# Daizen Maeda

Daizen Maeda (前田 大然, Maeda Daizen, born 20 October 1997) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a winger for Scottish Premiership side Celtic and the Japan national team.

## Club career
### Matsumoto Yamaga

In 2016, Maeda joined Matsumoto Yamaga FC. He got his J-League debut on 28 February 2016. It was on 28 August 2016, that he scored his first goal as a professional in an Emperor's Cup game against Tokuyama University.
After his loan spell at Mito, he struggled for regular playing time and was loaned to the Portuguese club, Maritimo in 2019. He left the club in 2021 after his loan with Yokohama F. Marinos was made permanent.

#### Mito HollyHock (loan)

Maedan joined Mito HollyHock on a loan deal from February 2017 until January 2018. He ended the season while scoring 13 goals.

#### Maritimo (loan)

On 11 August 2019, he made his debut in the opening round of Portuguese League against Sporting CP when he came on as a substitute in the 57th minute.
On 25 August 2019, Maeda scored his debut goal in a 3–2 loss to CD Tondela.

### Yokohama F. Marinos

In August 2020, he was loaned to Yokohama F. Marinos. He scored his first goal after the transfer in the match against Shimizu S-Pulse on 19 August, and contributed to the team's first victory in three games.
By the end of the season, the deal was made permanent. On 7 March 2021, he scored a brace against Sanfrecce Hiroshima and continued his prolific run of form on 17 March, scoring four goals in one game against Tokushima Vortis. On 25 September 2021, with a goal against Yokohama FC, Maeda became the top scorer in the J1 League. On 6 November against FC Tokyo, he scored his second hat-trick of the season to keep his spot in the top scorers' ranking. In addition to being named in the J.League Best XI at the end of the season, Maeda was also co-J.League Top Scorer with Leandro Damiao of Kawasaki Frontale, who had equalled his total of 23 goals for the campaign.

### Celtic

On 31 December 2021, it was announced that Maeda had signed for Scottish Premiership club Celtic on loan for the rest of the season, with an obligation to buy at the end of the loan. On 17 January 2022, Maeda made his debut for Celtic and scored his first goal in the 4th minute, in a league fixture against Hibernian at Celtic Park. Maeda signed a four-year contract with Celtic at the end of the season, when his move was made permanent.
On 6 September 2022, Maeda came on as a half-time substitute for Liel Abada to make his UEFA Champions League debut in a 3–0 home defeat against Real Madrid. On 2 January 2023, he scored the opening goal in a 2–2 draw at Rangers. His form at this time saw Premier League side Southampton monitor him.
On 6 July 2023, Maeda has signed a new four-year contract with Celtic, keeping him at the club until 2027.

## International career

On 24 May 2019, Maeda was called by Japan's head coach Hajime Moriyasu to feature in the Copa América played in Brazil. He was also the first Matsumoto Yamaga player to ever feature for the senior's side. He made his debut on 17 June 2019 in the game against Chile, as a starter.
In Japan's 2022 World Cup game against Germany, Maeda was placed as starting striker. He was substituted in the 57th minute by Takuma Asano. Japan advanced out of the group stage after beating Spain 2–1. On 5 December 2022, Maeda scored a goal at the 43rd minute to put Japan in front during the round of 16 game against Croatia which eventually ended 1–1 with Japan crashing out after their defeat on penalties.

## Style of play

Though primarily and initially used by both Matsumoto Yamaga and Yokohama F. Marinos as a left winger, Maeda is able to operate in a number of positions as a forward, including on the opposite flank, as an attacking midfielder or occasionally a second striker. Regarding his stamina and conditioning, former coach John Hutchinson referred to Maeda as a "machine", while Arthur Papas, who also coached Maeda during his time at Yokohama, hailed his pace and sprinting.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of match played 16 March 2025
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 |
| Matsumoto Yamaga | 2016 | J2 League | 9 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 10 | 1 |
| Matsumoto Yamaga | 2018 | J2 League | 29 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 29 | 7 |
| Matsumoto Yamaga | 2019 | J1 League | 18 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 18 | 2 |
| Matsumoto Yamaga | Total | Total | 56 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 57 | 10 |
| Mito HollyHock (loan) | 2017 | J2 League | 36 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 36 | 13 |
| Marítimo (loan) | 2019–20 | Primeira Liga | 23 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 24 | 4 |
| Yokohama F. Marinos (loan) | 2020 | J1 League | 23 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 30 | 3 |
| Yokohama F. Marinos | 2021 | J1 League | 36 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 23 |
| Yokohama F. Marinos | Total | Total | 59 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 70 | 26 |
| Celtic (loan) | 2021–22 | Scottish Premiership | 16 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 22 | 8 |
| Celtic | 2022–23 | Scottish Premiership | 35 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 49 | 11 |
| Celtic | 2023–24 | Scottish Premiership | 28 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 36 | 10 |
| Celtic | 2024–25 | Scottish Premiership | 27 | 13 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 4 | 42 | 28 |
| Celtic | Total | Total | 106 | 33 | 14 | 11 | 8 | 8 | 21 | 5 | 149 | 57 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 280 | 84 | 16 | 13 | 14 | 8 | 26 | 5 | 336 | 110 |
* ↑ Includes Emperor's Cup, Taça de Portugal, Scottish Cup
* ↑ Includes J.League Cup, Taça da Liga, Scottish League Cup
* ↑ Appearances in AFC Champions League
* ↑ Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League
* 1 2 3 Appearances in UEFA Champions League

### International

    As of match played 19 November 2024
Appearances and goals by national team and year :
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| Japan | 2019 | 2 | 0 |
| Japan | 2020 | 0 | 0 |
| Japan | 2021 | 0 | 0 |
| Japan | 2022 | 9 | 2 |
| Japan | 2023 | 2 | 1 |
| Japan | 2024 | 9 | 1 |
| Total | Total | 22 | 4 |
Scores and results list Japan's goal tally first.
List of international goals scored by Daizen Maeda :
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1. | 10 June 2022 | Noevir Stadium Kobe, Kobe, Japan | Ghana | 4–1 | 4–1 | 2022 Kirin Cup |
| 2. | 5 December 2022 | Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah, Qatar | Croatia | 1–0 | 1–1 (a.e.t.) | 2022 FIFA World Cup |
| 3. | 20 June 2023 | Suita City Football Stadium, Suita, Japan | Peru | 4–0 | 4–1 | 2023 Kirin Challenge Cup |
| 4. | 5 September 2024 | Saitama Stadium 2002, Saitama, Japan | China | 6–0 | 7–0 | 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification |

## Honours

Matsumoto Yamaga
* J2 League: 2018
Celtic
* Scottish Premiership: 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24
* Scottish Cup: 2022–23, 2023–24
* Scottish League Cup: 2022–23, 2024–25
Individual
* J.League Top Scorer: 2021
* J.League Best XI: 2021