2017 J1 League

Meiji Yasuda J1 League
Season2017
ChampionsKawasaki Frontale (1st title)
RelegatedVentforet Kofu
Albirex Niigata
Omiya Ardija
AFC Champions LeagueKawasaki Frontale
Kashima Antlers
Cerezo Osaka
Kashiwa Reysol
Matches played306
Goals scored793 (2.59 per match)
Top goalscorerYū Kobayashi (Kawasaki Frontale)
(23 goals)[1]
Biggest home winUrawa 7-0 Sendai
(7 April 2017)
Biggest away winNiigata 1-6 Urawa
(14 May 2017)
Highest scoringUrawa 7-0 Sendai
(7 April 2017)
Niigata 1-6 Urawa
(14 May 2017)
Urawa 4-3 Hiroshima
(1 July 2017)
Kawasaki 2-5 Iwata
(29 July 2017)
Longest winning runKashiwa Reysol
(8 matches)
Longest unbeaten runKawasaki Frontale
(15 matches)
Longest winless runAlbirex Niigata
(16 matches)
Longest losing runOmiya Ardija
Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo
Albirex Niigata

(6 matches each)
Highest attendance57,447[2]
Urawa 0-1 Kashima
(4 May 2017)
Lowest attendance4,692[2]
Kofu 2-3 Kobe
(29 October 2017)
Total attendance5,778,178[2]
Average attendance18,883[2]
2016
2018

The 2017 J1 League (known as the 2017 Meiji Yasuda J1 League (2017 明治安田生命J1リーグ) for sponsorship reasons) was the 25th season of the J1 League, the top Japanese professional league for association football clubs, since its establishment in 1992. This was third season of J1 League as renamed from J. League Division 1. The season began on 25 February 2017 and ended on 2 December. Fixtures for the 2017 season were announced on 26 January 2017.[3]

Kashima Antlers were the defending champions. Consadole Sapporo, Shimizu S-Pulse and Cerezo Osaka entered as the three promoted teams from the 2016 J2 League.

The league was won by Kawasaki Frontale, winning their first major title while in J1 and 40 years after their first season in the Japanese top division.

Clubs

[edit]
2017 J1 League is located in Japan
Greater Tokyo Area†
Greater Tokyo Area
Keihanshin Area‡
Keihanshin Area
† Greater Tokyo teams FC Tokyo Kashiwa Reysol Kawasaki Frontale Omiya Ardija Urawa Red Diamonds Yokohama F. Marinos Kashima Antlers
† Greater Tokyo teams
Locations of the 2017 J1 League teams

A total of 18 clubs will contest the league, including 15 sides from the 2016 season and three promoted from the 2016 J2 League. This will include the two top teams; Consadole Sapporo and Shimizu S-Pulse from the J2 League, and the winners of the play-offs; Cerezo Osaka.

The three promoted clubs replace Nagoya Grampus, Shonan Bellmare and Avispa Fukuoka. Former J1 League champion Nagoya Grampus were relegated to the J2 League for the first time in their history.

Stadiums and locations

[edit]
Club Location Stadium Capacity
Albirex Niigata Niigata & Seiro Denka Big Swan Stadium 42,300
Kashima Antlers Southeast Ibaraki Prefecture[a] Kashima Soccer Stadium 40,728
Omiya Ardija Saitama NACK5 Stadium 15,500
Cerezo Osaka Osaka & Sakai Yanmar Stadium Nagai 47,816
Consadole Sapporo All Hokkaido[b] Sapporo Dome 41,484
Yokohama F. Marinos Yokohama & Yokosuka Nissan Stadium 72,327
Kawasaki Frontale Kawasaki, Kanagawa Todoroki Athletics Stadium 26,232
Gamba Osaka Northern Osaka Prefecture[c] Suita City Football Stadium 39,694
Júbilo Iwata Iwata, Shizuoka Yamaha Stadium 15,165
Urawa Red Diamonds Saitama Saitama Stadium 63,700
Kashiwa Reysol Kashiwa, Chiba Kashiwa Soccer Stadium 15,900
Shimizu S-Pulse Shizuoka IAI Stadium Nihondaira 20,339
Sagan Tosu Tosu, Saga Tosu Stadium 24,490
Sanfrecce Hiroshima Hiroshima Hiroshima Big Arch 50,000
FC Tokyo Tokyo Ajinomoto Stadium 49,970
Vegalta Sendai Sendai Yurtec Stadium 19,694
Ventforet Kofu All Yamanashi Prefecture[d] Yamanashi Chuo Bank Stadium 17,000
Vissel Kobe Kobe Noevir Stadium Kobe 30,132

Personnel and kits

[edit]
Club Manager Captain Kit manufacturer
Albirex Niigata Japan Fumitake Miura Japan Kazunari Ono Adidas
Kashima Antlers Japan Masatada Ishii Japan Mitsuo Ogasawara Nike
Omiya Ardija Japan Hiroki Shibuya Japan Kosuke Kikuchi Under Armour
Cerezo Osaka South Korea Yoon Jung-hwan Japan Yoichiro Kakitani Puma
Consadole Sapporo Japan Shuhei Yomoda Japan Hiroki Miyazawa Kappa
Yokohama F. Marinos France Erick Mombaerts Japan Manabu Saitō[4] Adidas
Kawasaki Frontale Japan Toru Oniki Japan Yū Kobayashi Puma
Gamba Osaka Japan Kenta Hasegawa Japan Yasuhito Endō Umbro
Júbilo Iwata Japan Hiroshi Nanami Japan Kota Ueda Puma
Urawa Red Diamonds Serbia Mihailo Petrović Japan Yuki Abe Nike
Kashiwa Reysol Japan Takahiro Shimotaira Japan Hidekazu Otani Yonex
Shimizu S-Pulse Japan Shinji Kobayashi North Korea Jong Tae-se Puma
Sagan Tosu Italy Massimo Ficcadenti Japan Yohei Toyoda New Balance
Sanfrecce Hiroshima Japan Hajime Moriyasu Japan Toshihiro Aoyama Nike
FC Tokyo Japan Yoshiyuki Shinoda Japan Masato Morishige Umbro
Vegalta Sendai Japan Susumu Watanabe Japan Shingo Tomita Adidas
Ventforet Kofu Japan Tatsuma Yoshida Japan Hideomi Yamamoto Mizuno
Vissel Kobe Brazil Nelsinho Baptista Japan Kazuma Watanabe ASICS

Managerial changes

[edit]
Team Outgoing manager Manner of
departure
Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming manager Date of
appointment
Albirex Niigata Japan Fumitake Miura Resigned 7 May 2017[5] 17th Japan Wagner Lopes 11 May 2017[5]
Omiya Ardija Japan Hiroki Shibuya Sacked 28 May 2017[6] 18th Japan Akira Ito 28 May 2017[6]
Kashima Antlers Japan Masatada Ishii Sacked 31 May 2017[7] 7th Japan Go Oiwa 31 May 2017[7]
Sanfrecce Hiroshima Japan Hajime Moriyasu Resigned 4 July 2017[8] 17th Sweden Jan Jönsson 10 July 2017[8]
Urawa Red Diamonds Serbia Mihailo Petrović Sacked 31 July 2017[9] 8th Japan Takafumi Hori 31 July 2017[9]
Vissel Kobe Brazil Nelsinho Baptista Sacked 16 August 2017[10] 11th Japan Takayuki Yoshida 16 August 2017[10]
FC Tokyo Japan Yoshiyuki Shinoda Sacked 10 September 2017[11] 10th Japan Takayoshi Amma 10 September 2017[11]
Omiya Ardija Japan Akira Ito Sacked 5 November 2017[12] 17th Japan Masatada Ishii 5 November 2017[12]

Foreign players

[edit]

The total number of foreign players is restricted to five per club. For matchday squad registration, a club can register up to four foreign players, but a maximum of three can be from outside the AFC. Players from J.League partner nations (Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, Singapore, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, and Qatar) are exempt from these club registration and matchday squad registration restrictions.[13]

Players name in bold indicates the player is registered during the summer transfer window.

Club Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 Player 4 Player 5 Other Former Players
Albirex Niigata Brazil Douglas Tanque Brazil Roni Brazil Thiago Galhardo Peru Romero Frank South Korea Song Ju-hun Brazil Jean Patrick
Kashima Antlers Brazil Bueno Brazil Leandro Moura Brazil Léo Silva Brazil Pedro Júnior South Korea Kwoun Sun-tae
Omiya Ardija Brazil Cauê Cecilio Brazil Marcelo Toscano Brazil Mateus South Korea Kim Dong-su Serbia Dragan Mrđa
Slovenia Nejc Pecnik
Cerezo Osaka Brazil Ricardo Santos Brazil Souza Croatia Matej Jonjić South Korea Ahn Joon-soo South Korea Kim Jin-hyeon
Consadole Sapporo Brazil Macedo Brazil Reis England Jay Bothroyd South Korea Gu Sung-yun South Korea Kim Min-tae Thailand Chanathip Songkrasin Brazil Julinho
Yokohama F. Marinos Australia Miloš Degenek Curaçao Quenten Martinus North Macedonia David Babunski Portugal Hugo Vieira South Korea Park Jeong-su Russia Ippey Sinodzuka
Kawasaki Frontale Brazil Eduardo Brazil Eduardo Neto Brazil Elsinho Brazil Rhayner South Korea Jung Sung-ryong Philippines Jefferson Tabinas
Gamba Osaka Brazil Ademilson Brazil Fabio South Korea Hwang Ui-jo South Korea Oh Jae-suk South Korea Bae Soo-yong South Korea Kim Jung-ya
Júbilo Iwata Brazil Adaílton Poland Krzysztof Kaminski Uzbekistan Fozil Musaev
Urawa Red Diamonds Brazil Maurício Antônio Brazil Rafael Silva Slovenia Zlatan Ljubijankič
Kashiwa Reysol Brazil Cristiano Brazil Diego Oliveira Brazil Ramon Lopes South Korea Kim Bo-kyung South Korea Yun Suk-young Brazil Dudu
Sagan Tosu Colombia Víctor Ibarbo South Korea An Yong-woo South Korea Cho Dong-geon South Korea Jung Seung-hyun South Korea Kim Min-hyeok Argentina Franco Sbuttoni
Sanfrecce Hiroshima Brazil Anderson Lopes Brazil Felipe Brazil Patric Croatia Mihael Mikić Australia Nathan Burns
Shimizu S-Pulse Australia Mitchell Duke Brazil Freire Brazil Kanu Brazil Tiago Alves North Korea Jong Tae-se South Korea Byeon Jun-byum
FC Tokyo Brazil Lipe Veloso Nigeria Peter Utaka South Korea Jang Hyun-soo South Korea Yu In-soo Thailand Jakkit Wechpirom Australia Nathan Burns
Ventforet Kofu Australia Billy Konstantinidis Brazil Dudu Brazil Éder Lima Brazil Lins Brazil Gabriel Rodrigues
Brazil Junior Barros
Brazil Wilson
Australia Oliver Bozanic
Vegalta Sendai Brazil Crislan Brazil Vinícius South Korea Lee Yun-oh North Korea Ryang Yong-gi Brazil Pablo Diogo
Vissel Kobe Brazil Leandro Brazil Nílton Brazil Wescley Germany Lukas Podolski South Korea Kim Seung-gyu

Results

[edit]

League table

[edit]
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Kawasaki Frontale (C) 34 21 9 4 71 32 +39 72 Champions League group stage
2 Kashima Antlers 34 23 3 8 53 31 +22 72
3 Cerezo Osaka 34 19 6 9 65 43 +22 63
4 Kashiwa Reysol 34 18 8 8 49 33 +16 62 Champions League play-off round[a]
5 Yokohama F. Marinos 34 17 8 9 45 36 +9 59
6 Júbilo Iwata 34 16 10 8 50 30 +20 58
7 Urawa Red Diamonds 34 14 7 13 64 54 +10 49
8 Sagan Tosu 34 13 8 13 41 44 −3 47
9 Vissel Kobe 34 13 5 16 40 45 −5 44
10 Gamba Osaka 34 11 10 13 48 41 +7 43
11 Consadole Sapporo 34 12 7 15 39 47 −8 43
12 Vegalta Sendai 34 11 8 15 44 53 −9 41
13 FC Tokyo 34 10 10 14 37 42 −5 40
14 Shimizu S-Pulse 34 8 10 16 36 54 −18 34
15 Sanfrecce Hiroshima 34 8 9 17 32 49 −17 33
16 Ventforet Kofu (R) 34 7 11 16 23 39 −16 32 Relegation to 2018 J2 League
17 Albirex Niigata (R) 34 7 7 20 28 60 −32 28
18 Omiya Ardija (R) 34 5 10 19 28 60 −32 25
Source: Meiji Yasuda J1 League
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ The winner of the 2017 Emperor's Cup qualified for the Group Stage of the 2018 AFC Champions League. Since the Emperor's Cup winner Cerezo Osaka had already qualified for the AFC Champions League, the play-off round spot was awarded to the fourth-placed team.

Positions by round

[edit]
Team ╲ Round12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334
Kawasaki Frontale2638656796755966634544332222222221
Kashima Antlers14973232431467543322211111111111112
Cerezo Osaka11161310867857643222111122254445543333
Kashiwa Reysol1812151215111065321111245355443333354444
Yokohama F. Marinos315798491011998755557433525554435565
Júbilo Iwata1114101110131068910101211107776776666666666656
Urawa Red Diamonds13746421112134689888888788877777777
Sagan Tosu171511121411131113101111101212101011109910999998989888
Vissel Kobe4311113378888891111991011111111111110108108999
Gamba Osaka752534522321233446366787778910910101010
Consadole Sapporo14171713151415151515151515151516151514151515151414141414131313131211
Vegalta Sendai449471012131113141311101112121313131312121212121212121212111112
FC Tokyo42825785445764789101111109101010101111111111121313
Shimizu S-Pulse149691399111414121213131313131212121213131313131313141414141514
Sanfrecce Hiroshima7121417171617161616171616161717171717171717171716151515161616151415
Ventforet Kofu7121613111214141212131414141414141415141414141515161616151515161616
Albirex Niigata7111516161716171717181717181818181818181818181818181818181818181817
Omiya Ardija18171818181818181818161818171615161616161616161617171717171717171718
Leader and Qualification to 2018 AFC Champions League group stage
Qualification to 2018 AFC Champions League group stage
Qualification to 2018 AFC Champions League qualifying play-off
Relegation to 2018 J2 League

Results table

[edit]
Home \ Away ALB ANT ARD CER CON FMA FRO GAM JUB RED REY SAG SFR SSP TOK VEG VEN VIS
Albirex Niigata 2–4 1–2 1–0 1–0 0–2 0–2 2–3 0–2 1–6 0–1 1–0 0–0 0–2 0–3 1–2 1–0 0–2
Kashima Antlers 2–0 1–0 0–1 3–0 1–0 0–3 2–1 0–3 1–0 0–0 2–1 2–0 2–0 0–1 2–0 3–0 1–2
Omiya Ardija 1–0 0–1 0–3 2–2 1–2 0–2 2–2 1–2 1–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 0–0 1–2 2–1 0–0 0–2
Cerezo Osaka 4–0 0–1 2–1 3–1 2–0 2–0 2–2 0–0 4–2 2–1 1–0 5–2 1–1 3–1 1–4 2–0 3–1
Consadole Sapporo 2–2 1–2 1–0 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–2 2–1 2–0 3–0 3–2 2–1 1–0 2–1 1–0 1–1 1–2
Yokohama F. Marinos 1–1 3–2 1–1 1–4 3–0 2–0 0–1 2–1 3–2 1–1 1–0 1–1 2–2 1–0 1–1 1–0 2–0
Kawasaki Frontale 3–0 3–1 5–0 5–1 2–1 3–0 1–0 2–5 4–1 2–1 1–1 1–0 2–2 1–1 3–2 1–1 5–0
Gamba Osaka 0–1 0–1 6–0 3–1 0–1 1–2 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–1 3–0 0–1 1–1 3–0 1–1 1–1 1–2
Júbilo Iwata 2–2 0–0 2–1 1–1 2–2 2–1 0–2 3–0 1–1 0–2 2–1 2–3 3–1 2–0 0–1 1–0 2–1
Urawa Red Diamonds 2–1 0–1 2–2 3–1 3–2 0–1 0–1 3–3 2–4 1–2 2–2 4–3 3–3 2–1 7–0 4–1 1–1
Kashiwa Reysol 1–1 2–3 4–2 1–0 2–1 2–0 2–2 1–3 1–0 1–0 0–0 1–0 0–2 4–1 0–1 0–1 3–1
Sagan Tosu 3–0 1–0 3–0 1–2 1–0 1–0 2–3 1–3 0–2 2–1 1–3 1–0 2–1 2–1 1–1 2–1 1–0
Sanfrecce Hiroshima 1–1 1–3 0–3 1–0 1–1 0–1 0–3 2–2 0–0 0–1 0–2 0–1 0–1 2–1 3–3 1–0 1–1
Shimizu S-Pulse 2–3 2–3 1–1 3–2 0–2 1–3 0–3 2–0 0–3 1–2 1–4 1–1 1–3 0–2 0–3 1–0 0–1
FC Tokyo 1–1 2–2 2–0 1–4 1–2 0–1 3–0 0–0 0–0 0–1 1–2 3–3 1–0 0–0 1–0 1–1 1–0
Vegalta Sendai 2–1 1–4 3–0 2–4 1–0 2–2 0–2 2–3 0–0 2–3 1–1 4–1 1–0 0–0 0–2 3–0 0–2
Ventforet Kofu 0–2 0–1 1–0 1–1 2–0 3–2 2–2 1–0 0–0 0–1 0–0 0–0 1–2 0–1 1–1 1–0 2–3
Vissel Kobe 2–1 1–2 3–1 1–2 2–0 0–0 0–0 0–1 1–0 1–3 1–2 1–2 1–2 1–3 1–1 3–0 0–1
Updated to match(es) played on 2 December 2017. Source: Meiji Yasuda J1 League
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Season statistics

[edit]

Top scorers

[edit]

As of matches played on December 2nd, 2017.

Rank Player Club Goals
1 Japan Yū Kobayashi Kawasaki Frontale 23
2 Japan Kenyu Sugimoto Cerezo Osaka 22
3 Japan Shinzo Koroki Urawa Red Diamonds 20
4 Japan Kengo Kawamata Júbilo Iwata 14
5 Japan Mu Kanazaki Kashima Antlers 12
Brazil Rafael Silva Urawa Red Diamonds
Brazil Cristiano Kashiwa Reysol
8 Brazil Leandro Kashima Antlers 11

Top assists

[edit]

As of matches played on December 2nd, 2017.

Rank Player Club Assists
1 Japan Kengo Nakamura Kawasaki Frontale 12
2 Brazil Cristiano Kashiwa Reysol 10
Japan Yusuke Maruhashi Cerezo Osaka
4 Japan Yōsuke Kashiwagi Urawa Red Diamonds 9
Japan Shintaro Kurumaya Kawasaki Frontale
Japan Kota Mizunuma Cerezo Osaka
Japan Kosuke Ota FC Tokyo
8 Japan Yū Kobayashi Kawasaki Frontale 8
Japan Shunsuke Nakamura Júbilo Iwata
Japan Manabu Saitō Yokohama F. Marinos

Hat-tricks

[edit]
Player For Against Result Date
Japan Shinzo Koroki Urawa Red Diamonds Vegalta Sendai 7–0 (H) 7 April 2017
Japan Shinzo Koroki Urawa Red Diamonds Shimizu S-Pulse 3–3 (H) 20 May 2017
Brazil Leandro Kashima Antlers Albirex Niigata 4–2 (A) 16 September 2017
Japan Yū Kobayashi Kawasaki Frontale Omiya Ardija 5–0 (H) 2 December 2017
Note

(H) – Home; (A) – Away

Attendances

[edit]
Pos Team Total High Low Average Change
1 Urawa Red Diamonds 570,215 57,447 21,603 33,542 −9.2%
2 FC Tokyo 450,331 42,979 13,417 26,490 +10.2%
3 Gamba Osaka 412,710 36,177 13,074 24,277 −4.2%
4 Yokohama F. Marinos 386,875 42,483 11,036 24,180 +0.7%
5 Kawasaki Frontale 375,910 25,904 17,358 22,112 −0.1%
6 Albirex Niigata 374,585 31,014 16,461 22,034 +4.0%
7 Cerezo Osaka 356,491 42,438 8,998 20,970 +67.6%
8 Kashima Antlers 347,942 36,080 10,838 20,467 +7.1%
9 Consadole Sapporo 313,100 33,353 9,535 18,418 +26.5%
10 Vissel Kobe 310,625 25,278 7,911 18,272 +7.4%
11 Júbilo Iwata 277,450 40,491 11,762 16,321 +11.7%
12 Shimizu S-Pulse 256,965 18,556 11,007 15,116 +34.1%
13 Vegalta Sendai 250,677 18,059 11,500 14,746 −4.7%
14 Sagan Tosu 241,295 21,245 7,381 14,194 +12.3%
15 Sanfrecce Hiroshima 238,720 22,333 8,319 14,042 −9.2%
16 Kashiwa Reysol 200,936 14,096 9,432 11,820 +10.2%
17 Omiya Ardija 194,887 13,364 9,598 11,464 −3.0%
18 Ventforet Kofu 184,311 14,680 4,692 10,842 +0.1%
League total 5,778,178 57,447 4,692 18,883 +5.1%

Updated to games played on 2017年12月2日
Source: J. League Data
Notes:
Promoted from J2.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "STATS:J. LEAGUE.JP". Archived from the original on 2018-06-12. Retrieved 2017-02-25.
  2. ^ a b c d "2017J1 LEAGUE Attendance". J.League. Archived from the original on 25 February 2017. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  3. ^ "2017 J.League schedule announced". J.League. 26 January 2017. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  4. ^ "J.league.jp Japan Professional Football League".
  5. ^ a b "Albirex manager Miura to be replaced by Wagner Lopes:J. LEAGUE.JP". J. LEAGUE.JP JAPAN PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE. Retrieved 2017-05-28.
  6. ^ a b "Ardija release struggling Shibuya:J. LEAGUE.JP". J. LEAGUE.JP JAPAN PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE. Retrieved 2017-05-30.
  7. ^ a b "Antlers fire manager Ishii". The Japan Times Online. 2017-05-31. ISSN 0447-5763. Retrieved 2017-06-03.
  8. ^ a b "Former J.Leaguer Jonsson becomes Sanfrecce's new manager:J. LEAGUE.JP". J. LEAGUE.JP JAPAN PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE. Retrieved 2017-07-11.
  9. ^ a b "Reds fire Petrovic as Hori takes over:J. LEAGUE.JP". J. LEAGUE.JP JAPAN PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE. 2017-07-31. Retrieved 2017-07-31.
  10. ^ a b "Vissel drop manager Nelsinho for poor results | J. LEAGUE JP". football-tribe.com. Retrieved 2017-12-03.
  11. ^ a b "Anma takes over Tokyo after Shinoda steps down:J. LEAGUE.JP". J. LEAGUE.JP JAPAN PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE. Retrieved 2017-12-03.
  12. ^ a b "Ardija appoint Ishii as new manager:J. LEAGUE.JP". J. LEAGUE.JP JAPAN PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE. Retrieved 2017-12-03.
  13. ^ "2017 J.League Foreign Player Registration Rules". jleague.jp. J.League. 23 December 2016. Retrieved 25 January 2017.