# Akihiro Ienaga

Akihiro Ienaga (家長 昭博, Ienaga Akihiro, born 13 June 1986) is a Japanese football player who plays for Kawasaki Frontale. He played for Japan national team.

## Club career

Born in Hyogo Prefecture, Ienaga began his career as a trainee with Gamba Osaka, one of the leading clubs in Japan's J1 League. He broke into the senior squad in 2004 and helped the club to their first J1 League title the following year. Ienaga joined J1 League rivals Oita Trinita on a season-long loan in 2007. In December 2008, Ienaga joined English club, Plymouth Argyle, on trial. Plymouth attempted to sign the player in January 2009 but he was denied a work permit so they were forced to withdraw from talks. In December 2010, he signed with Spanish Primera Division club RCD Mallorca in a five-year deal. And scored his first goal for the club in home game against Sevilla on 9 April 2011.

## International career

In June 2005, Ienaga was selected Japan U-20 national team for 2005 World Youth Championship. At this tournament, he played all 4 matches as left midfielder.
Ienaga made his international debut as a substitute in Japan's 2–0 win against Peru in March 2007.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of match played 26 March 2023
| Club | Season | League | League | Cup | Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Continental | Continental | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Gamba Osaka | 2004 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 13 | 1 |
| Gamba Osaka | 2005 | 24 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 32 | 1 |
| Gamba Osaka | 2006 | 28 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 43 | 5 |
| Gamba Osaka | 2007 | 27 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 37 | 3 |
| Gamba Osaka | Total | 87 | 5 | 12 | 2 | 17 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 125 | 10 |
| Oita Trinita | 2008 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 5 | 0 |
| Oita Trinita | 2009 | 26 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 | - | - | 3 | 0 | 36 | 3 |
| Oita Trinita | Total | 30 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 2 | - | - | 3 | 0 | 41 | 3 |
| Cerezo Osaka | 2010 | 31 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 40 | 4 |
| Cerezo Osaka | Total | 31 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 40 | 4 |
| Mallorca | 2010–11 | 14 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 14 | 2 |
| Mallorca | 2011–12 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 | 0 |
| Mallorca | 2013–14 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8 | 0 |
| Mallorca | Total | 25 | 2 | 2 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 27 | 2 |
| Ulsan Hyundai | 2012 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 1 |
| Ulsan Hyundai | Total | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 1 |
| Gamba Osaka | 2012 | 12 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 6 |
| Gamba Osaka | 2013 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 17 | 1 |
| Gamba Osaka | Total | 29 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 7 |
| Omiya Ardija | 2014 | 33 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 39 | 6 |
| Omiya Ardija | 2015 | 33 | 11 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 33 | 11 |
| Omiya Ardija | 2016 | 26 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 31 | 13 |
| Omiya Ardija | Total | 92 | 28 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 103 | 30 |
| Kawasaki Frontale | 2017 | 21 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 0 | - | - | 35 | 5 |
| Kawasaki Frontale | 2018 | 32 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 41 | 8 |
| Kawasaki Frontale | 2019 | 26 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 37 | 1 |
| Kawasaki Frontale | 2020 | 29 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 34 | 12 |
| Kawasaki Frontale | 2021 | 37 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 51 | 10 |
| Kawasaki Frontale | 2022 | 34 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 42 | 12 |
| Kawasaki Frontale | 2023 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 |
| Kawasaki Frontale | Total | 185 | 40 | 15 | 4 | 13 | 4 | 24 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 247 | 49 |
| Career total | Career total | 491 | 87 | 46 | 8 | 52 | 9 | 35 | 2 | 10 | 0 | 634 | 106 |
$^1$Includes other competitive competitions, including the Japanese Super Cup, A3 Champions Cup, Suruga Bank Championship and Pan-Pacific Championship.

## International

| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| Japan U-20 |
| Japan U-20 | 2005 | 4 | 0 |
| Japan U-20 | Total | 4 | 0 |
| Japan U-23 |
| Japan U-23 | 2006 | 1 | 0 |
| Japan U-23 | 2007 | 9 | 1 |
| Japan U-23 | Total | 10 | 1 |
| Japan |
| Japan | 2007 | 1 | 0 |
| Japan | 2008 | 0 | 0 |
| Japan | 2009 | 0 | 0 |
| Japan | 2010 | 0 | 0 |
| Japan | 2011 | 2 | 0 |
| Japan | Total | 3 | 0 |

### International goals

    Scores and results list Japan's goal tally first.

#### Under-23

| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1. | 28 March 2007 | National Stadium, Tokyo, Japan | Syria | 1–0 | 3–0 | 2008 Summer Olympics qualification |

### Appearances in major competitions

| Team | Competition | Category | Appearances | Appearances | Goals | Team Result |
| Team | Competition | Category | Start | Sub | Goals | Team Result |
| Japan U-20 | 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship | U-20 | 4 | 0 | 0 | Round of 16 |
| Japan U-23 | 2008 Summer Olympics qualification | U-22 | 6 | 3 | 1 | Qualified |

## Awards and honours
### Club

Gamba Osaka
* J1 League: 2005
* J.League Cup: 2007
* Japanese Super Cup: 2007
Oita Trinita
* J.League Cup: 2008
Kawasaki Frontale
* J1 League: 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021
* Emperor's Cup: 2020, 2023
* J.League Cup: 2019
* Japanese Super Cup: 2019, 2021

### International

Japan
* Kirin Cup: 2011

### Individual

* J.League MVP Award: 2018
* J.League Best XI: 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022