SSFC Spotlight: Ryo Germain tops J-League scoring table

Several members of the United States Men’s National Team attacking pool are enjoying a solid run of form with consistent scoring at the club level. However, a program can never have too many potential attacking options. Ryo Germain (ジャーメイン 良) is in the midst of a transformative year in the J1 League, hitting new heights well into his professional career. The 28-year-old Júbilo Iwata striker is the league goal-scoring leader through eight matches.

Born to an American father and a Japanese mother in the Kanagawa Prefecture city of Atsugi, Germain competed at the club level with Minamimouri FC and FC Atsugi. His Kashiwa High School team claimed the prestigious Prince Takamado Cup, with observers praising his “speed and high physical ability.” The “fast-footed striker” then spent four years at Ryutsu Keizai University, searching for a “tough environment” that would “improve his decision-making ability.” His play helped win two All-Japan University Soccer Championships, earned All-Japan University honors, and saw him named to the All-University team that participated in multiple international tournaments — his game-winning-goal clinched a 1-0 victory over France in the final of the 2017 Summer Universiade.

Following graduation, Germain signed with Vegalta Sendai in the J1 League, making three league and cup appearances in his debut season. His professional career began in earnest the following year, serving as a rotational starter but starring in cup play – his three goals and three assists helped the club finish runners-up in the Emperor’s Cup, including a sterling one-goal, two-assist performance in the 3-2 semifinal victory over Montedio Yamagata. All told, he contributed eight goals and seven assists in 31 matches.

After four years of college, there was an adjustment period to adapt to the professional level. “He runs as fast as a rabbit, but he’s growing like a tortoise,” then-manager Susumu Watanabe jokingly noted. “I only feel like he has room to grow, and I’m sure he’ll become a great player… That’s how [former players at the club] grew up, and [they] went overseas for the first time from Sendai.”

In 2019, he took a step back, scoring four goals in 26 appearances while playing an “uncomfortable” winger position. A fractured left ankle required surgery and months of rehabilitation. After a contract extension, the following season started well, but he suffered two additional injuries – including fracturing his right ankle – that saw him finish with two goals in a mere 13 total matches, missing four months of action.

Germain then made the jump to two-time top-division champions but current elevator club Yokohama FC, relishing the chance to “play in [his] hometown of Kanagawa.” In his lone season with Fulie, he contributed three goals and three assists in 36 fixtures but failed to match past production despite ample playing time. The campaign ended in relegation, with the striker noting his disappointment and feeling partially “responsible” for the drop due to “[having featured] in so many games.”

Germain next joined Júbilo Iwata, which has bounced between the first and second tiers. In his first season with the Shizuoka outfit, he contributed four goals in 36 matches across all competitions and was given a contract extension. The club was relegated to the J2 League but returned to the top flight after a single year, finishing at second place in the table in large part due to the reemerging striker’s nine goals and three assists. With the club opting for another renewal, observers noted his “clear [physical] characteristics” and the improvement of his “decision-making.”

His, thus far, only year in the second tier provided necessary readjustment for his career. “This season, I was able to become a regular player and score goals,” said Germain. “It was a year where I felt satisfied that I was able to play properly throughout the year. Next season, my goal is to continue to become a regular player and score double-digit points.”

Back in the top division and eight years into his professional career, Germain is on fire to start the schedule and has played every possible minute for Júbilo. He leads the J1 League with seven goals in eight appearances, including an eye-popping four goals in a 5-4 victory over Kawasaki Frontale. The attacker has noted an improvement in his confidence, already well on pace for his stated goal of hitting double figures.

At the international level, Germain was born in Japan and, according to multiple stories, his father is American. The attacker represented his birth nation at the 2017 Summer Universiade as a member of the All-University team. However, he has yet to appear for either program, and pursuing a USMNT call-up could be a difficult prospect.

Standing a touch under six feet tall (182 centimeters), Germain is a versatile, left-footed attacker who can line up at centre-forward, second striker, attacking midfielder, and winger. He is a hard worker on the defensive side of the ball and possesses a high level of pace and “powerful dribbling ability,” with one blog referring to him as a “humanoid rapid assault weapon.” His scoring comes from a variety of ways, from running onto passes behind the back line to winning headers in the box with physical play and using intelligent touches to open the space for a shot – there’s also the intuitive element of “right place, right time” that benefits prolific attackers.

Despite a clear rise in form this season, the Júbilo Iwata manager believes that his striker could do even more. “He is one of the players who has improved tremendously since last year,” said Akinobu Yokouchi. “He has proven that he can compete on the J1 stage as well. He is a very physically capable player. I wanted him to have more technical delicacy and quality. I thought he could become a dangerous player in J1 if he improved his quality under pressure. He was able to display that quality against J1 opponents. He has grown a lot. I’m not satisfied. There is still a lot of room for him to grow. He is a capable player who will continue to grow in the future. I want people to look forward to him.”

After a strong start to his professional career, Germain endured a bit of a production lull, undoubtedly hampered by injuries. His good run of form could be a brief hot steak or a new level of production that continues for several years, a return to his originally expected trajectory. While international soccer appears a remote possibility, there is always the chance that his scoring becomes too prolific to ignore. There are plenty of windows between now and 2026, and nobody should ever be counted out of contention.