Jefferson Tabinas

Jefferson David Tabinas (; born August 7, 1998) is a professional footballer who plays as a left-back or a centre-back for Malaysia Super League club Selangor. Born in Japan, he plays for the Philippines national team.

Club career Youth career Born in Japan, Tabinas spent his youth with Waseda and Toripletta before studying at , for which he played and was named captain in his third high school year. Kawasaki Frontale won the 2017 and 2018 seasons of the J1 League, but Tabinas had no appearances for the team.

Loan to Gifu In the 2019 season, he was loaned out to Gifu of the J2 League. He made his first J.League appearance in a match against Ehime on 7 April, where they lost 2–0. He made his Emperor's Cup debut when they entered in the second round on 3 July and were eliminated by Ventforet Kofu. Tabinas made seven more league appearances, however, the club finished at the bottom of the table and were relegated.

Loan to Gamba Osaka U23 Tabinas spent the 2020 season on loan with Gamba Osaka U-23 in the J3 League.

Mito HollyHock In January 2021, Tabinas transferred to Mito HollyHock of the J2 League.

Buriram United On 7 January 2024, Tabinas moved to Thai League 1 giants Buriram United. He made his debut in a 2–1 league win against Lamphun Warriors on 11 February. Tabinas provided an assist to Supachai Chaided which saw his club coming back from 2–0 down 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, Tabinas make a total of 46 appearances for the club scoring 5 goals and 7 assists.

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

Selangor On 1 July 2026, Tabinas transferred to Malaysia Super League team Selangor. He was praised for his high-level competitive experience in Thailand and Japan, which manager Kim Pan-gon hoped would bring significant value and quality to the squad.

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

In 2016, Tabinas expressed his desire to represent Japan at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. He made his debut on 7 June in a 0–2 defeat to China PR in Sharjah, UAE.

Tabinas scored his first international goal against Malaysia on 4 September 2024 during the 2024 Merdeka Tournament at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium.

International goals No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition 1. 4 September 2024 Bukit Jalil National Stadium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 1–0 1–2 2024 Merdeka Tournament 2. 14 October 2024 Tinsulanon Stadium, Songkhla, Thailand 2–0 3–0 2024 King's Cup 3. 25 March 2025 New Clark City Athletics Stadium, Capas, Philippines 1–0 4–1 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification 4 14 October 2025 1–1 3–1 5. 18 November 2025 National Football Stadium, Malé, Maldives 1–0 2–0 6. 9 June 2026 Rizal Memorial Stadium, Manila, Philippines 5–1 Friendly

Personal life Tabinas was born in Japan to a Ghanaian father and Filipino mother. His younger brother, Paul, is also a footballer.

Honours Kawasaki Frontale J1 League: 2017, 2018

Buriram United Thai League 1: 2023–24, 2024–25 Thai FA Cup: 2024–25 Thai League Cup: 2024–25 ASEAN Club Championship: 2024–25