Sai van Wermeskerken

Sai van Wermeskerken
Personal information
Date of birth (1994-06-28) 28 June 1994
Place of birth Maastricht, Netherlands
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position Right-back
Youth career
2002–2008 Yatsugatake Hokuto
2008–2013 Ventforet Kofu
2013–2015 Dordrecht
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015–2017 Dordrecht 64 (1)
2017–2019 Cambuur 66 (1)
2019–2022 PEC Zwolle 47 (0)
2022–2023 Cambuur 24 (1)
2023–2024 NEC Nijmegen 3 (0)
2024–2025 Kawasaki Frontale 50 (1)
International career
2016 Japan U23 5 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 18 December 2025

Sai van Wermeskerken (ファン ウェルメスケルケン 際, Fan Werumesukeruken Sai; born 28 June 1994) is a professional footballer who plays as a right-back, most recently for Kawasaki Frontale. Born in the Netherlands, he is a former youth international for Japan.

Club career

Early career

Van Wermeskerken was born in Maastricht, Netherlands, to a Dutch father and a Japanese mother. He moved to Japan at the age of 2 due to his father's work. The family settled in Yamanashi Prefecture. Van Wermeskerken started his career at Yatsugatake Hokuto at age eight, before joining Ventforet Kofu youth academy in 2008.

Dordrecht

After several years in the Kofu youth system, van Wermeskerken was rewarded with a contract by Dordrecht in July 2013. He made his first appearance for Dordrecht on 10 May 2015, in the Eredivisie match against Twente.[1]

SC Cambuur

On 21 August 2017, van Wermeskerken signed for SC Cambuur.[2]

PEC Zwolle

On 9 July 2019, van Wermeskerken signed a two-year deal for Eredivisie side PEC Zwolle on a free transfer.[3]

Return to Cambuur

On 10 August 2022, van Wermeskerken returned to Cambuur for one season.[4]

NEC Nijmegen

On 27 October 2023, van Wermeskerken joined Eredivisie side NEC Nijmegen, signing a contract until the end of the 2023–24 season.[5]

Kawasaki Frontale

On 21 January 2024, NEC announced van Wermeskerken's transfer to Japanese club Kawasaki Frontale.[6] He made a substitute appearance in the 2025 AFC Champions League Elite final in a 2–0 defeat to Al-Ahli, as well as starting in the semi-final against an Al Nassr side including Cristiano Ronaldo.[7]

In December 2025, van Wermeskerken's contract expired and he left the club.[8]

International career

On 14 March 2016, Sai received his first call-up to the Japan national under-23 football team for the friendly match against Mexico.[9]

Honours

Club

Kawasaki Frontale

References

  1. ^ "New "Samurai" van Wermeskerken makes Eredivisie debut". FOOTBALL CHANNEL ASIA. 12 May 2015. Archived from the original on 11 November 2017. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  2. ^ Bomgaars, Arco (21 August 2017). "Publiekslieveling FC Dordrecht vertrekt naar Cambuur". Algemeen Dagblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 14 July 2019.
  3. ^ "PEC Zwolle trekt rechtsback Sai van Wermeskerken aan". PEC Zwolle (in Dutch). 9 July 2019. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
  4. ^ "NIEUWE RECHTSBACK: SAI VAN WERMESKERKEN TERUG IN HET GEEL-BLAUW" (in Dutch). Cambuur. 10 August 2022. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  5. ^ "Van Wermeskerken tekent contract bij N.E.C." [Van Wermeskerken signs contract with NEC] (in Dutch). NEC Nijmegen. 27 October 2023. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  6. ^ "Sai van Wermeskerken rondt transfer af in Japan" [Sai van Wermeskerken completes transfer in Japan] (in Dutch). NEC Nijmegen. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  7. ^ https://www.goal.com/en/lists/cristiano-ronaldo-trophyless-al-nassr-out-asian-champions-league-kawasaki-frontale-cr7-saudi/blt3be3511e2adb5087
  8. ^ "契約満了選手のお知らせ | KAWASAKI FRONTALE". 川崎フロンターレ オフィシャルWEBサイト (in Japanese). Retrieved 22 April 2026.
  9. ^ "U-23 Japan National Team for Portugal trip". Japan Football Association. 15 March 2016. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  10. ^ "神戸vs川崎Fの試合結果・データ (Fujifilm Super Cup: 2024年2月17日)". J.League. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
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