Theerathon Bunmathan

Theerathon Bunmathan (ธีราทร บุญมาทัน,, ; born 6 March 1990) is a Thai professional footballer who plays as a left back for Buriram United and Thailand national team. He has also been used as a midfielder during the later of his career. Considered one of the best defenders in the Southeast Asia region in history, he is renowned for his versatility, technical skills and ability to contribute effectively in both defensive and offensive roles on the field which he frequently takes set pieces scoring from a free kick and corners.

Theerathon is the first Thai player to win the J1 League with Yokohama F. Marinos in 2019.

Buriram United
Theerathon started almost every match for Buriram United due to his superb and consistent form. Theerathon is a major part of Buriram United's success; his free kicks assisted and scored many goals for the club. His free kick against FC Seoul in the 2013 AFC Champions League qualified Buriram to the knockout phase as groups runners-up drawing with Urawa Reds Diamonds at 10 points.. In the 2013 Thai Premier League Theerathon scored 3 goals against BEC Tero Sasana, Chonburi, and Ratchaburi Mitr Phol.

Muangthong United
In May 2016, it was announced that after spending seven years with Buriram United, he would be joining arch rivals Muangthong United the following month on a five-year contract for an all-time record for the highest football transfer fee for Thai League 1 at 35 million Baht. That record was soon broken on 2 November 2016 by Tanaboon Kesarat. The transfer fee is undisclosed but it is estimated to be around 50 million Baht.

Vissel Kobe
In February 2018, Theerathon was on loan to play in the J.League 1 club, Vissel Kobe for the remainder of the 2018 season, which gives Theerathon the opportunity to play with world-class footballers such as Lucas Podolski, David Villa, and Andres Iniesta.

Yokohama F. Marinos
In January 2019, Yokohama F. Marinos reached an agreement on loan to Theerathon from Muangthong United to play for the 2019 season. Hereafter, in March 2019, he started his first league match for the club in the match in which Yokohama opened the home match against former rival, Kawasaki Frontale with scores ended up in a 2–2 draw.

Later, in July 2019 Theerathon was named the J.League's Best Team of the Week after which he helped the team to beat Vissel Kobe, his former team with a score of 2–0. On 31 August 2019, Theerathon scored the first goal in the league and in the name of the club helped Yokohama open their home defeat to Gamba Osaka with a score of 3–1 and on 7 December 2019, the season-ending match of J.League Theerathon scored 1 goal and assists, helping Yokohama opens the house 3–0 defeat to FC Tokyo became the first Thai player to be champions of the J.League.

In December 2019, Theerathon signed a permanent contract with Yokohama F. Marinos, making him a permanent Yokohama F. Marinos player from December 2019. At the end of season 2020, Theerathon has been selected from the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) to be the first XI in AFC men team of the year 2020 alongside Takumi Minamino, Son Heung-min and Sardar Azmoun and is the only player in Southeast Asia in this best XI.

Buriram United
In December 2021, after 4 years in Japan, Theerathon returned home to re-joined his former club Buriram United. He was also named in the 26-man squad for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar.

International career
Theerathon played against Saudi Arabia in the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification and received a red card in the 90th minute. After that match he went to Indonesia to play for Thailand U-23 in the 2011 Southeast Asian Games. He was Thailand U-23's starter and received an early yellow card, followed by a second one a few minutes after which resulted in a red card, thus becoming the first player in Thai football to get two red cards in three days.

Theerathon's scored a penalty in a friendly match against Laos. His second international goal is a rebound from Jakkraphan Pornsai's free kick. His form in the 2012 AFF Suzuki Cup is very impressive combined with Anucha Kitpongsri who played on the left side of the field.

He represented Thailand U-23 at the 2013 Southeast Asian Games, and is selected as captain for the tournament.

In May 2015, he captained Thailand to play in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification against Vietnam.

In December 2018, Bunmathan was called up for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates. In January 2024, he was named in the 26-man squad for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar. He earned his 100th cap with the national team against Oman in the second group stage match of the Asian tournament.

Style of play
A versatile defender, Theerathon regularly plays as a left-back, and sometimes he has been deployed as a centre-back, central midfielder, and left midfielder. Although not known to have a fast pace, and his positioning has sometimes been questionable, he possesses a powerful left foot; in which besides his defensive prowess, he is noted for his offensive capabilities and ability to read the game, where he has gained a reputation carrying the ball upfront in attacking plays and supplies his team with passes. Theerathon frequently takes set pieces which is renowned to put the ball in the back of the nets. Theerathon has been noted for his talents being visible since a young age, and he has been singled out for his mentality, consistency, and leadership.

Personal life
On 24 May 2016, Theerathon married Chatrakamol Muangman in a traditional ceremony. The wedding was attended by many teammates and staff from the teams for which Theerathon had played.

International goals

 * Scores and results list Thailand's goal tally first.

Club
Buriram United
 * Thai League 1 (7): 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24
 * Thai FA Cup (6): 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2021–22, 2022–23
 * Thai League Cup (6): 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2021–22, 2022–23
 * Toyota Premier Cup (3): 2012, 2014, 2016
 * Kor Royal Cup (4): 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
 * Mekong Club Championship: 2015

Muangthong United
 * Thai League 1: 2016
 * Thai League Cup (2): 2016, 2017
 * Thailand Champions Cup: 2017
 * Mekong Club Championship: 2017

Yokohama F. Marinos
 * J1 League: 2019

International
Thailand U-23
 * Sea Games [[File:Med 1.png]] Gold Medal: 2013

Thailand
 * AFF Championship (3): 2016, 2020, 2022
 * King's Cup (2): 2016, 2017

Individual

 * AFF Championship Most Valuable Player: 2022
 * AFF Championship Best XI: 2012, 2022
 * AFF Championship All-time XI
 * ASEAN Football Federation Best XI: 2013
 * Thai Premier League/Thai League 1 Player of the Month: October 2013, February 2022
 * AFC Champions League Dream Team: 2013
 * Thai League 1 Player of the Year: 2013, 2021–22
 * Chang Men's Player of the Year: 2022–23
 * IFFHS AFC Man Team of the Year: 2020
 * IFFHS AFC Men's Team of the Decade 2011–2020

Royal decoration

 * 2015 – Order of the Direkgunabhorn (Thailand) ribbon.svg Silver Medalist (Seventh Class) of The Most Admirable Order of the Direkgunabhorn