Yutaka Akita

Yutaka Akita

Personal information
Full name	Yutaka Akita
Date of birth	August 6, 1970 (1970-08-06)
Place of birth	Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing position	Defender (retired)
Youth career
1986–1988	Aichi High School
1989–1992	Aichi Gakuin University
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1993–2003	Kashima Antlers	334	(20)
2004–2006	Nagoya Grampus Eight	57	(3)
2007	Kyoto Sanga	14	(0)
National team
1995–2003	Japan	44	(4)
Teams managed
2010	Kyoto Sanga F.C.
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Yutaka Akita (秋田 豊, Akita Yutaka, born 6 August 1970 in Nagoya, Aichi) is a retired Japanese footballer. He was on the Japanese national football team at the 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cup. He currently coaches Kyoto Sanga F.C.

Career

Akita is a strong and physical centre-back, who is also arguably one of the best headers of the ball within the J. League Division 1. One of the best defenders of his generation and a 10-year stalwart for the Kashima Antlers since 1993, Akita left Kashima in early 2004 to move back to his native Nagoya, signing for hometown team Nagoya Grampus Eight. He moved to J. League division 2 side Kyoto Sanga F.C. at the beginning of the 2007 season. In November 2007, he announced his retirement from the game.

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
1993	Kashima Antlers	J. League 1	35	0	5	2	5	1	-		45	3
1994			38	4	0	0	1	0	-		39	4
1995			50	0	4	0	-		-		54	0
1996			16	0	3	0	4	0	-		23	0
1997			21	3	5	1	2	2	-		28	6
1998			32	3	4	0	1	0	-		37	3
1999			28	2	2	0	6	1	-		36	3
2000			28	1	4	1	7	0	-		39	2
2001			29	2	2	0	6	1	-		37	3
2002			29	4	5	1	8	0	-		42	5
2003			28	1	4	1	5	0	3	0	40	2
2004	Nagoya Grampus Eight	J. League 1	26	0	2	0	7	0	-		35	0
2005			19	1	2	0	0	0	-		21	1
2006			12	2	1	0	3	0	-		16	2
2007	Kyoto Sanga	J. League 2	14	0	0	0	-		-		14	0
Country	Japan		405	23	43	6	55	5	3	0	506	34
Total			405	23	43	6	55	5	3	0	506	34

National team

• 1996 Asian Cup
• 1998 FIFA World Cup
• 2002 FIFA World Cup
• 2003 Confederations Cup

National team statistics

Japan national team
Year	Apps	Goals
1995	2	1
1996	2	0
1997	16	2
1998	10	0
1999	7	0
2000	0	0
2001	0	0
2002	3	0
2003	4	1
Total	44	4

Honors and awards

Individual Honors

• J. League Division 1 Best Eleven: 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001
• Selected to AFC All Star Team: 1998

Team Honors

• J. League Division 1 Champions : 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002
• J. League Cup Champions : 1997, 2000, 2002
• Emperor's Cup Champions : 1997, 2000

External links

• National Football Teams