Tsuyoshi Watanabe

Tsuyoshi Watanabe is a Japanese centre-back who left FC Tokyo for Belgian football in 2021 and subsequently moved to KAA Gent and then Feyenoord, developing into a consistent defensive presence in European competition. He has 11 caps for Japan.

Watanabe came through FC Tokyo's academy and made 75 league appearances for the senior side from 2019, winning the J.League Cup in 2020. He moved to Belgium in December 2021, signing for K.V. Kortrijk on a three-and-a-half-year deal (41 appearances), then transferred to KAA Gent in July 2023 for €3.5 million, where he made 70 appearances and 4 goals across two seasons.

In July 2025 he joined Feyenoord on a four-year contract, immediately making an impact by scoring twice in a Champions League qualifier on 12 August 2025. He has represented Japan at the 2023 AFC Asian Cup and was included in the 2026 FIFA World Cup squad.