Daichi Kamada
Daichi Kamada is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder or attacking midfielder for club Crystal Palace and the Japan national team.
After representing several Japanese football academies including school football, Kamada began his career at Sagan Tosu in early 2015, where he spent two and a half years. In the second half of 2017, he moved abroad to German club Eintracht Frankfurt. During his six years at the club, Kamada won the DFB-Pokal in the 2017–18 season and the UEFA Europa League in 2021–22, while he was loaned to Belgian club Sint-Truiden in the 2018–19 season.
In the second half of 2023, Kamada left Frankfurt to join Italian club Lazio on a two-year contract, however he departed the club a year early. In July 2024, Kamada joined Premier League side Crystal Palace, and he helped the club win the FA Cup in his first season.
A former Japan youth international, Kamada made his senior debut in 2019, and was part of his country's squad at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Club career
Early career
Born in Ehime, Japan, Kamada began playing football at "Kids FC" and helped the side win TV Ehime Cup Ehime Prefectural Youth Soccer Championship U-12 when he was in 6th grade of elementary school. When Kamada was in junior high school, he then joined Gamba Osaka and was selected for the U-13 J League. However, due to injuries, Kamada was released from the club and he returned to play school football, joining Higashiyama High School in 2012. Kamada quickly made an impact at Higashiyama, playing as an attacking midfielder. He went on to make 18 appearances and scored 22 at the end of the 2013 season.In his third year at Higashiyama High School, Kamada was appointed captain, but they finished at the bottom of the league table with 2 wins and 13 losses. Despite this, he continued to impress, having scored ten goals, making him the fourth top scorer in the 2014 season. At the end of the 2014 season, Kamada's performance at Higashiyama High School having impressed many, he supposedly attracted interest from at least five J. League clubs following his graduation. On 17 November 2014, Kamada was announced as a new signing for Sagan Tosu for the 2015 season. Ahead of the 2015 season, he was given the number 24 shirt.
Sagan Tosu
At the start of the 2015 season, Kamada was loaned out to J.League U-22, where he made two appearances for the side. He made his Sagan Tosu debut, coming on as a 75th-minute substitute, in a 1–0 loss against Albirex Niigata in the J.League Cup on 8 April. A month later on 10 May, Kamada scored his first goal on his J.League debut, having come on as a 72nd-minute substitute, in a 1–1 draw against Matsumoto Yamaga. This was followed up by setting up the winning goal for Yohei Toyoda to help Sagan Tosu win 1–0. His first five appearances of the season earned him awarded New Hero Awards of the Yamazaki Nabisco Cup. He then set up two goals, in a 3–2 win against Kashiwa Reysol on 11 July. Eleven days later on 22 July 2015, Kamada scored his second goal of the season, in a 1–1 draw against Gamba Osaka. Having started out on the substitute bench, Kamada became a first team regular for the side, playing in the midfield position. Despite suffering an injury later in the 2015 season, he went on make twenty–eight appearances and score three times in all competitions.Ahead of the 2016 season, Kamada signed a contract with the club. At the start of the season, he started in midfield for the first seven matches. Kamada contributed two assists in two matches between 2 and 6 April against Kashiwa Reysol and Vegalta Sendai. For his performance, he, once again, awarded New Hero Awards of the Yamazaki Nabisco Cup. However, during a match against Yokohama F. Marinos on 20 April, he suffered an elbow injury and was substituted as a result. Following this, it was announced on 22 April that Kamada was out for two weeks. It wasn't until 13 May when he returned to the starting line–up against FC Tokyo and played 55 minutes before being substituted, in a 0–0 draw. On 18 June, Kamada scored his first goals of the season, in a 2–1 win against Gamba Osaka. Since returning to the first team from injury, he regained his first team place for the rest of the season. Kamada then scored five more goals later in the season, including scoring twice in a 3–2 win against Kashiwa Reysol on 22 October. His goal against Kashiwa Reysol earned him J League Goal of the Month. By the end of the season, he made thirty–four appearances and scoring eight times in all competitions.
Ahead of the 2017 season, Kamada switched number shirt from twenty–four to seven. He also signed a contract extension with Sagan Tosu. At the start of the season, Kamada continued to regain his first team place, playing in the midfield position. He scored three times in April, including a brace in a 4–4 draw against Cerezo Osaka in the J.League Cup on 26 April The following month saw Kamada score two more goals for the club. He made his last appearance of the season against Urawa Red Diamonds on 25 June, setting up the club's first goal of the game in a 2–1 win. In his final season, Kamada made 16 appearances, scoring three goals.
Eintracht Frankfurt
In June 2017, Kamada joined Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt, signing a four-year contract running until 2021. The transfer fee was reported as €2.5 million.Kamada made his Eintracht Frankfurt debut in the first round of the DFB–Pokal, starting a match and played 73 minutes before being substituted, in a 3–0 win against TuS Erndtebrück. In a follow–up match against SC Freiburg, he made his league debut for the club, starting a match and played 67 minutes before being substituted, in a 0–0 draw. However, Kamada found his first team opportunities at Eintracht Frankfurt, due to competitions and his own injury concern. Manager Niko Kovač said about his progress, saying: "Another reason for Daichi was that he is extraordinarily good in terms of ball technique and that he is very good in the gaps, which the opponent cannot really control moves. Unfortunately he got off a little bit badly because he was pushed away from time to time. You have to give him the time, he'll get that too." At the end of the 2017–18 season, he made four appearances in all competitions.
Sint-Truiden (loan)
In order to receive first team football, Kamada was loaned out to Belgian side Sint-Truiden for the rest of the 2018–19 season on 1 September 2018. Kamada quickly made an impact for the club when he scored on his debut, in a 2–1 win against Gent on 16 September 2018. This was followed up by scoring in a 2–0 win against Royal Antwerp. Since making his debut for Sint-Truiden, Kamada quickly established himself in the first team, playing in either midfielder and striker positions.He then scored three consecutive goals in three matches between 6 October 2018 and 27 October 2018 against Royal Excel Mouscron, K.V. Kortrijk and Club Brugge. Kamada then scored four goals in three matches between 4 November 2018 and 25 November 2018, including a brace against Eupen on 10 November 2018. He, once again, scored two goals in two matches between 5 December 2018 and 8 December 2018 against Standard Liège and KFC Mandel United. By the end of the year, Kamada scored 11 goals in 17 appearances in all competitions.
Kamada had to wait until 3 February 2019 to score again in a 4–1 win against Eupen. A month later on 10 March 2019, he scored his 12th goal of the season, in a 1–1 draw against Royal Excel Mouscron. In the Group A league play-offs, Kamada later scored three goals, including a brace, in a 2–2 draw against Westerlo on 6 April 2019. At the end of the 2018–19 season, he went on to make 36 appearances and score sixteen times in all competitions.
Return to Eintracht Frankfurt
Since the start of the 2019–20 season, Kamada returned from a loan spell at Sint-Truiden and quickly became a first team regular for Eintracht Frankfurt, playing as a second striker. He then scored his first goal of the season, in a 5–3 win against Waldhof Mannheim in the first round of the DFB–Pokal. Manager Adi Hütter praised his performances, stating that Kamada has matured and presented himself differently. He then scored a brace in a 2–1 win against Arsenal in the UEFA Europa League match on 28 November. After the match, manager Hütter, once again, praised Kamada's performance for "having so much quality" by "having the ball 53 times throughout the match and completed 79 percent of his passes to teammates". He then scored to take a lead in the UEFA Europa League match against Vitória at half–time, but the club went on to lose 3–2 on 12 December 2019. At the beginning of 2020, Kamada suffered a torn ligament that kept him out throughout January. He returned to the starting line–up and played 45 minutes before being substituted, in a 1–1 draw against Fortuna Düsseldorf on 1 February 2020. Against Red Bull Salzburg in the second leg of UEFA Europa League's Round of 32 match, Kamada scored a hat–trick, in a 4–1 win. The club went on to progress to the next round of the UEFA Europa League following a 2–2 draw in the second leg. He scored his eighth goal of the season, in a 2–0 win against Werder Bremen in the quarter–finals of the DFB–Pokal on 4 March 2020. However, the season was suspended because of the COVID-19 pandemic and was pushed back to two months. Once the season resumed behind closed doors, Kamada then scored his ninth goal of the season, as well as, setting up the club's first goal of the game, in a 3–3 draw against SC Freiburg on 26 May. This was followed up by scoring in a 2–1 win against VfL Wolfsburg. By the end of the season, Kamada had made 48 appearances and scoring sixteen times in all competitions, making him the club's third top scorer of the season. Following this, Frankfurt began talks with the player over a new contract. During the negotiation, manager Hütter wanted Kamada to stay, describing him as "a great, interesting player".Three days before the start of the 2020–21 season, Kamada signed a contract extension with Eintracht Frankfurt, keeping him until 2023, with manager Hütter played a factor to his decision. A week later against Hertha BSC on 25 September 2020, he played a key role to match by setting up two goals in a 3–1 win. In a follow–up match against Hoffenheim, Kamada scored his first goal of the season, in a 2–1 win. Since the start of the 2020–21 season, he continued to be a first team regular, playing in the attacking midfield position. Kamada played a role in a match against Union Berlin when he sets up two goals, as the club drew 3–3 on 28 November 2020. In a follow–up match, Kamada played another role in a match against Borussia Dortmund when he scored the opening goal of the game, in a 1–1 draw. Since the start of the 2020–21 season, Kamada started in every match until he was dropped to the substitute bench for the last two matches of the year, with manager Hütter said the player needs to improve on his performance. In the second half of the season, Kamada continued alternating between a starting and a substitute role despite competing with Amin Younes. In a match against Bayern Munich on 20 February 2021, he played a key role to the match by scoring a goal and setting up a goal for Younes, in a 2–1 win. After missing one match due to lumbago, Kamada scored on his return from injury, in a 1–1 draw against RB Leipzig on 14 March. Despite scoring on his return, he played in the right–midfield position, which Manager Hütter acknowledged the negativity criticism from Frankfurter Rundschau, describing it as "a failed experiment". On 10 April, Kamada scored his fifth goal of the season and set up one of the goals, in a 4–3 win against VfL Wolfsburg. Despite failing to qualify for the UEFA Champions League next season, his contributions saw Eintracht Frankfurt qualify for the UEFA Europa League instead. At the end of the 2020–21 season, he had made 34 appearances and scored five times in all competitions.
At the start of the 2021–22 season, Kamada found himself alternating between a starting and a substitute role under the new management of Oliver Glasner. He then scored three consecutive goals in the UEFA Europa League matches, including two separate matches against Olympiacos. He scored his first league goal of the season, which turned out to be a winning goal, in a 3–2 win against Borussia Mönchengladbach on 15 December 2021. Kamada scored a month later on 16 January 2022, in a 1–1 draw against FC Augsburg. After missing one match due to a torn muscle fibre, Kamada returned to the starting line–up from injury, in a 2–0 loss against VfL Wolfsburg on 12 February 2022. Initially placed on the substitute bench following his return from injury, he regained his first team place for the rest of the season. Kamada scored two goals in two matches between 9 March 2022 and 13 March 2022, which were winning goals against Real Betis and VfL Bochum. On 14 April 2022, he set up one of the goals for Filip Kostić as the club defeated Barcelona 3–2 at the Camp Nou and 4–3 on aggregate in the UEFA Europa League to qualify for the semi-finals. Kamada, once again, scored two goals in two matches, including scoring the winning goal in a 2–1 win over West Ham United in the first leg of the semi-finals of the Europa League on 28 April 2022. Eventually, Eintracht Frankfurt won the tournament after beating Rangers 5–4 on penalty shootouts in the final, in which he scored one of them. At the end of the 2021–22 season, Kamada made 46 appearances and scoring nine times in all competitions.
Kamada started the 2022–23 season well when he scored four goals in the first month to the season, including a brace against 1. FC Magdeburg in the first round of DFB–Pokal. The performance also earned the trust of manager Glasner, who continued to give him a place in the first team. Kamada then scored two more goals throughout September, coming against VfB Stuttgart and Bayer Leverkusen. Between 15 October 2022 and 1 November 2022, he scored a total of six goals in all competitions, including the UEFA Champions League group stage when he scored in the last three consecutive matches against Tottenham Hotspur, Marseille and Sporting CP, which helped his club to reach the knockout phase. After missing one match due to an illness in early–November, Kamada returned to the starting line–up against Hoffenheim on 9 November 2022 and set up one of the goals, in a 4–2 win.
Following the World Cup, he regained his first team place and began rotating in either centre–midfield position and attacking midfield position. Kamada had to wait until 7 February 2023 when he scored in the last 16 of the DFB–Pokal, in a 4–2 win against SV Darmstadt 98. However, Kamada faced criticism by Frankfurter Rundschau for his lack of form, which saw him struggle to score goals. In the semi–finals of the DFB–Pokal, he scored his first goal in almost three months, in a 3–2 win against Stuttgart to help Eintracht Frankfurt reach the final. After the match, Frankfurter Rundschau, who have been critical of Kamada's performance, reviewed positively towards his performance. He then scored two goals in two matches between 13 May 2023 and 20 May 2023 against Mainz 05 and Schalke 04. Kamada made his last appearance for the club, starting the match, in a 2–0 loss against RB Leipzig in the DFB–Pokal final. At the end of the 2022–23 season, he made 47 appearances and scoring 16 times in all competitions. Between 2022 and 2023, Kamada's future at Eintracht Frankfurt was speculated by local newspaper. Frankfurter Rundschau, with his contract expiring at the end of the 2022–23 season. This led to Eintracht Frankfurt began opening a contract negotiations in effort to keep the player. He was linked with a move to European clubs, such as, Benfica, Borussia Dortmund, FC Barcelona and Atlético Madrid. It was confirmed on 13 April 2023 that Kamada would be leaving the club.