Japanese football star fired for harassing teammates' wives

Kota Yamada parted ways with Gamba Osaka to join Yokohama Marinos in late February. However, according to Japanese magazine Friday Digital, this was no ordinary transfer - it was linked to a shocking incident.

Japanese midfielder Kota Yamada. Photo courtesy of Gamba Osaka

Yamada reportedly sent "inappropriate" messages to the wives of two of his teammates via social media. The entire team was aware of the situation, resulting in Yamada being ostracized. This left Gamba Osaka's management with no other choice but to take disciplinary action.

Gamba Osaka initially planned to quietly terminate Yamada's contract. However, they ultimately chose to make an official announcement on their website and X (formerly Twitter).

"We confirm that Kota Yamada, a player from our club, has caused trouble for others through inappropriate use of social media. Yamada has received a severe warning, and after multiple discussions, we have decided that he will leave the team," the club said.

Born in 1999, Yamada was once regarded as a promising young talent in Japanese football. He was part of Japan's U20 squad for the 2019 U20 World Cup.

Yamada made his J-League 1 debut with Yokohama F. Marinos in 2018. He later played for Nagoya Grampus and Shimizu S-Pulse before moving to Kashiwa Reysol in the winter of 2023. There, he scored one goal and provided two assists in 36 matches.

Last season, Kota Yamada played for Gamba Osaka and was a regular starter in midfield. He made 23 appearances, scoring four goals, helping Gamba Osaka finish fourth in J-League 1.

Yamada is married with children.