Jefferson Tabinas

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Jefferson Tabinas

| fullname = Jefferson David Tabinas

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|8|7|mf=yes}}

| birth_place = Shinjuku, Japan

| height = 1.83 m{{cite web |url=https://www.worldfootball.net/player_summary/jefferson-tabinas/|title=Jefferson Tabinas: Profile |website=worldfootball.net |publisher=HEIM:SPIEL |accessdate=10 October 2020}}

| position = Left-back, centre-back

| currentclub = Chonburi (on loan from Buriram United)

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = FC Waseda

| youthyears2 =

| youthclubs2 = FC Toripletta

| youthyears3 = 2014–2016

| youthclubs3 = Toko Gakuen High School

| years1 = 2017–2020

| caps1 = 0

| goals1 = 0

| clubs1 = Kawasaki Frontale

| years2 = 2019

| caps2 = 8

| goals2 = 0

| clubs2 = → FC Gifu (loan)

| years3 = 2020

| caps3 = 30

| goals3 = 0

| clubs3 = → Gamba Osaka U-23 (loan)

| years4 = 2021–2023

| caps4 = 74

| goals4 = 2

| clubs4 = Mito HollyHock

| years5 = 2024–

| caps5 = 43

| goals5 = 3

| clubs5 = Buriram United

| nationalyears1 = 2021–

| nationalcaps1 = 20

| nationalgoals1 = 3

| nationalteam1 = Philippines

| medaltemplates =

| club-update = 2 February 2025

| nationalteam-update = 15:10; 25 March 2025 (UTC)

| clubs6 = → Chonburi (loan)

| caps6 = 0

| goals6 = 0

| years6 = 2025–

}}

Jefferson David Tabinas ({{langx|ja|タビナスジェファーソン}}; born August 7, 1998){{cite news |title=タビナスジェファーソン選手川崎フロンターレより移籍加入のお知らせ |url=https://www.mito-hollyhock.net/news/p=6423/ |access-date=5 January 2021 |publisher=Mito HollyHock |date=4 January 2021 |language=ja |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210105112404/https://www.mito-hollyhock.net/news/p=6423/ |archive-date=5 January 2021 |url-status=live }} is a professional footballer who plays as a left-back or a centre-back for Thai League 1 club Chonburi, on loan from Buriram United. Born in Japan, he plays for the Philippines national team.

Club career

=Youth career=

Born in Japan, Jefferson spent his youth with Waseda and Toripletta, before studying at Toko Gakuen High School, for which he played and was named captain in his third high school year.

=Kawasaki Frontale=

After the high school tournament, Jefferson was signed by J1 League club Kawasaki Frontale for the 2017 season.{{cite news |title="2020年"目指すタビナス・ジェファーソンの来季川崎加入が内定。「ジェフと呼んでください」 |url=https://www.soccerdigestweb.com/news/detail/id=19009 |access-date=5 January 2021 |work=サッカーダイジェスト |publisher=Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing Inc. |date=21 September 2016 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20161230075524/http://www.soccerdigestweb.com/news/detail/id=19009 |archive-date=30 December 2016 |language=ja |url-status=live }} Kawasaki Frontale won the 2017 and 2018 seasons of the J1 League, but Tabinas had no appearances for the team.{{cite news |last1=Orlowitz |first1=Dan |title=Kawasaki Frontale clinch J. League title despite defeat to Cerezo Osaka |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2018/11/10/soccer/j-league/kawasaki-frontale-clinch-j-league-title-despite-defeat-cerezo-osaka/ |access-date=5 January 2021 |work=The Japan Times |date=10 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181110123807if_/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2018/11/10/soccer/j-league/kawasaki-frontale-clinch-j-league-title-despite-defeat-cerezo-osaka/#.W-bRTzRxfIU |archive-date=10 November 2018}}

==Loan to Gifu==

In the 2019 season, he was loaned out to Gifu of the J2 League.{{cite web |title=タビナスジェファーソン選手、川崎フロンターレ（Ｊ１）より期限付き移籍加入のお知らせ |url=https://www.fc-gifu.com/news_information/39539.html |website=fc-gifu.com |publisher=FC Gifu |access-date=5 January 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210105142953/https://www.fc-gifu.com/news_information/39539.html |archive-date=5 January 2021 |language=ja |date=28 December 2018 |url-status=live }} He made his first J.League appearance in a match against Ehime on 7 April, where they lost 2–0.{{cite web |title=タビナスジェファーソン |url=https://www.jleague.jp/player/1600016/#attack |website=jleague.jp |publisher=J.League (Jリーグ) |access-date=5 January 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210105144149/https://www.jleague.jp/player/1600016/%23attack#attack |archive-date=5 January 2021 |language=ja |date=25 December 2020 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |title=愛媛ＦＣvsＦＣ岐阜 J2リーグ第8節 2019/4/7 |url=https://soccer.sports.smt.docomo.ne.jp/jleague/result/league/j2/score/2019040702/ |access-date=5 January 2021 |publisher=NTT Docomo |date=7 April 2019 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210105151055/https://soccer.sports.smt.docomo.ne.jp/jleague/result/league/j2/score/2019040702/ |archive-date=5 January 2021 |language=ja |url-status=live }} He made his Emperor's Cup debut when they entered in the second round on 3 July and were eliminated by Ventforet Kofu.{{cite web |title=ヴァンフォーレ甲府対ＦＣ岐阜 |url=https://www.jfa.jp/match/emperorscup_2019/match_page/m54.html |website=jfa.jp |publisher=Japan Football Association (JFA) |access-date=5 January 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210105153148/https://www.jfa.jp/match/emperorscup_2019/match_page/m54.html |archive-date=5 January 2021 |language=ja |date=3 July 2019 |url-status=live }}{{cite news|title=サッカー天皇杯Ｊ２岐阜ＰＫ戦の末、Ｊ２甲府に敗退 |url=https://www.47news.jp/3740164.html |access-date=5 January 2021 |work=47News |date=4 July 2019 |language=ja |url-access=registration}} Tabinas made seven more league appearances, however, the club finished at the bottom of the table and were relegated.{{cite news |title=サッカーＦＣ岐阜、正念場Ｊ３初降格、求められるＪ２早期復帰／岐阜 |url=https://mainichi.jp/articles/20191130/ddl/k21/050/118000c |access-date=5 January 2021 |url-access=subscription |work=毎日新聞社 |publisher=The Mainichi Newspapers |date=30 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210105160219/https://mainichi.jp/articles/20191130/ddl/k21/050/118000c |archive-date=5 January 2021 |language=ja }}

==Loan to Gamba Osaka U23==

Jefferson spent the 2020 season on loan with Gamba Osaka U-23 in the J3 League.

=Mito HollyHock=

In January 2021, he transferred to Mito HollyHock of the J2 League. Jefferson scored his first J.League goal in a 2–2 draw with Renofa Yamaguchi on 17 October.{{cite news |last1=Del Carmen |first1=Lorenzo |title=Tabinas scores first-ever goal in J2 as Mito earns away draw vs Yamaguchi |url=https://tiebreakertimes.com.ph/tbt/tabinas-scores-first-ever-goal-in-j2-as-mito-earns-away-draw-vs-yamaguchi/222364 |access-date=22 October 2021 |work=Tiebreaker Times |date=18 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211020141234/https://tiebreakertimes.com.ph/tbt/tabinas-scores-first-ever-goal-in-j2-as-mito-earns-away-draw-vs-yamaguchi/222364 |archive-date=20 October 2021}}

= Buriram United =

On 7 January 2024, Jefferson moved to Thai League 1 giants Buriram United. He make his debut in a 2–1 league win against Lamphun Warriors on 11 February. Jefferson provided an assist to Supachai Chaided which sees his club coming back from a 2–0 defeat to a 3–2 home win against Bangkok United on 3 March. He scored his first goal for the club in a 3–1 win against Muangthong United on 27 April.

In the 2024–25 season, Jefferson make a total of 46 appearances for the club scoring 5 goals and 7 assists.

== Loan to Chonburi ==

On 5 June 2025, Jefferson joined Chonburi on loan for the 2025–26 Thai League 1 season.

International career

Born in Japan to a Ghanaian father and a Filipino mother, Tabinas is eligible to present Japan, Ghana or Philippines at international level.

In 2016, Tabinas expressed his desire to represent Japan at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

=Philippines=

In May 2021, he was called up to the Philippines national team for the joint qualifiers of the 2022 FIFA World Cup and 2023 AFC Asian Cup.{{cite news |title=New faces soup up Azkals |url=https://www.philstar.com/sports/2021/05/22/2099910/new-faces-soup-azkals |access-date=30 May 2021 |work=The Philippine Star |date=22 May 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210530183004/https://www.philstar.com/sports/2021/05/22/2099910/new-faces-soup-azkals |archive-date=30 May 2021}} He made his debut on 7 June in a 0–2 defeat to China PR in Sharjah, UAE.{{cite news |last1=Terrado |first1=Jonas |title=Azkals fall short vs China in resumption of Asian Qualifiers campaign |url=https://mb.com.ph/2021/06/08/azkals-fall-short-vs-china-in-resumption-of-asian-qualifiers-campaign/ |access-date=8 June 2021 |work=Manila Bulletin |date=8 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210608063216/https://mb.com.ph/2021/06/08/azkals-fall-short-vs-china-in-resumption-of-asian-qualifiers-campaign/ |archive-date=8 June 2021}}{{cite news |last1=Del Carmen |first1=Lorenzo |title=Young Azkal Tabinas shows no fear against China's vet strikers |url=https://tiebreakertimes.com.ph/tbt/young-azkal-tabinas-shows-no-fear-against-chinas-vet-strikers/210179 |access-date=9 June 2021 |work=Tiebreaker Times |date=8 June 2021}}

He scored his first international goal against Malaysia on 4 September 2024 during the 2024 Merdeka Tournament.

International goals

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
class="wikitable"
1.	4 September 2024	Bukit Jalil National Stadium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	{{fb\|MAS}}	align=center\|1–0	align=center\| 1–2	2024 Merdeka Tournament
2.	14 October 2024	Tinsulanon Stadium, Songkhla, Thailand	{{fb\|TJK}}	align=center\|2–0	align=center\| 3–0	2024 King's Cup
3.	25 March 2025	New Clark City Athletics Stadium, Capas, Philippines	{{fb\|MDV}}	align="center"\|1–0	align="center"\|4–1	2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification

Personal life

Tabinas was born in Japan to a Ghanaian father and Filipino mother.{{cite news |title=「東京五輪への推薦状」第15回:4年後への秘密兵器、タビナス・ジェファーソンの旅支度 |url=https://web.gekisaka.jp/news/detail/?189091-189091-fl |access-date=5 January 2021 |work=ゲキサカ |publisher=Kodansha Ltd. |date=9 May 2016 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20161230075527/http://web.gekisaka.jp/news/detail/?189091-189091-fl |archive-date=30 December 2016 |language=ja |url-status=live }} His younger brother, Paul, is also a footballer.