Background and career
Eiji Kawashima (川島 永嗣, Kawashima Eiji; born 20 March 1983) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for J2 League club Júbilo Iwata.
Kawashima played in Japan for Omiya Ardija, Nagoya Grampus Eight and Kawasaki Frontale before joining Lierse S.K. in Belgium in 2010. He then played for another Belgian club, Standard Liège, from 2012 to 2015, Dundee United in Scotland from 2015 to 2016; Metz and Strasbourg in France from 2016 to 2023 before returning to Japan with Júbilo Iwata in 2024.
He represented Japan at the 2010, 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cups, earning over 90 caps, and was also named in the final 26-player squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup before announcing retirement from international football one month later.
