Atsuto Uchida facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Atsuto Uchida
内田篤人

Uchida training with Schalke 04 in 2015
Personal information
Date of birth	(1988-03-27) 27 March 1988 (age 37)
Place of birth	Kannami, Shizuoka, Japan
Height	1.76m
Playing position	Right-back
Youth career
2003–2005	Shimizu Higashi High School
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2006–2010	Kashima Antlers	124	(3)
2010–2017	Schalke 04	104	(1)
2017–2018	Union Berlin	2	(0)
2018–2020	Kashima Antlers	24	(0)
Total		252	(4)
National team
2005–2007	Japan U20	12	(0)
2007–2008	Japan U23	8	(0)
2008–2015	Japan	74	(2)
Honours Kashima Antlers Winner AFC Champions League 2018 Winner J1 League 2007 Winner J1 League 2008 Winner J1 League 2009 Runner-up J.League Cup 2006 Winner Emperor's Cup 2007 Winner Emperor's Cup 2010 Schalke Runner-up DFL-Supercup 2010 Winner DFB-Pokal 2011 Winner DFL-Supercup 2011 Representing  Japan AFC Asian Cup Gold 2011 Qatar AFC U-19 Championship Silver 2006 India
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Atsuto Uchida (born March 27, 1988) is a Japanese former professional footballer. He played as a right-back, a defensive position on the right side of the field.

Uchida began his career in 2006 with Kashima Antlers in Japan when he was just 17 years old. He helped them win three J1 League titles. In 2010, he moved to Germany to play for Schalke 04. With Schalke, he won the 2010–11 DFB-Pokal (German Cup). He was also chosen for the Bundesliga team of the season twice.

After playing for Union Berlin for a short time, Uchida returned to Kashima Antlers. He retired from football in 2020.

Uchida also played for the Japan national team 74 times. He represented his country in major tournaments like the 2011 AFC Asian Cup and the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Many consider him one of the best Asian right-backs ever. However, several long-term injuries led him to retire at age 32.

Atsuto Uchida's Football Journey

Early Days and Kashima Antlers

Atsuto Uchida was born in Kannami, Shizuoka, Japan. He went to Shimizu Higashi High School and played football there. At first, he played as a winger because he was very fast. But his school director, Kazuo Umeda, changed his position to right-back. This is the position he became famous for.

In 2006, Uchida joined Kashima Antlers right after high school. On March 5, 2006, he played his first professional game for Kashima Antlers. He was only 17. He quickly became a regular player in the right-back position. Uchida scored his first professional goal on March 21, 2006. He ended his first season with 41 appearances and two goals. People voted for him to play in the 2006 J. League All-Star Soccer game.

In 2007, Uchida continued to play well for Kashima Antlers. He helped the team win nine games in a row. He also helped the club win the league title for the first time in a while. In the Emperor's Cup final, Uchida scored the first goal. Kashima Antlers won the cup, achieving a "double" (winning two major titles in one season). He played 44 games and scored one goal that season. He was again chosen for the 2007 J. League All-Star Soccer game.

The 2008 season started with Uchida playing in the Japanese Super Cup. He also made his debut in the AFC Champions League. He helped the team keep clean sheets (not letting the other team score) in their first two league games. Uchida scored his first goal of the season in November 2008. He helped Kashima Antlers win the league title for the second year in a row. He played 34 games and scored once. For his great performance, he was named in the J. League Best Eleven team for the first time.

Before the 2009 season, some European clubs were interested in signing Uchida. He helped Kashima Antlers win the Japanese Super Cup. Uchida started almost every game as a right-back. He scored his first goal of the season in the AFC Champions League. He played his 100th game for Kashima Antlers that season. On the last day of the season, he helped his team win the league for the third time in a row. He played 43 games and scored once. He was named in the J. League Best Eleven again.

In 2010, European clubs were still interested in Uchida. He helped Kashima Antlers win the Japanese Super Cup again. He continued to play as a right-back and scored his first goal of the season in March. His last game for Kashima Antlers was in May 2010. He played 17 games and scored once before leaving the club.

Moving to Germany: Schalke 04

Uchida training for Schalke 04 in his first season

On June 13, 2010, Uchida joined the German club Schalke 04. He signed a three-year contract. He made his debut for Schalke 04 in the 2010 DFL-Supercup against Bayern Munich. He then made his league debut in the first game of the season.

On September 29, 2010, Uchida played his first UEFA Champions League game for Schalke 04. He helped the team keep three clean sheets in December. After returning from playing for Japan in the 2011 AFC Asian Cup, he helped Schalke's defense again. On March 12, 2011, after a win, Uchida wore a special shirt. It showed support for Japan after the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. He became the first Japanese player to reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League. Schalke 04 also won the DFB-Pokal Final (German Cup). In his first season, Uchida played 43 games.

Uchida taking a shot during his time at Schalke

In the 2011–12 season, Uchida competed for the right-back spot. He suffered a muscle injury that kept him out for a month. Later in the season, he became a regular starter again. He played 26 games that season.

Before the 2012–13 season, Uchida signed a new contract with Schalke 04 until 2015. On November 3, 2012, he scored his first goal for the club. He then had another muscle injury. After returning, he played a key role in a big game against Borussia Dortmund, setting up two goals in a 2–1 win. He helped Schalke 04 finish fourth in the league, which meant they qualified for the UEFA Champions League. He played 30 games and scored once. He was named in the Bundesliga Team of the Season.

In the 2013–14 season, Uchida started well but then had a muscle injury. He returned and helped Schalke reach the Champions League group stage. On September 18, 2013, he scored his first UEFA Champions League goal. He also set up two goals in a league match. However, he suffered a tendon injury in February 2014. This injury kept him out for the rest of the season. He played 27 games and scored once. He was named in the Bundesliga Team of the Season again.

The 2014–15 season started with Uchida having a knee problem. He returned in September 2014. His manager praised his performance after seven months out. Uchida signed a new contract until 2018. He was named October's Player of the Month. However, he faced more knee problems and was injured twice. He played 20 games that season.

Uchida had an operation on his knee before the 2015–16 season. He tried to recover but suffered another knee injury. This kept him out for the entire season. In the 2016–17 season, he returned to training but had two more injuries. He made only one appearance that season, in a UEFA Europa League match. By the time he left Schalke 04, he had played 153 games and scored two goals. On September 10, 2017, Schalke 04 gave him a special farewell before a match.

Short Stop at Union Berlin

On August 21, 2017, Uchida joined Union Berlin, a team in Germany's second division. Schalke let him leave for free because of his long time at the club.

Uchida played his first game for Union Berlin on September 10, 2017. He came on as a substitute and helped create a goal. He made his first start on September 19. However, he played only two games before getting a thigh injury in October. He decided to leave Union Berlin and return to Japan.

Back Home: Return to Kashima Antlers

On January 2, 2018, Uchida rejoined Kashima Antlers in Japan. He had been away for seven and a half years.

He played his first game back for Kashima Antlers in eight years. It was the opening game of the season. But he soon suffered a thigh injury. He returned in April 2018 and played a few games. He set up two goals in two matches. However, he then had a knee injury that kept him out for two months. He returned in July 2018. Uchida scored an important goal in the AFC Champions League against Suwon Samsung Bluewings. This helped Kashima Antlers reach the AFC Champions League Final for the first time. While he was injured, Kashima Antlers won the AFC Champions League trophy. He played 23 games and scored once that season.

Before the 2019 season, Uchida became the new captain of Kashima Antlers. He captained several matches and helped the team earn points. However, he suffered a knee injury in March 2019. This kept him out for several months. He returned in August 2019. He continued as captain, even when he was a substitute. He helped Kashima Antlers finish third in the league. He played 12 games that season.

At the start of the 2020 season, Uchida had a calf injury. The season was then paused because of the pandemic. This gave him more time to recover. When the league restarted, he played his first game of the season in July. On August 12, 2020, he captained the club for the first time that season. Eight days later, he announced he was retiring from professional football. His last game was on August 23, 2020, against Gamba Osaka. After the game, he thanked the club and hoped his story would inspire young players. He played three games in his final season.

Life After Playing Football

After retiring, Uchida started coaching. He became a role model coach for the Japan U19 team. However, he had said before that he didn't want to be a manager because he found leadership difficult.

International Career

Playing for Japan's Youth Teams

Uchida defending Brazil's Neymar during a match at the Confederations Cup in 2013.

Uchida played for Japan at different youth levels. He was part of the Japan team that played in the 2006 AFC Youth Championship. He helped Japan's defense keep two clean sheets. Japan reached the finals but lost to North Korea on penalties.

Uchida also played in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada. He helped Japan keep clean sheets in two matches. Japan made it to the knockout stage but lost on penalties to Czech Republic.

In July 2008, Uchida was called up to the Japan U23 squad for the 2008 Summer Olympics. He played two games in the tournament. Japan was eliminated in the group stage.

Playing for the Senior National Team

Uchida playing for the Japan national team.

Uchida made his full international debut for the Japan national team (also known as the Samurai Blue) on January 26, 2008. It was a friendly game against Chile. He played the full 90 minutes in the next game, helping Japan keep a clean sheet. On February 6, 2008, he became the youngest Japanese player to play in a FIFA World Cup qualification match. On June 22, 2008, he scored his first international goal against Bahrain. He became the youngest Japanese goalscorer in World Cup qualification history.

In 2009, Uchida helped Japan qualify for the World Cup. He also helped Japan keep four clean sheets in friendly matches.

In 2010, Uchida was part of the Japan team for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. However, he was a substitute in all the matches. He later said he was disappointed and hoped his move to Schalke 04 would make him a better player.

In December 2010, Uchida was called up for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar. He played in the first three matches, helping Japan reach the knockout stage. He returned for the semi-finals against South Korea. In the AFC Asian Cup Final against Australia, Uchida played the entire game. Japan won the Asian Cup 1–0.

Later, he helped Japan keep several clean sheets. On June 4, 2013, he helped Japan qualify for the World Cup after drawing with Australia. He was then called up for the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup. He played three times in the tournament, but Japan lost all their matches.

In May 2014, Uchida was chosen for Japan's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He scored his second international goal in a friendly match against Cyprus before the World Cup. Unlike the previous World Cup, Uchida started all three matches. Japan was eliminated in the group stage. After the tournament, Uchida hinted that he might retire from the national team.

He was recovering from an injury and was not picked for the 2015 AFC Asian Cup. He returned to the national team in March 2015 for the Kirin Challenge Cup. He played two matches, both wins. After this, he hoped to be called up again, but it didn't happen.

Personal Life

Atsuto Uchida is very popular in Japan. In 2011, 90 Japanese women traveled to Germany just to watch him play for Schalke 04. His popularity led Schalke 04 to create an official Japanese website and Twitter account. Some even called him the "Japanese Beckham".

Uchida voiced a character named Uschi in the Pokémon movie Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction. When he was growing up, his favorite manga was Captain Tsubasa. He supported the football club Júbilo Iwata. Since May 2015, Uchida has been married to Yuko Aoki, whom he has known since childhood. They have three daughters.

Earlier in his career, Uchida thought about going to university to become a teacher. In 2016, Uchida and his teammate Yuya Osako opened a football training center in Kashima. Three years later, they released an exercise book. His teammate Maya Yoshida said they were best friends and competitors.

In 2008, Uchida started working with a Players' Agent named Tetsuro Kiyooka. This helped him move to Europe and join Schalke 04 two years later. While playing for Schalke 04, Uchida lived in Düsseldorf.

Career statistics

Club

International

Scores and results list Japan's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Uchida goal.

List of international goals scored by Atsuto Uchida

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	22 June 2008	Saitama Stadium, Saitama, Japan	Bahrain	1–0	1–0	2010 FIFA World Cup Qualification
2	27 May 2014	Saitama Stadium, Saitama, Japan	Cyprus	1–0	1–0	Friendly

Honours

Kashima Antlers

• J. League Division 1: 2007, 2008, 2009
• Emperor's Cup: 2007
• Japanese Super Cup: 2009, 2010
• AFC Champions League: 2018

Schalke 04

• DFB-Pokal: 2010–11
• DFL-Supercup: 2011

Japan

• AFC Asian Cup: 2011

Individual

• J.League Best XI: 2008, 2009
• Bundesliga Team of the Season: 2012–13, 2013–14
• J.League 30th Anniversary Team

See also

In Spanish: Atsuto Uchida para niños