Riku Handa is not a flashy player by any means but he's been able to catch the eye in the early weeks of Japan's brilliantly bonkers J.League 100 Year Vision League, the answer to the need for football between seasons as Japan moves to a summer-to-spring calendar.
In the J1 version, the Gamba Osaka right-back is following a familiar path. Now 24, Handa is a young player by the standards of a league that starts 'em older. Teenagers and players in their early twenties are breaking through more often than ever but the J.League still does a roaring trade in reliable mid-twenties players exported around the world.
Handa might not be stomping up and down the Bernabeu any time soon but teams in the Championship and the Scottish Premiership have benefited from similar acquisitions. Here's a quick scout report on the Japanese Under-23 international…
So… who exactly is Riku Handa?
Name: Riku Handa
Position/s: Right-back
Age: 24 (Born: January 1, 2002)
Nationality: Japan
Height: 1.76m (5ft 9in)
Preferred Foot: Right
Current Club: Gamba Osaka
Handa moved to Osaka from Yamagata at the start of 2023, attracting the attention of Japan head coach Hajime Moriyasu around the same time. He was called up for Samurai Blue but is yet to make his senior international debut. His performances in 2026 offer hope that it might not be too far away.
The Gamba right-back has stepped up a level in the 100 Year Vision League. The Nerazzurri are unbeaten in 90 minutes in their first four matches, as they are in the AFC Champions League Two campaign that stretches back to last autumn. Lots of these J1 games have been open but the right side of Gamba's defence, Handa and centre-back Genta Miura, is doing its bit.
Handa's strengths
One-on-one defending: Handa is not a flying full-back. Equally adept when called upon at centre-back, he's a defender first and foremost.
The 24-year-old is a good close-quarters defender, a strong tackler and a master of individual battles with wingers on the deck.
Aerial duels: He's not the tallest defender in J1 but Handa is a full-back with some of the traits of a centre-half, making him a formidable aerial presence by the modern standards of the right-back.
Consistency and availability: The pipeline from Japan to Europe isn't funnelling an endless supply of sparkling stars from the J.League, but managers' favourites – players who are reliable and available, whose tactical discipline and ability to roll out a game plan to the letter is a key attribute.
Handa's career was interrupted by a broken leg but his progress since the turn of the year shows he's back on track.
Handa's areas of development
Technical polish: Japan's unique pathway through high school football to the professional game turns out technically comfortable players who don't run into the spotlight before they can walk the walk on the pitch. There's some room for improvement to come but Handa's development is accelerating as he plays regularly.
Efficiency in possession: The negative side of being a primarily defensive right-back is that the game does now demand quality on the ball and it doesn't come naturally for everyone. Handa doesn't need to be a prolific creator but an enhanced ability to keep the ball in Gamba's possession will boost his value further.
Attacking impact: Gamba head coach Jens Wissing doesn't ask Handa to score or create goals but he does get involved in the final third and recapturing his best attacking play from the 2025 J1 season would take his game up another notch.
That little bit extra: Whether it's defensive robustness or finding an in-possession peg upon which to hang his hat, Handa is at the age when young Japanese talents start to emerge as fully rounded pros. Miura is 30 and the onus is on Handa to become a leader in Wissing's team.
