Koji Kumagai facts for kids
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Koji Kumagai | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | October 23, 1975 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Towada, Aomori, Japan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.77 m (5 ft 9+1⁄2 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1991–1993 | Sanbongi Agricultural High School | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1994–2004 | Kashima Antlers | 116 | (10) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2005 | Vegalta Sendai | 40 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 156 | (10) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995 | Japan U-20 | 4 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Koji Kumagai (熊谷 浩二, Kumagai Koji, born October 23, 1975) is a former Japanese football player. He played as a Midfielder. Kumagai is well-known for his time with Kashima Antlers, where he helped the team win many important championships. He also played for the Japan U-20 national team.
Contents
Koji Kumagai's Club Journey
Koji Kumagai was born in Towada, Japan, on October 23, 1975. After finishing high school, he joined the Kashima Antlers football club in 1994.
Playing for Kashima Antlers
During the 1990s, Koji didn't play in many matches. However, in the year 2000, he became a regular player. He often played as a defensive midfielder, helping to protect his team's goal.
That year, 2000, was amazing for Kashima Antlers! They won all three major football titles in Japan: the J1 League, the J.League Cup, and the Emperor's Cup. This was the first time in J1 League history that a team won all three championships in one year.
Kashima Antlers continued their success. They also won the J1 League championship in 2001 and the 2002 J.League Cup in 2002. Koji was part of these winning teams.
Moving to Vegalta Sendai
In 2003, Koji didn't play as much for Kashima Antlers. In July 2004, he moved to another team called Vegalta Sendai. He played for Vegalta Sendai until the end of the 2005 season, when he decided to retire from professional football.
Representing Japan: National Team Career
In April 1995, Koji Kumagai was chosen to play for the Japan U-20 national team. This was a big honor! He played in the 1995 World Youth Championship.
Koji played in all four matches during the tournament. He played the entire game in each match as a defensive midfielder, showing how important he was to the team.
See also
In Spanish: Kōji Kumagai para niños
