An unknown high school soccer player turns professional -- Yuma Terada, a left back who grew up at Shoshi High School in Fukushima Prefecture, will join the Urawa Reds from the 2027 season. On the 26th, Urawa attracted attention when they announced on their official website, ``We have unofficially selected Shoshi High School defender Yuma Terada (3rd year) as a new player.'' Terada is left-handed and has an aggressive playing style, and has been selected as a regular player at the school this year.
The growth process at Shoshi High School was by no means smooth sailing. When he entered Yokohama F. Marinos Junior Youth, he was small in size and started off as a reserve player among his peers. He has little experience in selection, and manager Koji Nakamura praised him, saying, ``He is a really hard worker and has been improving every day.'' He has gradually increased his participation opportunities since last year, and as he demonstrated his potential in official games this year, he attracted attention from professional clubs.
Urawa Reds is a top team in the J1 League and has a strong roster of players, but Terada decided to join the team, saying, ``It's a J1 team, so I can gain experience in games,'' and ``We also have an U-21 team, so I can grow.'' Through his experience at Shoshi High School, he has learned a variety of plays as a defensive midfielder, and is expected to play an active role in the build-up and starting points of attacks. In particular, his style as an attacking fullback, where he repeatedly moves up and down, and his ability to create individual shots are attracting attention from the Urawa side.
To gain experience in the game, Terada also practiced with Bayern, Dutch clubs, and other J-League clubs. What he noticed there was a difference in playing speed and body size, and he indicated that he would work on improving his body as a future issue. Furthermore, since he has obtained the Eiken Pre-2nd grade and was able to communicate in English during practice at a European club, he has his sights set on competing overseas in the future.
Currently, in the semifinals of the Fukushima Prefectural Championship, Terada continued to participate in the attack in the first half, but recalls that he was unable to play effectively due to the pressure of his opponent. In the second half, he made efforts to improve the quality of his attack, and expressed his determination to improve himself even further in the final match. With his decision to join Urawa, Terada will become the center of attention going forward, and he intends to turn the pressure into fuel for his growth. The Urawa Reds are looking forward to his offensive play and shooting ability as a left back, and have indicated that they will support him so that he can contribute to the team's offense and defense for the 2027 season.