Hideki Ishige

Hideki Ishige joined the Wellington Phoenix in September 2024 on a two-year contract from J1 League side Gamba Osaka.

The Japanese forward has played almost 300 professional matches in Japan, more than half of which were in the J1 League.

Ishige is also a former Japanese age-group international and was crowned the AFC men’s youth player of the year in 2011 after starring at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Mexico, where he scored the first two goals and set-up the third in a 6-0 win over New Zealand.

He made his professional debut for his hometown club Shimizu S-Pulse in 2012 after coming through their age-group teams.

Ishige spent five seasons at S-Pulse before being loaned to Fagiano Okayama for the 2017 season.

He returned to his hometown club the following year and spent a further three and a half seasons and Shimizu before rejoining Fagiano Okayama for a six-month loan in 2021.

Ishige signed with Gamba Osaka at the start of 2022.

He was limited to just four appearances for Gamba in 2024 due to injuries and secured an early release from his contract to join the Phoenix.

> 2024-25 season

Hideki Ishige cemented himself as a key member of the Phoenix starting XI in his first season with the club.

Ishige featured in all 26 of the team’s matches, of which 23 were starts, and led the team with eight assists.

He also found the back of the net twice, announcing himself to the A-League with a spectacular long-range free-kick against Central Coast Mariners in round four before scoring an audacious overhead against Western Sydney Wanderers in round nine.