Shodai Nishikawa

Shodai Nishikawa
Personal information
Date of birth (1993-09-21) 21 September 1993
Place of birth Nara, Japan
Height 1.66 m (5 ft 5 in)
Position Winger
Team information
Current team
Tanjong Pagar United
Number 25
Youth career
2009–2011 Diablossa Takada
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2015 University of Tsukuba
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2017 Kom 11 (3)
2017 Rudar Pljevlja 4 (0)
2017–2018 Petrovac 16 (0)
2020–2022 Tanjong Pagar United 61 (10)
2023–2024 Angkor Tiger 26 (3)
2024– Tanjong Pagar United 22 (3)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 10:49, 30 October 2020 (UTC)

Shodai Nishikawa (西川 翔大, Nishikawa Shodai; born 21 September 1993), also known as just Nishikawa, is a Japanese professional footballer who currently plays as a winger for Singapore Premier League club Tanjong Pagar United.

He also holds the club record for the all-time appearance for Tanjong Pagar United, with 84.

Club career

Kom

After graduating from University of Tsukuba in 2015, Nishikawa went for trials around Europe and signed for Montenegrin Second League club Kom in January 2016.[1] He made his professional debut on 14 August 2016, where he also scored his first professional goal in a 2–1 loss against Radnički Berane.

Rudar Pljevlja

After impressing for Kom, Nishikawa subsequently on Montenegrin First League side Rudar Pljevlja on 19 January 2017. He made his debut for the club on 26 February in a league match against Dečić.[2]

Petrovac

Nishikawa then joined another Montenegrin First League club, Petrovac, in August 2017. He made his debut on 5 August in a league match against Grbalj. He was released from the club a year later.

After leaving Europe, he went on trial with Indonesiam club Madura United in 2019. However, he failed to win a contract.[3]

Tanjong Pagar United

After not playing football professionally for two years, Nishikawa moved to Southeast Asia to join Singapore Premier League club Tanjong Pagar United on 18 February 2020, earning around $3,000 per month.[1] He made his first appearance for the club on 6 March in a league match against Lion City Sailors. He scored his first goal for the club in a 2–2 draw against Albirex Niigata (S) on 20 March.

During the league match against Young Lions during the 2022 season on 1 October 2022, Nishikawa recorded a hat-trick of assists in a 8–1 thrashing win. After spending three seasons at the club, he had recorded 10 goals and 18 assists in 64 appearances across all competition. He left the club at the end of the season.[1]

Angkor Tiger

On 15 February 2023, Nishikawa joined Cambodian Premier League club Angkor Tiger[1] where he was joined by compatriots Takuto Yasuoka, Shuto Asano and Taiga Kitajima. He made his debut for the club on 6 August in a 1–0 loss against ISI Dangkor Senchey. Nishikawa then scored his first goal for the club against the same opponent, but on home ground, in a 2–1 win on 5 November. He captained the club on 25 February 2024 in a 2–1 win against Tiffy Army.

Return to Tanjong Pagar United

On 22 May 2024, Nishikawa returned to his former club Tanjong Pagar United in preparation for the 2024–25 season.[1] He scored a brace on 24 July in a 5–2 loss to Balestier Khalsa. On 26 January during a league match against DPMM, he surpassed Asraf Rashid with the club's all-time record appearances.

Personal life

In 2021, Nishikawa get to know Fareha, a Singaporean Malay, through a social media platform. Nishikawa converted to Islam and they married in 2022.[1] Nishikawa had attended religious classes online to learn about Islam and struggled when he started on his first fasting during Ramadan.[1]

Career statistics

Club

As of 25 May 2025[4]
Club Season League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Kom 2016–17 Montenegrin Second League 11 3 3[a] 0 0 0 14 3
Rudar Pljevlja 2016–17 Montenegrin First League 4 0 0 0 1[b] 0 5 0
OFK Petrovac 2017–18 16 0 1[a] 0 1[c] 0 18 0
Tanjong Pagar United 2020 Singapore Premier League 13 2 0 0 0 0 13 2
2021 Singapore Premier League 21 3 0 0 0 0 21 3
2022 Singapore Premier League 27 5 3 0 0 0 30 5
Total 61 10 3 0 0 0 64 10
Angkor Tiger 2023–24 Cambodian Premier League 26 3 0 0 0 0 26 3
Total 26 3 0 0 0 0 26 3
Tanjong Pagar United 2024–25 Singapore Premier League 22 3 2 0 0 0 24 3
Total 22 3 2 0 0 0 24 3
Career total 140 19 9 0 2 0 151 19
Notes
  1. ^ a b Appearances in the Montenegrin Cup
  2. ^ Appearances in the 2016–17 Relegation play-offs
  3. ^ Appearances in the 2017–18 Relegation play-offs

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Ganesan, Deepanraj (6 July 2024). "Tanjong Pagar midfielder Shodai Nishikawa finds love and career in S'pore". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
  2. ^ "Shodai Nishikawa transferred to FK Rudal". 海外サッカー留学ならユーロプラスへ. 10 February 2017.
  3. ^ "Shodai Nishikawa's Opportunities at Madura United Baca selengkapnya". 3 May 2019.
  4. ^ Shodai Nishikawa at Soccerway. Retrieved 31 May 2020.