Yukinari Sugawara at FIFA World Cup 2026
Werder Bremen
Primary
Right-Back
Others
Right Wing-Back, Right Midfielder
Yukinari Sugawara gives Japan natural width from right-back in the 2026 cycle because he can overlap, recover quickly, and still contribute with his final ball.
The Werder Bremen defender arrives with Eredivisie, Premier League, and Bundesliga exposure, which makes him one of Japan's more rounded right-sided options heading toward the World Cup.
Quick Answer
Yukinari Sugawara is a 25-year-old Japan defender for Werder Bremen.
He is primarily used as a right-back, with cover across right wing-back, right midfielder.
His current club contract runs through June 2026.
His reported weekly salary is €45,385 (est.), and his estimated net worth is Financial analysis pending.
Team Overview
Sugawara matters because Japan need a full-back who can support attacks without losing control of the defensive side of the role.
He gives the team speed on the flank, clean crossing, and enough tactical flexibility to play deeper or higher depending on the match plan.
Early Life and Background
Sugawara was born in Toyokawa, Aichi, and came through AS Laranja Toyokawa before joining the Nagoya Grampus academy.
He reached the first team unusually early and signed a professional contract at 17, which underlined how highly his pace, technique, and maturity were rated inside the club.
Yukinari Sugawara Personal Info and Profile
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Yukinari Sugawara |
| Date of birth | 28 June 2000 |
| Age | 25 |
| Nationality | Japan |
| Height | 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in) |
| Weight | 67 kg |
| Position | Right-Back |
| Preferred foot | Right |
| Current club | Werder Bremen |
| Contract end | June 2026 |
| Transfer value | €7.5M |
| Jersey number | 3 |
| Weekly salary | €45,385 (est.) |
| Estimated net worth | Financial analysis pending |
Yukinari Sugawara Club Career
Nagoya Grampus gave Sugawara his senior debut in 2018, and a loan move to AZ in 2019 opened the European chapter quickly.
AZ made the deal permanent in 2020, and across five seasons in the Netherlands he developed into one of the more productive right-backs in the Eredivisie while setting an AZ record for European appearances.
Southampton signed him in July 2024 on a four-year contract, but the next move came quickly when Werder Bremen took him on loan in August 2025 with an option to buy.
Werder Bremen brought Sugawara in to solve a real right-side need, and the move gave him a more immediate first-team path than he had after Southampton's relegation.
By late 2025 his market value sat around €7.5 million, and salary trackers listed his 2025/26 Bremen season at an estimated €45,385 gross per week.
That matters for Japan because he enters the 2026 cycle from a role where he is expected to contribute on both sides of the ball rather than just provide depth.
Yukinari Sugawara - Stats and Performance
| Season | Club | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-2020 | Nagoya Grampus | League play | 13 | 0 |
| 2019-2020 | Jong AZ | League play | 7 | 0 |
| 2019-2020 | AZ | League play | 16 | 2 |
| 2020-2024 | AZ | League play | 119 | 10 |
| 2024-2025 | Southampton | League play | 32 | 1 |
| 2025-26 | Werder Bremen | League play | 27 | 0 |
| Career Total | League play | 214 | 13 |
Sugawara's profile is strongest when his attacking support and recovery pace are read together, because his value comes from doing both jobs at once.
International Career
Sugawara made his senior Japan debut against Cameroon in October 2020 and has now reached 20 caps with 2 goals in the national setup.
He has often had to compete for his place, but his right-sided natural fit keeps him valuable because few players in the pool offer the same balance of width and pace from defence.
| National team | Caps | Goals | Tournament involvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan U17 | 2017-2018 | 12 | 1 |
| Japan U20 | 2019 | 7 | 0 |
| Japan U23 | 2019 | 2 | 0 |
| Japan | 2020– | 20 | 2 |
Honours and Trophies
Transfer News and Market Value
The key 2026 Sugawara story is his loan move to Werder Bremen after Southampton's relegation changed the shape of his club path.
That move matters more than transfer noise because it gave him the chance to re-establish himself in a top league with clearer minutes on the right side.
Yukinari Sugawara Salary and Net Worth
Capology lists Yukinari Sugawara at an estimated €45,385 gross per week for his 2025/26 Werder Bremen season, which works out to roughly €2.36 million gross per year, but those figures should still be treated as estimates rather than club-confirmed payroll reporting.
The firmer public markers are his Werder loan through June 2026, the option to buy attached to that move, and his current €7.5M market value in the 2026 cycle.
Yukinari Sugawara 2026 Style, Strengths, and Tournament Outlook
Sugawara's biggest tournament strength is role clarity because he knows exactly how to support the flank in both phases of play.
The challenge is turning that steady contribution into undeniable first-choice status when Japan have several right-sided defensive options.
Even so, he remains a serious part of Japan's 2026 World Cup picture.
