Akira Kaji facts for kids
Kaji with Gamba Osaka in 2010
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Akira Kaji | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 13 January 1980 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Minamiawaji, Hyogo, Japan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Defender | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995–1997 | Takigawa Daini High School | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–1999 | Cerezo Osaka | 24 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2001 | Oita Trinita | 75 | (3) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2002–2005 | FC Tokyo | 89 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2014 | Gamba Osaka | 225 | (2) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014 | Chivas USA | 15 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015–2017 | Fagiano Okayama | 86 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 514 | (7) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–1999 | Japan U20 | 8 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2008 | Japan | 64 | (2) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Akira Kaji (加地 亮, Kaji Akira, born 13 January 1980) is a Japanese former professional footballer. He was born on January 13, 1980. Kaji played as a defender. He was also a key player for the Japan national team until 2008.
Contents
Club Career Highlights
Akira Kaji started his football journey after finishing high school. He joined Cerezo Osaka in 1998. It was a bit tough for him to get a regular spot on the team at first.
Playing for Oita Trinita
In 2000, Kaji moved to J2 League team Oita Trinita. He played there for two years. This move helped him gain more experience on the field.
Success with FC Tokyo
Kaji returned to the top league, J1 League, in 2002. He joined FC Tokyo. His coach, Hiromi Hara, made him a regular player. Kaji even got to play a more attacking role, which was exciting for a defender!
In 2004, his team won the 2004 J.League Cup. They beat Urawa Reds in a thrilling final. The game ended in a 0–0 tie, so it went to a penalty shootout. Kaji scored the final penalty kick for FC Tokyo, helping them win the cup!
Time at Gamba Osaka
Kaji moved to Gamba Osaka in 2006. He even scored a goal in his very first league match against Urawa Reds. He was so good that he was chosen for the 2006 J.League Best XI, which means he was one of the best players in the league that year.
With Gamba Osaka, Kaji won many important trophies. The team won the 2007 J.League Cup, and the Emperor's Cup in 2008 and 2009. They also won the AFC Champions League in 2008, which is a huge competition for Asian clubs. They even got third place in the 2008 Club World Cup. Later in his time there, injuries made it harder for him to play as much.
Later Career and Retirement
After eight years with Gamba Osaka, Kaji joined Major League Soccer club Chivas USA in the United States in 2014. However, the club stopped playing that same year. Kaji then returned to Japan and joined Fagiano Okayama in 2015. He played there until the end of the 2017 season, when he decided to retire from professional football.
International Career
Akira Kaji also had a great career playing for Japan's national teams.
Youth National Team
He was part of the Japan U20 national team. In 1999, they played in the 1999 World Youth Championship finals. His team did very well and finished as runners-up!
Senior National Team
Kaji played his first game for the Japan national team on October 8, 2003. This was in a friendly match against Tunisia. The coach, Zico, thought highly of Kaji. He made Kaji the main right full-back for the team.
Kaji was a key player when Japan won the 2004 AFC Asian Cup in China. In a game against Brazil in 2005, a goal he scored was unfortunately not allowed. His first official goal for Japan came on August 17, 2005, during a World Cup qualification game against Iran.
He was chosen for the 2006 FIFA World Cup finals. Before the tournament, he got an ankle injury during a match against Germany. Even with the injury, the coach decided to keep him on the team. He missed Japan's first game but played in the rest of the matches.
After the 2006 World Cup, a new coach, Ivica Osim, continued to pick Kaji for the national team. Kaji played in all of Japan's games at the 2007 AFC Asian Cup. On May 20, 2008, he announced that he was retiring from international football. He played a total of 64 games for Japan and scored 2 goals.
Honors and Achievements
Akira Kaji won many awards and championships during his football career.
- AFC Champions League – 2008
- Emperor's Cup – 2008, 2009
- J.League Cup – 2004, 2007
- Japanese Super Cup – 2007
With Japan National Team
- AFC Asian Cup – 2004 (Winner)
- FIFA World Youth Championship – 1999 (Runner-up)
Individual Awards
- J.League Best XI – 2006 (One of the best players in the league)
See also
In Spanish: Akira Kaji para niños
