# Daniel Schmidt (footballer)

Daniel Yuji Yabuki Schmidt (矢吹シュミット・ダニエル勇二, Yabuki Shumitto Danieru Yūji, born 3 February 1992) is a professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for the J1 League club, Nagoya Grampus. Born in the United States, he represents the Japan national team.

## Early life

Born in the United States to a German father and Japanese mother, Schmidt moved to Sendai, Japan at the age of two. He attended Chuo University.

## Club career

Schmidt played three consecutive seasons as a Designated Special Player for Kawasaki Frontale while at the Chuo University, before entering the professional ranks in 2013.
He later signed for Vegalta Sendai, but Schmidt played his first pro match during a one-month loan to Roasso Kumamoto in April 2014. After playing his first ever game with Vegalta in J. League Cup, he was again loaned to Roasso, this time until the end of 2015 season. A third loan was established in 2016, this time to Matsumoto Yamaga.
On 18 July 2019, Schmidt joined Belgian side Sint-Truiden on a permanent deal.
On 4 February 2023, he made his 100th appearance in the Belgian Pro League against Kortrijk.
On 28 December 2023, Schmidt joined fellow Belgian club Gent on a permanent deal, signing a contract until June 2027.
On 6 January 2025, Schmidt returned to Japan to play for Nagoya Grampus.

## International career

On 30 August 2018, Schmidt received his first international callup from the Japan national team for the Kirin Challenge Cup 2018. He made his debut appearance in a friendly match against Venezuela on 16 November 2018 and played his first competitive match for Japan on 17 January 2019 in the 2–1 win against Uzbekistan during the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.
In September 2022, he stopped a penalty kick in Japan's friendly match against Ecuador, which ended in a scoreless draw. Schmidt was selected as the man of the match by the media. He was selected for the 2022 FIFA World Cup team in November 2022.
On March 24, 2023, Schmidt played for Japan in a friendly against Uruguay that ended in a 1–1 draw. He played in the second half of a friendly against Turkey on 12 September after replacing injured starter Kosuke Nakamura.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of the start from 2025 season.
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National cup | National cup | League cup | League cup | Continental | Continental | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Vegalta Sendai | 2014 | J.League Div 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| Vegalta Sendai | 2015 | J1 League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Vegalta Sendai | 2017 | J1 League | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 24 | 0 |
| Vegalta Sendai | 2018 | J1 League | 18 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 22 | 0 |
| Vegalta Sendai | 2019 | J1 League | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 19 | 0 |
| Vegalta Sendai | Total | Total | 55 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 0 | — | — | 66 | 0 |
| Roasso Kumamoto (loan) | 2014 | J.League Div 2 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 0 |
| Roasso Kumamoto (loan) | 2015 | J2 League | 26 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 28 | 0 |
| Roasso Kumamoto (loan) | Total | Total | 30 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 32 | 0 |
| Matsumoto Yamaga (loan) | 2016 | J2 League | 41 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 42 | 0 |
| Sint-Truiden | 2019–20 | Belgian Pro League | 20 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 22 | 0 |
| Sint-Truiden | 2020–21 | Belgian Pro League | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 24 | 0 |
| Sint-Truiden | 2021–22 | Belgian Pro League | 31 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 31 | 0 |
| Sint-Truiden | 2022–23 | Belgian Pro League | 31 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 33 | 0 |
| Sint-Truiden | 2023–24 | Belgian Pro League | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 4 | 0 |
| Sint-Truiden | Total | Total | 110 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 114 | 0 |
| Gent | 2023–24 | Belgian Pro League | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 10 | 0 |
| Gent | 2024–25 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Gent | Total | Total | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| Nagoya Grampus | 2025 | J1 League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nagoya Grampus | Total | Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 246 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 268 | 0 |
* ↑ Includes Emperor's Cup, Belgian Cup
* ↑ Includes J. League Cup
* ↑ Appearances in UEFA Conference League

### International

Appearances and goals by national team and year :
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| Japan | 2018 | 1 | 0 |
| Japan | 2019 | 4 | 0 |
| Japan | 2020 | 2 | 0 |
| Japan | 2022 | 4 | 0 |
| Japan | 2023 | 2 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 13 | 0 |

## Honours

Vegalta Sendai
* Emperor's Cup runner-up: 2018
Japan
* AFC Asian Cup runner-up: 2019
Individual
* Japan Pro-Footballers Association Best XI: 2022