With the 2025 J.League 1 season fast approaching, a key question on everyone’s mind is whether last season’s surprise package, Machida Zelvia, will succumb to second-season syndrome.
After a stunning debut season in the J1 League in 2024, Machida Zelvia took everyone by surprise by mounting a serious title challenge alongside defending champions Vissel Kobe and perennial contenders Sanfrecce Hiroshima. They led the league for much of the campaign, only for a late-season slump to derail their title hopes, ultimately finishing in a highly respectable third place.
With Vissel securing both the league and Emperor’s Cup, Machida’s breakout season earned them a coveted spot in the 2025/26 AFC Champions League Elite, setting the stage for their first-ever continental campaign.
While their achievements last season were remarkable, the big question heading into 2025 is whether they can maintain that momentum—especially with the added challenge of Asian competition.
Fortunately for Machida, much of their core squad remains intact. Go Kuroda continues as head coach, though he will need a new assistant following Kim Myung-hwi’s move to take charge of Avispa Fukuoka. Filling the vacancy is former Sanfrecce assistant Kenji Arima.
On the squad front, Machida successfully secured permanent deals for standout loanees Kosei Tani and Oh Se-hun, while key players such as Gen Shoji, Hokuto Shimoda, Keiya Sento, Yuta Nakayama, Na Sang-ho, Erik, Mitchell Duke, Ibrahim Dresevic, and Shota Fujio have all been retained.
New additions include Takuma Nishimura from Yokohama F. Marinos, Hotaka Nakamura from FC Tokyo, and most notably, J1 title-winning defender Ryuho Kikuchi from Vissel Kobe.
One major concern, however, is the absence of Yu Hirakawa, whose standout performances earned him a loan move to EFL Championship side Bristol City. With his future uncertain, Machida may need to find a long-term solution for their right-wing position should Bristol make his move permanent.
With continuity in their squad and fresh reinforcements, Machida should have what it takes to remain competitive in J1. While another title challenge might be a stretch, they have a strong foundation to establish themselves as a mainstay in Japan’s top flight.