Yuji Nakazawa
Nakazawa playing for Japan in 2008
|
|||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Yuji Nakazawa | ||
| Date of birth | 25 February 1978 | ||
| Place of birth | Yoshikawa, Saitama, Japan | ||
| Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 1 1⁄2 in) | ||
| Playing position | Centre back | ||
| Club information | |||
|
Current team
|
Yokohama F. Marinos | ||
| Number | 22 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1996–1997 | América | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1999–2001 | Tokyo Verdy | 83 | (5) |
| 2002– | Yokohama F. Marinos | 420 | (26) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 1999–2000 | Japan U-23 | 12 | (0) |
| 1999–2010 | Japan | 110 | (17) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 19 February 2016. ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 29 June 2010 (UTC) |
|||
Yuji Nakazawa (中澤 佑二 Nakazawa Yūji?, born 25 February 1978 in Yoshikawa, Saitama, Japan) is a Japanese football player who currently plays for J.League side Yokohama F. Marinos. He is a centre back. He is captain of Yokohama F. Marinos and was the previous captain of the Japan national football team. His nickname is "Bomber" because of his distinctive hairstyle. Nakazawa is one of only four Japanese players to reach 100 caps for his country.
Nakazawa started playing football for his home country. He played for Yoshikawa Higashi Junior High School and Misato Technology High School, but attracted no scouts' eyes. Determined to be a pro, he left for Brazil to improve his football skills and trained with América Mineiro. During his time there, he won the Campeonato Mineiro in the junior category and played a key role in coach Ricardo Drubscky's squad.
After a year, he returned to Japan and joined Verdy Kawasaki in 1998 as a trainee, which meant he received no compensation. He impressed the club enough to win a full professional contract the following year.
His first J.League appearance came on 13 March 1999 against Cerezo Osaka at Todoroki Athletics Stadium. He scored his first league goal on 10 April 1999 against Nagoya Grampus Eight also at Todoroki. That year, he received the J-League Young Player of the Year award and was selected for the J-League Team of the Year.
Philippe Troussier called him up for Japan's national team. Nakazawa played in Olympic qualifiers as well as the finals in Sydney. Troussier promoted him to a full international. His first international appearance came on 8 September 1999 in a friendly against Iran at the International Stadium Yokohama. He scored his first goal on 13 February 2000 in an Asian Cup qualifier against Singapore in Macau.
...
Wikipedia