Ayase Ueda

ANALYSIS
Ueda made 40 appearances for Feyenoord this season, scoring 26 goals and adding two assists across the campaign in a remarkable individual season that established him as one of the most clinical strikers in Dutch football and the leading scorer in Japan's World Cup squad with 16 international goals from 39 caps. The striker's aerial presence, intelligent movement and composure in front of goal make him the focal point of Japan's entire attacking system, and losing Kaoru Mitoma (hamstring) to injury only increases the responsibility on his shoulders at the tournament. Ueda heads into the World Cup with enormous confidence after a historic personal season and the determination to deliver for Japan on the biggest stage in international football.