is a Japanese

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...

player.

Playing career

A product of

Gamba Osaka is a Japanese professional football club based in Suita, Osaka Prefecture. The club plays in the J1 League, which is the top tier of football in the country. The club's name ''Gamba'' comes from the Japanese , meaning "to do your best" or "to st ...

U-15 alongside the Japanese superstar

Keisuke Honda is a Japanese professional football manager and former player. he is the current general manager & head coach of the Cambodia U-23. A versatile player, Honda usually played as an attacking midfielder, but could also play as a winger, a fa ...

, Tanaka started his professional career in Japan with

Omiya Ardija is a professional association football club based in Ōmiya in Saitama, Japan. Its "hometown" as designated by the league is the whole of Saitama city, which is shared with neighbours Urawa Red Diamonds. Omiya competed in the J1 League follow ...

. He remained at the club for five seasons being selected to the Japan National Team U-21 in 2006, before joining

Yokohama FC is a Japanese professional football club based in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, part of the Greater Tokyo Area. The club currently plays in the J1 League, which is the first tier of football in the country. The club was formed by fans of Yokoh ...

on loan in 2009. Following an impressive first season with Yokohama, Tanaka's contract was purchased by his new club. He began the 2010 season with Yokohama, but at the mid-way point of the season was sent on loan to

Sagan Tosu is a Japanese professional football club, currently playing in the J1 League. The team is located in Tosu, Saga Prefecture. ''Sagan'' is a coined word with a couple of meanings behind it. One of its homophones is in Japanese. This symbolises ...

and remained at the club for the 2011 season. He was scouted at the

Japan Pro-Footballers Association Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

(JPFA) Tryout in Japan, and in February 2012, he came to the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

as a trialist for the

MLS Major League Soccer (MLS) is a men's professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, which represents the sport's highest level in the United States. The league comprises 29 teams—26 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada ...

club

Real Salt Lake Real Salt Lake, often shortened to RSL, is an American professional soccer franchise based in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area. The club competes as a member club of Major League Soccer (MLS) in the Western Conference. RSL began play in 20 ...

during their preseason camp. On March 1, 2012, it was announced that Tanaka was signed by the club. Tanaka made his MLS debut as part of the Starting XI in a match against the Montreal Impact on April 4, 2012, becoming the second Japanese player in Major League Soccer (after

Kosuke Kimura (born May 14, 1984) is a Japanese footballer and a coach. A long-time veteran of Major League Soccer, he has also played in Poland. He was the first player in MLS history who was born in Japan. Career College and amateur Kimura's career in o ...

of the

Colorado Rapids The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver metropolitan area. The Rapids compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference. Founded in 1995, as part of the Anschutz Corporation, la ...

). On May 26 of the same year, his first assist in the MLS came on a goal by Alvaro Saborio in a match against

FC Dallas FC Dallas is an American professional Association football, soccer club based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The club competes as a member of the Western Conference (MLS), Western Conference in Major League Soccer (MLS). The franchise be ...

. Tanaka was released by the club following the signing of

Kenny Mansally Abdoulie Kenny Mansally (born 27 January 1989) is a Gambian footballer. He is featured on the Gambian national team in the official 2010 FIFA World Cup video game. Professional career New England Revolution Mansally began his career in The Ga ...

. Following his departure from

Major League Soccer Major League Soccer (MLS) is a men's professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, which represents the sport's highest level in the United States. The league comprises 29 teams—26 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada ...

he first signed with

PTT Rayong F.C. Petroleum Authority of Thailand Rayong Football Club, also referred to as simply PTT Rayong ( th, สโมสรฟุตบอลปตท.ระยอง), was a Thai professional football club based in Rayong Province. They competed in Tha ...

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...

And in 2014, instantly was acquired by

Sisaket F.C. Sisaket Football Club ( th, สโมสรฟุตบอลจังหวัดศรีสะเกษ) is a former Thai professional football club History The early years The club was founded as Sisaket F.C. in 2009 and won the Thai Pro ...

in the

Thai Premier League The Thai League 1 ( th, ไทยลีก 1), often referred to as T1, is the top level of the Thai football league system. Contested by 16 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Thai League 2. Seasons run from August ...

Club statistics

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Tanaka, Terukazu 1985 births Living people Association football people from Osaka Prefecture Japanese men's footballers Sportspeople from Ibaraki, Osaka J1 League players J2 League players Major League Soccer players Omiya Ardija players Yokohama FC players Sagan Tosu players Real Salt Lake players Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States Japanese expatriate sportspeople in the United States Expatriate men's footballers in Thailand Footballers at the 2006 Asian Games Men's association football defenders Asian Games competitors for Japan Men's association football midfielders