Yuji Nakazawa

Yuji Nakazawa 2008 in the jersey of the Japanese national

Yuji Nakazawa (Japanese中 泽 佑 二Yuji Nakazawa; born February 25, 1978 in Yoshikawa, Saitama ) is a Japanese football player at the position of a defender.

Career

Nakazawa played in his youth at the Yoshikawa -Higashi Middle School and Misato Technical High School. Already as a student he wrote in his notebook: " One day I will play for Japan in the World Cup and be captain of my country. " After finishing school, he went in 1996 to Brazil to evolve playful. During his time at America Mineiro athletic and strong defender gained significant ball security. After his return home he received after a further year in 1999 Verdy Kawasaki, who a short time later became the present-day club Tokyo Verdy, a professional contract.

In the 1999 season Nakazawa became the J. League to the discovery of the year and played 28 league games. Already in his debut year, he convinced by his vocal presence on the field. In 2002, Nakazawa to Yokohama F. Marinos and played under today's national team coach Takeshi Okada. He was dressed in the years 2003 and 2004 for winning the J. League and was elected in the second championship year for the most valuable player in the league, after several foreign clubs wanted to sign him, including the Bundesliga club 1.FC Cologne. In the following years Yokohama could not repeat these successes, but Nakazawa was the key player of the team and was elected to the J. League five times in the best eleven of the season.

For the Japanese national team, he made ​​his debut on 28 September 1999 against Iran. In the 2002 World Cup in their own country Nakazawa was not considered, but in Zico's four-year tenure, he was a regular in the squad and played in the 2006 World Cup in Germany all three group games. After this tournament he entered surprising return from the national team, but returned a short time later. Yuji Nakazawa was the third Japanese player to reach the record level of 100 international matches, while winning two AFC Asian Championship titles. He stood in the squad of Japan for the Football World Cup 2010 in South Africa.

Statistics

Stations

  • Yoshikawa -Higashi Middle School
  • Misato Technical High School
  • América Futebol Clube (Brazil until 1998)
  • Verdy Kawasaki and Tokyo Verdy 1969 (1999 until 2001)
  • F. Marinos (since 2002)

Title / successes

  • Japanese champion in 2003, 2004
  • J. League Rookie of the Year 1999
  • J. League Player of the Year 2004
  • J. League Best Eleven 1999, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008
Saitama, Saitama Yoshikawa (Saitama) Defender (association football) Emerson Sheik
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