Position: Defender
Number: 32
Born: August 24, 1974
Hometown: Tokyo, Japan
Rowdies Debut: 2010
Takuya Yamada joined the Rowdies ahead of the club’s first season of the Modern Era in 2010. Already an icon in Japan after a 13-year career in the country’s top division and as a member of the national team that won the 2014 Asian Cup, Yamada quickly became a fan-favorite in Tampa Bay among his teammates and the fans. At 38 years old, the legendary defender was named to the NASL Best XI in 2012 as the only outfield player across the entire league to play every minute of the regular season. With Yamada’s steadiness on the back line, the Rowdies conceded the second fewest goals of the regular season in 2012, paving the way for their run to victory over Minnesota in the NASL Soccer Bowl Final. In 2013, Yamada celebrated his 39th birthday on the same night that he became the first player of the Rowdies Modern Era to reach 100 appearances for the club.
