Waseda's Wicked Midfield Maurader - Shuto Yamaichi

The Denso Cup graced us with many upcoming young wishfuls hoping to catch the eyes of scouts watching on amidst the sunny weather. However, one name stood out- it wasn't a Meiji nor a Tsukuba product, but a second uni division Waseda University midfielder.

Following the Japanese National Team's World Cup 2026 qualification, many young players were driven to play to their best - including at the University football level.

Shuto Yamaichi stood out as one of the most impressive names on the team sheet after a certain flying no.8 caught my eye. I thought "huh, a captain, he has got to be from one of the top flight sides."

I was wrong - Yamaichi hailed from Waseda University, and was absolutely instrumental in the 1-0 win over All-Korea University XI.

Whilst being ever-so-present in the middle of the park, he was almost always eager to ask for the ball, sitting in between the two centre-backs willing to take responsibility for creating the drive into opposition territory.

A few magical moments from the midfielder during the All-Japan XI vs All-Korean XI - via JUFA on YouTube

Yamaichi's bravery and creativity shone through allowing the wing-backs to be able to break through lines thanks to his precise passing prowess.

Amongst the names like Korato Uchino, Reiko Shimano, Yamaichi was one of the standout players - and no doubt he will have scouts attending Waseda University matches in the future.