Yuji Nakazawa

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Yuji Nakazawa
Nakazawa 20080622.jpg
Personal information
Full name Yuji Nakazawa
Date of birth February 25, 1978 (1978-02-25) (age 33)
Place of birth Yoshikawa, Saitama, Japan
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 1 1⁄2 in)
Playing position Defender
Club information
Current club Yokohama F. Marinos
Number 22
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
1996–1997 América
1999–2001 Verdy Kawasaki / Tokyo Verdy 83 (5)
2002– Yokohama F. Marinos 230 (19)
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 28 January 2010 (UTC).

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 29 June 2010 (UTC)

Yuji Nakazawa (中澤 佑二 Nakazawa Yūji?, born February 25, 1978 in Yoshikawa, Saitama, Japan) is a Japanese football player who currently plays for J. League side Yokohama F. Marinos.[1] He is a centre back. He is captain of both Yokohama F. Marinos and 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.

Contents

[edit] Career

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 March 13, 1999 against Cerezo Osaka at Todoroki Athletics Stadium. He scored his first league goal on April 10, 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 September 8, 1999 in a friendly against Iran at the International Stadium of Yokohama. He scored his first goal on February 13, 2000 in an Asian Cup qualifier against Singapore in Macau.

He was a member of the Japan team who won the 2000 AFC Asian Cup in Lebanon. He played 3 games in the competition. However, he was not selected for the 2002 FIFA World Cup finals as Yutaka Akita was preferred.

He was transferred to Yokohama F. Marinos in 2002 and contributed to the club winning two consecutive J. League championships in 2003 and 2004.[2] He was selected as the Most Valuable Player of the league in 2004.

Under new national manager Zico, he partnered with Tsuneyasu Miyamoto at the back line. He participated in the 2004 AFC Asian Cup finals. He played in all the Japan matches and scored 3 goals, one of which was a stoppage time equaliser in the semi-final against Bahrain, and Japan went on to win the title again.

He also played in the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany but the team failed to proceed to the knockout stage. After the tournament, he announced his retirement from the international football at the age of 28.[3] However, six months later, he withdrew his decision and Ivica Osim played him in a friendly against Peru on March 24, 2007.[4]

He played in the 2007 AFC Asian Cup finals but this time the team failed to defend the title and finished 4th in the tournament.

On February 14, 2010 Nakazawa made his 100th appearance for the Japan national team against South Korea in the final match of the 2010 East Asian Football Championship at Tokyo's National Stadium. Nakazawa becomes only the third Japanese player, following Masami Ihara and Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi, to reach 100 caps for his country. Later that year, Yasuhito Endō also reached 100 caps for Japan.

On May 30, 2010 Nakazawa scored an own-goal in a friendly match against England to give England the lead; his defensive partner Tulio had already scored an own goal to draw England level with Japan. The match ended 2-1 to England.

In the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Nakazawa played all 4 of Japan's games on their way to the round of 16 and knockout by penalties to Paraguay. He played some of the best football in his entire career and alongside Marcus Tulio Tanaka was the heart of an incredible defence the quality of which is unprecedented in Asian football teams at the world cup. The progression from Group E by Japan at the 2010 FIFA World Cup was due to a large degree by Nakazawa coming out of retirement in 2007 for the Japan National Team and putting on arguably the best defensive display ever by an Asian defender at a FIFA World Cup. (This is clearly totally impartial).

[edit] National team

[edit] Personal honors

[edit] Team honors

[edit] Career statistics

Last update: 28 January 2010

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 League Cup Asia Total
1999 Verdy Kawasaki
/Tokyo Verdy 1969		 J. League Division 1 28 1 3 1 2 0 - 33 2
2000 29 4 2 0 3 0 - 34 4
2001 26 0 0 0 2 0 - 28 0
2002 Yokohama F. Marinos 27 1 2 0 0 0 - 29 1
2003 29 4 2 0 7 2 - 38 6
2004 27 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 30 1
2005 27 3 1 0 3 0 4 0 35 3
2006 23 1 3 0 2 0 - 28 1
2007 32 2 1 0 7 0 - 40 2
2008 33 4 3 1 3 0 - 39 5
2009 32 3 1 0 3 0 - 36 3
2010 22 0 0 0 2 1 - 24 1
Career total 335 24 19 2 34 3 6 0 388 29

[5]

Japan national team
Year Apps Goals
1999 1 0
2000 6 2
2001 2 0
2002 1 0
2003 4 0
2004 15 5
2005 12 1
2006 12 1
2007 13 2
2008 16 4
2009 14 2
2010 14 0
Total 110 17

[edit] National team career statistics

[edit] Appearances in major competitions

Team Competition Category Appearances Goals Team Record
Start Sub
 Japan 2000 Summer Olympics U-23 4 0 0 Quarterfinals
 Japan 2000 AFC Asian Cup Senior 3 0 0 Champions
 Japan 2004 AFC Asian Cup Senior 6 0 3 Champions
 Japan 2006 FIFA World Cup Senior 3 0 0 Round 1
 Japan 2007 AFC Asian Cup Senior 6 0 1 4th Place
 Japan 2010 FIFA World Cup Senior 4 0 0 Round of 16

[edit] Goals for national team

# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 13 Feb 2000 Macau, China  Singapore 3-0 Won 2000 AFC Asian Cup qualification
2. 13 Feb 2000 Macau, China  Singapore 3-0 Won 2000 AFC Asian Cup qualification
3. 09 Jun 2004 Saitama, Japan  India 7-0 Won 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
4. 09 Jun 2004 Saitama, Japan  India 7-0 Won 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
5. 24 Jul 2004 Chongqing, China  Thailand 4-1 Won 2004 AFC Asian Cup group stage
6. 24 Jul 2004 Chongqing, China  Thailand 4-1 Won 2004 AFC Asian Cup group stage
7. 03 Aug 2004 Jinan, China  Bahrain 4-3 Won 2004 AFC Asian Cup semifinals
8. 07 Aug 2005 Daegu, Korea Republic  South Korea 1-0 Won 2005 East Asian Football Championship
9. 10 Feb 2006 San Francisco, United States  United States 2-3 Lost Friendly Match
10. 01 Jun 2007 Fukuroi, Japan  Montenegro 2-0 Won 2007 Kirin Cup
11. 25 Jul 2007 Hanoi, Vietnam  Saudi Arabia 2-3 Lost 2007 AFC Asian Cup semifinals
12. 28 Jan 2008 Tokyo, Japan  Bosnia and Herzegovina 3-0 Won Friendly Match
13. 06 Feb 2008 Saitama, Japan  Thailand 4-1 Won 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
14. 02 Jun 2008 Yokohama, Japan  Oman 3-0 Won 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
15. 14 Jun 2008 Bangkok, Thailand  Thailand 3-0 Won 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
16. 04 Feb 2009 Tokyo, Japan  Finland 5-1 Won Friendly Match
17. 08 Oct 2009 Shizuoka, Japan  Hong Kong 6-0 Won 2011 AFC Asian Cup qualification

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ 横浜F・マリノス 公式サイト｜Yokohama F-Marinos Official Website
  2. ^ Fc Japan
  3. ^ People's Daily Online - Japan's Yuji Nakazawa may retire from international soccer
  4. ^ ESPN - Soccer-Disgruntled Nakazawa completes Japan U-turn - Soccer
  5. ^ http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/nakazawa-intlg.html

[edit] External links

Yokohama F. Marinos – current squad


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