is a former Japanese

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

player.

Playing career

Kawai was born in

Itabashi is a special ward in the Tokyo Metropolis in Japan. In English, it is called Itabashi City. Itabashi has sister-city relations with Burlington, Ontario, in Canada; Shijingshan District of Beijing in the People's Republic of China; and Bolog ...

, Tokyo on July 14, 1978. After graduating from high school, he joined

J1 League The , the J.League or the for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in Japan and the highest level of the Japanese football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation ...

club

Urawa Reds The or simply Urawa Reds (浦和レッズ, ''Urawa Rezzu''), also known as Mitsubishi Urawa Football Club from April 1992 to January 1996, are a professional football club in the city of Saitama, part of the Greater Tokyo Area in Japan, who p ...

in 1997. However he could not play at all in the match until 1999 and the club was relegated to

J2 League The or simply J2 is the second division of the and the second level of the Japanese association football league system. The top tier is represented by the J1 League. It (along with the rest of the J.League) is currently sponsored by Meiji Yasud ...

end of 1999 season. In 2000, he debuted in May and played many matches as defensive midfielder under manager

Kazuo Saito is a former Japanese football player and manager. He played for Japan national team. Club career Saito was born in Saitama on July 27, 1951. After graduating from Hosei University, he joined his local club Mitsubishi Motors in 1974. The club ...

. The club was also returned to J1 end of 2000 season. However Kawai could hardly play in the match under new manager from 2001. He was sacked end of 2002 season. In 2003, Kawai signed with Yokohama F. Marinos which many Japan national team players played for the club. He could not play at all in the match until summer 2003. However regular center-back

Naoki Matsuda was a Japanese professional footballer who played as a central defender for the Japan national team. Club career Matsuda was born in Kiryu on 14 March 1977. After graduating from high school, he joined Yokohama Marinos (later ''Yokohama F. M ...

was injured summer and Kawai played many matches as center-back instead Matsuda and Marinos won the champions in J1. In 2004, although his opportunity to play decreased, Marinos won the champions for 2 years in a row. In 2005, he became a regular left-back of three back defense with

and

Yuji Nakazawa is a Japanese former professional footballer who most notably played as a centre back for J1 League sides Tokyo Verdy and Yokohama F. Marinos. He was the formerly the captain of the Japan national team. His nickname is "The Bomber" because of ...

. In 2006, he played many matches as regular defensive midfielder with

Yoshiharu Ueno is a former Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team. Club career Ueno was born in Saitama on April 21, 1973. After dropped out from Waseda University, he joined Yokohama Marinos (later ''Yokohama F. Marinos'') in 1994. Init ...

. In 2007, he played all matches as defensive midfielder without one match for suspension. In 2008, although he could not play for injury until summer, he played many matches from summer. From 2009, his opportunity to play decreased and he resigned end of 2010 season. In 2011, Kawai moved to

club

Consadole Sapporo is a Japanese professional football club based in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Sapporo, on the island of Hokkaido. They will play in the 2025 J2 League, the second tier league of Japanese football, after relegation from the J1 League at conclusion of th ...

(later ''Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo''). In 2011 season, he played many matches as center-back with

Tatsuya Yamashita is a Japanese former professional footballer who played as a centre back. A longtime player of Cerezo Osaka, Yamashita played in over 220 games for the club. Career Second spell at Cerezo Osaka On 27 December 2011, Yamashita was announced as ...

until summer and defensive midfielder with

Hiroki Miyazawa is a Japanese football player currently playing for Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo is a Japanese professional football club based in Sapporo, on the island of Hokkaido. They will play in the 2025 J2 League, the second tier league of Japanese fo ...

from summer. Consadole won the 3rd place and was promoted to J1. Although he played as defensive midfielder in 2012 season, Consadole finished at the bottom place and was relegated to J2. From 2014, he played many matches as center back. In 2016, although his opportunity to play decreased, Consadole won the champions in J2 and was promoted to J1. In 2018, he could not play at all in the match and retired end of 2018 season. He was 40 years old.

Club statistics

Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing inc./日本スポーツ企画出版社
"J1&J2&J3選手名鑑ハンディ版 2018 (NSK MOOK)"
7 February 2018, Japan, (p. 88 out of 289)

J.League Firsts

* Appearance: May 22, 2000.

6 vs 0

Omiya Ardija is a Japanese professional association football club based in Ōmiya-ku, Saitama, Ōmiya, Saitama Prefecture. Its "hometown" (as designated by the league) is shared with neighbours Urawa Red Diamonds. The team currently play in J2 League, the ...

Omiya Park Soccer Stadium is a football stadium located in Ōmiya-ku, Saitama, Japan. It is the home stadium of J2 League club RB Omiya Ardija. It was formerly known as Omiya Football Stadium. Since 14 May 2007 it has been called for the naming rights. History Buil ...

* Goal: April 2, 2005. Yokohama F. Marinos 4 vs 1

Albirex Niigata is a professional football club based in Niigata, Japan. Formed in 1955 as Niigata Eleven SC, it was renamed Albireo Niigata FC in 1995, and Albirex Niigata in 1997. They currently play in J1 League after being promoted from J2 League as cha ...

Nissan Stadium Nissan Stadium may refer to: * Nissan Stadium (Nashville) * Nissan Stadium (Yokohama) The , currently known as for sponsorship reasons, is a multi-purpose stadium in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, which opened in March 1998. It is ...

References

External links

*
Profile at Yokohama F. Marinos

Profile at Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kawai, Ryuji 1978 births Living people Association football people from Tokyo Japanese men's footballers J1 League players J2 League players Urawa Red Diamonds players Yokohama F. Marinos players Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo players Men's association football defenders Men's association football midfielders People from Itabashi