Katsuyuki Saito facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Katsuyuki Saito | ||
| Date of birth | April 7, 1973 | ||
| Place of birth | Fukushima, Japan | ||
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Playing position | Defender | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Fukushima Higashi High School | |||
| University of Tsukuba | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1997–2001 | Vegalta Sendai | 82 | (2) |
| Total | 82 | (2) | |
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Katsuyuki Saito (斎藤 克幸, Saitō Katsuyuki, born April 7, 1973) is a former Japanese football player. He was known for playing as a defender, which means his main job was to stop the other team from scoring goals. Saito played his entire professional career for one team, Vegalta Sendai.
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Saito's Football Journey
Katsuyuki Saito was born in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, on April 7, 1973. Before becoming a professional football player, he studied at the University of Tsukuba. After finishing university, Saito joined a football club called Brummell Sendai in 1997. This club later changed its name to Vegalta Sendai.
Becoming a Regular Player
From his very first season in 1997, Saito quickly became an important player for Brummell Sendai. He played as a right side back, a position that requires both good defense and the ability to help with attacks. He played in 27 league games that year and even scored 2 goals!
Moving Up the Leagues
In 1999, Saito's team, Vegalta Sendai, achieved a big goal. They were promoted to the J2 League. This is a higher level of professional football in Japan. Saito continued to play for the team in this new league.
Later Career and Retirement
After 1999, Saito's chances to play in games started to decrease. He played fewer matches in 2000 and did not play any league games in 2001. At the end of the 2001 season, Katsuyuki Saito decided to retire from professional football. During his career, he played a total of 94 league games and scored 2 goals.
