Akinori Nishizawa facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Akinori Nishizawa
西澤 明訓

Personal information
Date of birth	(1976-06-18) 18 June 1976 (age 48)
Place of birth	Shizuoka, Shizuoka, Japan
Height	1.80 m
Playing position	Forward
Youth career
1992–1994	Shimizu Higashi High School
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1995–2000	Cerezo Osaka	124	(43)
1995–1996	→Volendam (loan)	0	(0)
2000–2001	Espanyol	6	(0)
2001	Cerezo Osaka	0	(0)
2001–2002	Bolton Wanderers	0	(0)
2002–2006	Cerezo Osaka	148	(41)
2007–2008	Shimizu S-Pulse	43	(5)
2009	Cerezo Osaka	18	(1)
Total		339	(90)
National team
1997–2002	Japan	29	(10)
Honours Men's football Representing  Japan AFC Asian Cup Winner 2000 Lebanon FIFA Confederations Cup Runner-up 2001 Korea/Japan
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Akinori Nishizawa (西澤 明訓, Nishizawa Akinori, born 18 June 1976) is a Japanese former footballer. He was born on June 18, 1976. He played as a forward, which means he was a player who tried to score goals. Nishizawa also played for the Japan national team.

A Football Journey: Akinori Nishizawa's Club Career

Akinori Nishizawa was born in Shizuoka, Japan. After finishing high school at Shimizu Higashi High School, he started his professional football career.

Starting with Cerezo Osaka

Nishizawa joined Cerezo Osaka in 1995. This was his first professional club. He played for them for several years, becoming a key player.

Playing in Europe

In December 2000, Nishizawa moved to Europe. He joined Espanyol, a club in Spain. Later, in July 2001, he moved to England. He played for Bolton Wanderers. While at Bolton, he scored an important goal in a League Cup match against Walsall.

Returning to Japan

In 2002, Nishizawa returned to Cerezo Osaka. The team was in the J2 League at that time. They finished second in 2002 and were promoted back to the top league, J1 League. He stayed with Cerezo Osaka until 2006.

After that, he played for his local club, Shimizu S-Pulse, starting in 2007. He came back to Cerezo Osaka one last time in 2009. He retired from playing football at the end of the 2009 season. Throughout his club career, he played 339 games and scored 90 goals.

Representing Japan: International Career

Akinori Nishizawa also had an exciting career playing for his country. He was a member of the Japan national team.

First Steps with the National Team

Nishizawa played his first game for Japan on May 21, 1997. This match was against South Korea. He scored two goals in the 1998 World Cup qualification games. However, he was not chosen for the 1998 FIFA World Cup squad.

Success in Major Tournaments

In 2000, Nishizawa returned to play for Japan. He had a great performance at the 2000 Asian Cup in October. He played in all six games and scored five goals. Japan won the championship that year!

The next year, in 2001, he played in the 2001 Confederations Cup. He played four games and scored one goal. Japan did very well, finishing in second place in this tournament.

Playing in the World Cup

Nishizawa was selected for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. This was a very special event as it was held in Korea and Japan. He played in one game during the tournament. This match was his last game for the Japan national team. In total, he played 29 games for Japan and scored 10 goals.

Honours and Achievements

Akinori Nishizawa achieved several important things during his football career.

With Japan National Team

• AFC Asian Cup: Champion in 2000
• FIFA Confederations Cup: Runner-up in 2001

Individual Awards

• J1 League Best Eleven: 2000 (This means he was chosen as one of the best players in the J1 League in 2000.)

See also

In Spanish: Akinori Nishizawa para niños