Naoki Soma

Naoki Soma

Personal information
Full name	Naoki Soma
Date of birth	July 19, 1971 (1971-07-19)
Place of birth	Shizuoka, Japan
Height	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Playing position	Defender
Youth career
1987–1989	Shimizu Higashi High School
1990–1993	Waseda University
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1994–2003	Kashima Antlers	250	(10)
2002	→ Tokyo Verdy 1969 (loan)	27	(0)
2004–2005	Kawasaki Frontale	27	(0)
National team
1995–1999	Japan	58	(4)
Teams managed
2010	F.C. Machida Zelvia
2011–	Kawasaki Frontale
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Naoki Soma (相馬直樹, born 19 July 1971 in Shizuoka) is a former Japanese football defender (Left back).

He was capped 58 times and scored 4 goals for the Japanese national team between 1995 and 1999, including three games at the 1998 FIFA World Cup. He played 289 games and scored 15 goals in J.League Division 1, and became one of the main player in glorious era of Kashima Antlers.

He retired at the end of the 2005 season. After working as a TV pundit, he now manages the Japan Football League side F.C. Machida Zelvia.

Club career statistics

Club performance			League		Cup		League Cup		Continental		Total
Season	Club	League	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Japan			League		Emperor's Cup		J. League Cup		Asia		Total
1994	Kashima Antlers	J. League 1	28	0	1	0	1	0	-		30	0
1995			50	3	4	0	-		-		54	3
1996			30	2	3	0	14	0	-		47	2
1997			21	0	5	0	2	1	-		28	1
1998			34	1	4	0	1	0	-		39	1
1999			30	0	2	0	7	1	-		39	1
2000			30	2	4	0	7	0	-		41	2
2001			7	0	3	0	1	0	-		11	0
2002	Tokyo Verdy	J. League 1	27	0	0	0	6	0	-		33	0
2003	Kashima Antlers	J. League 1	20	2	0	0	3	1	3	0	26	3
2004	Kawasaki Frontale	J. League 2	15	0	1	0	-		-		16	0
2005		J. League 1	12	0	2	0	3	0	-		17	0
Country	Japan		304	10	29	0	45	3	3	0	381	13
Total			304	10	29	0	45	3	3	0	381	13

National team

• 1996 Asian Cup
• 1998 FIFA World Cup

Japan national team
Year	Apps	Goals
1995	9	0
1996	13	2
1997	21	1
1998	10	1
1999	5	0
Total	58	4

Honors and awards

Individual Honors

• J-League Best Eleven: 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998
• Selected to AFC All Star Team: 1997
• J-League Fair Play Individual: 1998

External links

• Career history at National Football Teams