Some footballers arrive in Europe hoping to survive. Ayase Ueda 上田綺世 arrived and started setting records. The 27-year-old centre-forward from Mito, Ibaraki has rapidly evolved from a J-League prospect into one of the Eredivisie’s most clinical goal-scorers — and his 2026 World Cup performances have announced him to the entire planet.
This is the complete profile of a striker operating at full power.
Ayase Ueda 上田綺世: Career Timeline and Rise to Feyenoord
Ueda’s route to Dutch football was methodical and earned. He honed his craft at Hosei University, where in his first year he scored 15 goals in 27 games and won the JUFA Kanto League 1 Best Rookie award. Wikipedia
From there, he joined Kashima Antlers — his boyhood club — before making a move to Belgium’s Cercle Brugge. That season proved to be his European launchpad. He finished the regular season with 18 league goals and ended the campaign with 23 goals in 42 appearances across all competitions.
On 3 August 2023, Ueda signed a five-year contract with Dutch champions Feyenoord for a fee of €8 million. The number 9 shirt was waiting.
Key Career Achievements and Statistics
- 25 Eredivisie goals in the 2025–26 season, placing him first in Feyenoord’s top scorer rankings
- 0.89 goals per 90 minutes — ranking 4th out of 384 Eredivisie players with at least 3 appearances this season.
- Four-goal haul against PEC Zwolle in December 2025, taking his tally to 18 goals in just 15 matches at that point.
- First Champions League goal — scored against Benfica in a 3–1 Feyenoord victory in October 2024.
- Two major trophies with Feyenoord: the KNVB Cup (2023–24) and the Johan Cruyff Shield (2024–25) FotMob
- 40 caps, 16 international goals for Japan national team as of May 2026 Transfermarkt
- Market value: €17.3 million — a figure that continues to rise sharply FotMob
The World Cup 2026 Statement
Ueda’s brace against Tunisia on June 21, 2026, cemented what club football had already been screaming: this man delivers on the biggest stages.
Both goals were finished with the composure of a seasoned elite striker — an 18-yard rifle into the bottom corner and a composed back-post finish. For fans following trending global sports insights and player analytics, Ueda’s World Cup emergence represents one of the tournament’s most compelling individual storylines.
His full career data and Feyenoord appearances are tracked on the official Feyenoord player statistics portal.
Playing Style: What Makes Him Different
Ueda is not a flashy forward. He’s a ruthless one. His movement inside the box is precise, his finishing across goal is lethal, and his aerial presence at 182cm makes him a genuine dual threat.
His non-penalty xG per 90 minutes sits at 0.81, placing him in the top 99th percentile of all Eredivisie players — meaning he doesn’t just score, he earns his chances through high-quality positioning. FootyStats
FAQ
Q1: What position does Ayase Ueda play at Feyenoord?
Ueda plays as a forward wearing the number 9 shirt at Feyenoord. His primary role is centre-forward, with occasional deployment as a second striker. UEFA Champions League
Q2: What is Ayase Ueda’s playing style as a forward?
He is a technically sharp, box-intelligent striker who excels at movement, timing runs, and clinical finishing across goal. His shot accuracy and xG output consistently rank among Europe’s elite attacking profiles.
Q3: How many goals has Ayase Ueda scored for the Japan national team?
As of May 2026, Ueda has earned 40 caps and scored 16 goals for the Japan national team — a record that continues to grow with each major tournament appearance. Transfermarkt
Strategic Summary: Europe’s Next-Level Striker?
Ueda’s contract runs until 2028, but if his current trajectory holds, a move to a top-five European league feels inevitable. Premier League and Bundesliga scouts will have their notebooks open after this World Cup. Japan’s number 9 is no longer a prospect — he’s a proven commodity with elite-level output.