Tomoki Iwata (岩田 智輝, Iwata Tomoki; born 7 April 1997) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for EFL Championship club Birmingham City and the Japan national team.

Club career

Oita Trinita

Born in Ōita, Iwata began his youth career with Oita Trinita in 2015, before signing professionally the following year, in 2016.

Yokohama F. Marinos

In 2021, Iwata signed for J1 club, Yokohama F. Marinos. On 5 November 2022, he led the club to the 2022 J1 League title. Two days later, he was named among the Best XI of the season and also voted Player of the Year.

Celtic

On 30 December 2022, Iwata signed for Scottish Premiership side Celtic on an initial loan deal with a compulsory purchase clause.[1][2] This has seen Iwata reunited with his former Yokohama manager, Ange Postecoglou. On 21 January 2023, Iwata made his debut for the club in a 5–0 win against Greenock Morton in the Scottish Cup.[3]

Celtic confirmed in July 2023 that Iwata had signed for the club on a permanent basis.[4]

Birmingham City

On 30 August 2024, Iwata signed a three-year contract with recently relegated EFL League One club Birmingham City, for an undisclosed fee.[5] His performances in Birmingham's 2024-25 promotion season earned him a place in the PFA League One Team of the Year.[6] The club earned triple-digit points and he was one of their seven members to be selected.[7]

International career

On 24 May 2019, Iwata was called up by Japan's head coach Hajime Moriyasu to feature in the Copa América played in Brazil.[8] He made his debut on 20 June 2019 in the game against Uruguay, as a starter.[9]

Career statistics

Club

As of 18 April 2026[10][11]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Oita Trinita 2015 J2 League 0010———10
2016 J3 League 24110———251
2017 J2 League 12000———120
2018 J2 League 20011———211
2019 J1 League 2741030——314
2020 J1 League 3020000——302
Total 11374130——1208
Yokohama F. Marinos 2021 J1 League 3401071——421
2022 J1 League 32210007[c]0—402
Total 66220717000823
Celtic (loan) 2022–23 Scottish Premiership 1304010——180
Celtic 2023–24 Scottish Premiership 19120003[d]0—241
Total 32160103000421
Birmingham City 2024–25[12] League One 4062100—5[e]1478
2025–26[13] Championship 4231010——443
Total 8293110—519111
Career total 293191521211005133523

International

As of match played 27 July 2022[14]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Japan 201920
202220
Total40

Honours

Yokohama F. Marinos

Celtic

Birmingham City

Japan

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "Celtic sign Japan midfielder Iwata". BBC Sport. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  2. ↑ "Tomoki Iwata: Celtic sign Japanese player of the Year from Ange Postecoglou's former club Yokohama F Marinos". Sky Sports. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  3. ↑ "Kyogo reaches 20 goals as Celtic sail past Morton". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
  4. ↑ @CelticFC (13 July 2023). "Following his initial six-month loan spell, Tomoki Iwata is now a full time Celt!" (Tweet). Retrieved 13 July 2023 – via Twitter.
  5. ↑ "Blues sign Tomoki Iwata!". Bcfc.com. Birmingham City FC. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  6. ↑ "PFA Team of the Year Winners 2025: Premier League, Championship, League One and Two". SI. 19 August 2025.
  7. ↑ "The PFA League One Team of the Year". Instagram. Professional Footballers' Association. 19 August 2025. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
  8. ↑ "SAMURAI BLUE (Japan National Team) Squad, Schedule - CONMEBOL Copa America Brazil 2019 (6/14–7/7)". JFA. 24 May 2019.
  9. ↑ "Uruguay v Japan game report". CONMEBOL. 20 June 2019.
  10. ↑ Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing inc./日本スポーツ企画出版社, "J1&J2&J3選手名鑑ハンディ版 2018 (NSK MOOK)", 7 February 2018, Japan, ISBN 978-4905411529 (p. 189 out of 289)
  11. ↑ Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing inc./日本スポーツ企画出版社, "2016J1&J2&J3選手名鑑", 10 February 2016, Japan, ISBN 978-4905411338 (p. 251 out of 289)
  12. ↑ "Games played by Tomoki Iwata in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  13. ↑ "Games played by Tomoki Iwata in 2025/2026". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 18 April 2026.
  14. ↑ Tomoki Iwata at National-Football-Teams.com Edit this at Wikidata
  15. 1 2 3 "2022 Jリーグアウォーズ受賞者一覧". Football Channel. 7 November 2022. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
  16. ↑ Watt, Martin (7 May 2023). "Heart of Midlothian 0–2 Celtic: Ange Postecoglou's side seal back-to-back titles". BBC Sport. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  17. ↑ "Celtic crowned Scottish champions with game to spare". BBC Sport. 15 May 2024. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  18. ↑ Duncan, Thomas (3 June 2023). "Celtic 3–1 Inverness CT: Ange Postecoglou's side win Scottish Cup to claim treble". BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  19. ↑ "Celtic leave it late to beat Rangers and win Scottish Cup". Reuters. 25 May 2024. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  20. ↑ Moffat, Colin (26 February 2023). "Kyogo strikes twice as Celtic beat Rangers in final". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  21. ↑ "Birmingham win League One title after Wrexham draw". BBC Sport. 12 April 2025. Retrieved 14 April 2025.
    "Section Six: EFL Regulations". Handbook: 2024/25 EFL Regulations (PDF). English Football League. 2024. 38.2 p. 301. Retrieved 14 April 2025. To be eligible to receive a Championship, League One or Two winners medal, a player must have been named on the team sheet in at least 25% of the Club's league fixtures in that season.
    "Birmingham City FC: Squad: Statistics: 2024/2025". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 14 April 2025.
  22. ↑ Long, Dan (13 April 2025). "Birmingham City 0–2 Peterborough United: Harley Mills scores stunning free-kick as Posh become first team ever to retain Vertu Trophy". Sky Sports. Retrieved 14 April 2025.
  23. ↑ "See who made the EFL Team of the Season line-ups". EFL. 27 April 2025. Retrieved 28 April 2025.
  24. ↑ "Liverpool's Mohamed Salah and Arsenal's Mariona Caldentey win PFA Player of the Year awards for 2024/25". Sky Sports. 19 August 2025. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomoki_Iwata