalgoals2 = 3
| nationalyears3 = 2005–2011
| nationalteam3 = [[Japan national football team|Japan]]
| nationalcaps3 = 53
| nationalgoals3 = 3
| manageryears1 = 
| managerclubs1 = 
| medaltemplates = {{Medal|Team|[[JEF United Chiba]]}}
{{Medal|W|[[J.League Cup]]|[[2005 J.League Cup|2005]]}}
{{Medal|W|[[J.League Cup]]|[[2006 J.League Cup|2006]]}}
{{Medal|RU|[[J.League Cup]]|[[1998 J.League Cup|1998]]}}
{{Medal|Team|[[Urawa Reds]]}}
{{Medal|W|[[AFC Champions League]]|[[2007 AFC Champions League|2007]]}}
{{Medal|W|[[AFC Champions League]]|[[2017 AFC Champions League|2017]]}}
{{Medal|RU|[[J1 League]]|[[2007 J.League Division 1|2007]]}}
{{Medal|RU|[[J1 League]]|[[2014 J.League Division 1|2014]]}}
{{Medal|RU|[[J1 League]]|[[2016 J1 League|2016]]}}
{{Medal|W|[[J.League Cup]]|[[2016 J.League Cup|2016]]}}
{{Medal|RU|[[J.League Cup]]|[[2013 J.League Cup|2013]]}}
{{Medal|W|[[Emperor's Cup]]|[[2018 Emperor's Cup|2018]]}}
{{Medal|RU|[[Emperor's Cup]]|[[2015 Emperor's Cup|2015]]}}
{{Medal|Country|{{Fb|JPN}}}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[Asian Games]]}}
{{Medal|S|[[2002 Asian Games|2002 Busan]]|[[Football at the 2002 Asian Games – Men|Team]]}}
}}
{{Nihongo|'''Yuki Abe'''|阿部 勇樹|Abe Yūki|born 6 September 1981}} is a Japanese former professional [[association football|footballer]] who played as a [[Midfielder (association football)#Defensive midfielder|defensive midfielder]].<ref>{{J.League player}}</ref> He played 53 times for [[Japan national football team|Japan]] between 2005 and 2011 and was a member of the [[2010 FIFA World Cup]] squad.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Strack-Zimmermann |first1=Benjamin |title=Yūki Abe (Player) |url=https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/10748/Yuki_Abe.html |website=www.national-football-teams.com |access-date=26 June 2022 |language=en}}</ref>

==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 J.League Cup|2005]] and [[2006 J.League Cup]] titles while being named to the league's Best Eleven during the span.

===Urawa Reds===
[[File:Yuki Abe.png|thumb|160px|left|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.<ref>{{Cite news | title = Abe makes record switch to Japan's Urawa Reds | url = http://football.guardian.co.uk/breakingnews/feedstory/0,,-6362736,00.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110609112546/http://www.guardian.co.uk/football | url-status = dead | archive-date = 9 June 2011 | agency = Reuters | date = 22 January 2007 | access-date = 22 January 2007 }}</ref>

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 F.C.|Sepahan FC]].<ref>{{in lang|en}}<!--English--> [http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/sports/20071115TDY20305.htm Reds rule Asia / Sink Sepahan to become 1st J.League club to win ACL, earn Club World Cup berth]</ref> Abe participated in the [[2007 FIFA Club World Cup|2007 Club World Cup]] playing for Urawa who eventually lost to [[A.C. Milan|AC Milan]]. Urawa finished in third place.

===Leicester City===
[[File:Yuki Abe, Leicester City.jpg|thumb|145px|Abe in his final season with [[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]] on 25 September 2011]]
On 26 August 2010, Abe was signed by English [[Football League Championship|Championship]] club [[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]],<ref name="Japan midfielder Yuki Abe completes Leicester City move">{{Cite news|title=Japan midfielder Yuki Abe completes Leicester City move|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/l/leicester_city/8944612.stm|publisher=BBC Sport|date=31 August 2010|access-date=1 December 2010}}</ref> signing a three-year contract.<ref name="Leicester City new boy Yuki Abe brushes up on his history">{{cite news|title = Leicester City new boy Yuki Abe brushes up on his history|url = http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/news/Leicester-City-new-boy-Yuki-Abe-brushes-history/article-2654841-detail/article.html|archive-url = https://archive.today/20130421114352/http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/news/Leicester-City-new-boy-Yuki-Abe-brushes-history/article-2654841-detail/article.html|url-status = dead|archive-date = 21 April 2013|publisher = this is Leicestershire|date = 17 September 2010|access-date = 11 May 2011}}</ref> He made his debut in a 2-1 league win over [[Cardiff City F.C.|Cardiff City]] on 14 September,<ref name="Leicester 2 – 1 Cardiff">{{Cite news|title=Leicester 2 – 1 Cardiff|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_1/8989460.stm|publisher=BBC Sport|date=13 September 2010|access-date=22 December 2010}}</ref> scoring his first goal for the club in a 4–2 win over [[Ipswich Town F.C.|Ipswich Town]] on 7 May 2011.<ref name="Leicester 4 – 2 Ipswich">{{cite news|title = Leicester 4 – 2 Ipswich|url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/13247140|publisher = BBC Sport|date = 7 May 2011|access-date = 8 May 2011}}</ref> His last league goal for the club was in a 1–0 win over [[Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.|Brighton]] on 17 September 2011.<ref name="Leicester 1-0 Brighton">{{citation|title = Leicester 1-0 Brighton|url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/14864133|publisher = BBC Sport|date = 17 September 2011|access-date = 10 March 2012}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news|title=Yuki Abe leaves Leicester City for return to Japan|url =https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/16671180|publisher = BBC Sport|date = 22 January 2012|access-date = 22 January 2012}}</ref>

===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.<ref name="J.League">{{J.League player}}</ref><ref>[https://data.j-league.or.jp/SS/jpn/team/2013010001_000003_W0707_J.html J.League]</ref> In 2016, Reds won the champions in [[2016 J.League Cup|J.League Cup]] and the 2nd place in [[2016 J1 League|J1 League]]. He was also selected Best Eleven award.<ref>[https://www.jleague.jp/en/news/article/7932/ J.League]</ref> In 2017, Reds won the champions in [[2017 AFC Champions League|AFC Champions League]] for the first time in 10 years. In 2018, Reds won the [[2018 Emperor's Cup|Emperor's Cup]].

On 14 November 2021, Abe announced that he would retire from football at the end of the [[2021 J1 League|2021 season]].<ref> {{cite web|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2021/11/15/soccer/abe-to-retire/|title=Former Japan and Leicester midfielder to retire|publisher=Japan Times|date=15 November 2021|accessdate=25 November 2021}}</ref><ref> {{cite web|url=https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/leicester-city-yuki-abe-okazaki-6207788|title=Leicester City title-winning hero sends retirement message|publisher=Leicester Mercury|last1=Abbott|first1=Matt|date=15 November 2021|accessdate=25 November 2021}}</ref>

==International career==
Abe made his senior national team debut on 29 January 2005, in a friendly match against [[Kazakhstan national football team|Kazakhstan]] and scored his first national team goal on 6 September 2006 against [[Yemen national football team|Yemen]] in a [[2007 AFC Asian Cup qualification|2007 Asian Cup qualification]] match. He was not selected to Japan's [[2006 FIFA World Cup|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 [[Football at the 2004 Summer Olympics|2004 Olympics]] and scoring a goal against [[Italy national football team|Italy]].
He appeared in all of Japan's games at the [[2010 FIFA World Cup|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.<ref>[http://www.jfootball-db.com/en/players/abe_yuki.html Japan National Football Team Database]</ref>

==Career statistics==

===Club===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition<ref>Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing inc./日本スポーツ企画出版社, [https://www.amazon.co.jp/J1-J3%E9%81%B8%E6%89%8B%E5%90%8D%E9%91%91%E3%83%8F%E3%83%B3%E3%83%87%E3%82%A3%E7%89%88-2018-NSK-MOOK/dp/4905411521 "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)</ref><ref>Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing inc./日本スポーツ企画出版社, [https://www.amazon.co.jp/2017-J1-J3%E9%81%B8%E6%89%8B%E5%90%8D%E9%91%91-NSK-MOOK/dp/4905411424/ref=pd_sim_14_1/356-9491148-0114816?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=BA8BN4Y0F97GNWKQM78H "2017 J1&J2&J3選手名鑑 (NSK MOOK)"], 8 February 2017, Japan, {{ISBN|978-4905411420}} (p. 19 out of 289)</ref>
|-
!rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season
! colspan="3" |League
!colspan="2"|National cup{{efn|Includes [[Emperor's Cup]] and [[FA Cup]].}}
!colspan="2"|League cup{{efn|Includes [[J.League Cup]] and [[Football League Cup]].}}
!colspan="2"|Continental{{efn|Includes [[AFC Champions League]].}}
!colspan="2"|Other{{efn|Includes [[Japanese Super Cup]], [[A3 Champions Cup]], [[Suruga Bank Championship]], [[J.League Championship]] and [[FIFA Club World Cup]].}}
!colspan="2"|Total
|-
!Division
!Apps
!Goals
!Apps
!Goals
!Apps
!Goals
!Apps
!Goals
!Apps
!Goals
!Apps
!Goals
|-
|rowspan="7"|[[JEF United Ichihara]]
|[[1998 JEF United Ichihara season|1998]]
| rowspan="9" |[[J1 League]]
|1||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||1||0
|-
|[[1999 JEF United Ichihara season|1999]]
|30||1||1||0||2||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||33||1
|-
|[[2000 JEF United Ichihara season|2000]]
|25||0||3||2||3||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||31||2
|-
|[[2001 JEF United Ichihara season|2001]]
|17||3||2||0||2||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||21||3
|-
|[[2002 JEF United Ichihara season|2002]]
|24||1||2||0||3||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||29||1
|-
|[[2003 JEF United Ichihara season|2003]]
|27||3||4||0||3||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||34||3
|-
|[[2004 JEF United Ichihara season|2004]]
|24||5||1||0||5||1||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||30||6
|-
|rowspan="3"|[[JEF United Chiba]]
|[[2005 JEF United Chiba season|2005]]
|33||12||1||0||10||5||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||44||17
|-
|[[2006 JEF United Chiba season|2006]]
|33||11||1||0||8||2||colspan="2"|–||3||1||45||14
|-
! colspan="2" |Total
!214!!36!!15!!2!!36!!8!!colspan="2"|–!!3!!1!!268!!47
|-
|rowspan="5"|[[Urawa Reds]]
|[[2007 Urawa Red Diamonds season|2007]]
| rowspan="4" |J1 League
|33||3||1||0||0||0||12||3||6||0||52||6
|-
|[[2008 Urawa Red Diamonds season|2008]]
|33||6||1||0||1||0||4||0||colspan="2"|–||39||6
|-
|[[2009 Urawa Red Diamonds season|2009]]
|34||2||0||0||4||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||38||2
|-
|[[2010 Urawa Red Diamonds season|2010]]
|20||3||0||0||2||1||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||22||4
|-
! colspan="2" |Total
!120!!14!!2!!0!!7!!1!!16!!3!!6!!0!!151!!18
|-
|rowspan="3"|[[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]]
|[[2010–11 Football League Championship|2010/11]]
| rowspan="2" |[[EFL Championship|Championship]]
|36||1||2||0||2||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||40||1
|-
|[[2011–12 Football League Championship|2011/12]]
|16||1||1||0||2||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||19||1
|-
! colspan="2" |Total
!52!!2!!3!!0!!4!!0!!colspan="2"|–!!colspan="2"|–!!59!!2
|-
|rowspan="11"|Urawa Reds
|[[2012 Urawa Red Diamonds season|2012]]
| rowspan="10" |J1 League
|34||4||3||0||4||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||41||4
|-
|[[2013 Urawa Red Diamonds season|2013]]
|33||6||0||0||5||0||6||1||colspan="2"|–||44||7
|-
|[[2014 Urawa Red Diamonds season|2014]]
|34||4||1||1||7||1||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||42||6
|-
|[[2015 Urawa Red Diamonds season|2015]]
|34||3||4||1||2||2||5||0||2||0||47||7
|-
|[[2016 Urawa Red Diamonds season|2016]]
|34||1||1||0||4||1||6||0||colspan="2"|–||47||3
|-
|[[2017 Urawa Red Diamonds season|2017]]
|33||3||0||0||1||0||11||0||4||1||39||3
|-
|[[2018 Urawa Red Diamonds season|2018]]
|27||1||5||0||5||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||37||1
|-
|[[2019 Urawa Red Diamonds season|2019]]
|11||0||1||0||1||0||6||0||1||0||20||0
|-
|[[2020 Urawa Red Diamonds season|2020]]
|3||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||3||0
|-
|[[2021 J1 League|2021]]
|9||3||0||0||4||0||0||0||0||0||13||3
|-
! colspan="2" |Total
!252!!25!!15!!2!!33!!4!!34!!1!!1!!1!!341!!33
|-
! colspan="3" |Career total
!638!!77!!35!!4!!80!!13!!50!!4!!16!!2!!819!!100
|}

{{notelist}}

===International===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year<ref>{{NFT player|10748}}</ref>
|-
!National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals
|-
|rowspan="7"|[[Japan national football team|Japan]]
|[[2005 Japan national football team|2005]]||5||0
|-
|[[2006 Japan national football team|2006]]||8||1
|-
|[[2007 Japan national football team|2007]]||11||1
|-
|[[2008 Japan national football team|2008]]||9||0
|-
|[[2009 Japan national football team|2009]]||8||1
|-
|[[2010 Japan national football team|2010]]||9||0
|-
|[[2011 Japan national football team|2011]]||3||0
|-
!colspan="2"|Total!!53!!3
|}

:''Scores and results list Japan's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Abe goal.''

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ List of international goals scored by Yuki Abe
|-
!scope="col"|No.
!scope="col"|Date
!scope="col"|Venue
!scope="col"|Opponent
!scope="col"|Score
!scope="col"|Result
!scope="col"|Competition
|-
| align="center"|1 || 16 August 2006 || [[Niigata Stadium]], [[Niigata (city)|Niigata]], Japan || {{fb|YEM}} || || align="center"|2–0 || [[2007 AFC Asian Cup qualification]]
|-
| align="center"|2 || 25 July 2007 || [[Mỹ Đình National Stadium]], [[Hanoi]], Vietnam || {{fb|KSA}} || || align="center"|2–3 || [[2007 AFC Asian Cup]] Semifinals
|-
| align="center"|3 || 27 May 2009 || [[Nagai Stadium]], [[Osaka]], Japan || {{fb|CHI}} || || align="center"|4–0 || [[Kirin Cup]] 2009
|}

==Honours==
'''JEF United Chiba'''
*[[J.League Cup]]: [[2005 J.League Cup|2005]], [[2006 J.League Cup|2006]]

'''Urawa Red Diamonds'''
*[[AFC Champions League]]: [[2007 AFC Champions League|2007]], [[2017 AFC Champions League|2017]]
*[[J.League Cup]]: [[2016 J.League Cup|2016]]
*[[Suruga Bank Championship]]: [[2017 Suruga Bank Championship|2017]]
*[[Emperor's Cup]]: [[2018 Emperor's Cup|2018]]

'''Individual'''
*[[J.League Best Eleven]]: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2016
*[[J.League Cup#New Hero Award|J.League Cup New Hero Award]]: 2005

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{FIFA player|188456}}
* {{NFT}}
* {{Soccerway}}
* {{Soccerbase}}
* {{J.League player}}
* [http://www.jfootball-db.com/en/players/abe_yuki.html Japan National Football Team Database]

{{2005 J.League Team of the Year}}
{{2006 J.League Team of the Year}}
{{2007 J.League Team of the Year}}
{{2016 J.League Team of the Year}}
{{Navboxes colour
|title= Japan squads
|bg= #0202FF
|fg= #FFFFFF
|list1=
{{Japan men's football squad 2004 Summer Olympics}}
{{Japan squad 2007 AFC Asian Cup}}
{{Japan squad 2010 FIFA World Cup}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Abe, Yuki}}
[[Category:1981 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Football people from Chiba Prefecture]]
[[Category:Japanese men's footballers]]
[[Category:Men's association football midfielders]]
[[Category:Japan men's international footballers]]
[[Category:J1 League players]]
[[Category:English Football League players]]
[[Category:JEF United Chiba players]]
[[Category:Urawa Red Diamonds players]]
[[Category:Leicester City F.C. players]]
[[Category:Footballers at the 2002 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2002 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Asian Games silver medalists for Japan]]
[[Category:Olympic footballers for Japan]]
[[Category:Footballers at the 2004 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:2007 AFC Asian Cup players]]
[[Category:2010 FIFA World Cup players]]
[[Category:Japanese expatriate men's footballers]]
[[Category:Japanese expatriate sportspeople in England]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in England]]
[[Category:AFC Champions League Elite–winning players]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Ichikawa, Chiba]]
[[Category:Asian Games silver medalists in football]]