Takahiro Yamada

Education

Yamada was educated at and played for Shimizu Commercial High School.

Career

He was a skillful attacking midfielder. Some scouts regarded him as the Number. 1 high school player of his age.

After graduating in 1990, he joined Japan Soccer League side Nissan Motor F.C. where his powerful dribbling helped him quickly establish himself as a regular.

When Japan"s first-ever professional league J. League started in 1993, Nissan F.C. was transformed to Yokohama Marinos for whom he continued to play. He moved to Kyoto Purple Sanga in 1998, and then to Verdy Kawasaki in 1999.

He announced the retirement from the game after the 1999 season at the age of 29. However, Hidehiko Shimizu, the manager of J. League Division 2 side Vegalta Sendai, who had also managed Yamada at Yokohama Marinos, successfully persuaded him to come out of the retirement and help Sendai to gain the promotion to Division 1.

Yamada played for Sendai for 3 years from June 2000 to June 2003 before finally hanging up his boots.

He was the leader and the influential player for Sendai who were promoted to Division 1 for the 2002 season. He was capped once for the Japanese national team when he played in a friendly against Australia on September 27, 1994 at the Tokyo National Olympic Stadium. After retiring from the game, he started his own business, a franchise chain of bakeries specialising in Melon buns, in Sendai.

Team honours

1992 Asian Cup (Champions).

Achievements

• 1992 Asian Cup (Champions).