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Kōji Nakata
中田 浩二
Personal information
Full name Kōji Nakata
Date of birth (1979-07-09) 9 July 1979 (age 46)
Place of birth Otsu, Shiga, Japan
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Defender, midfielder
Youth career
1995–1997 Teikyo High School
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1998–2004 Kashima Antlers 144 (27)
2005–2006 Olympique Marseille 9 (0)
2006–2008 Basel 62 (3)
2008–2014 Kashima Antlers 122 (6)
Total 337 (36)
International career
1999 Japan U20 7 (0)
2000 Japan U23 3 (0)
2000–2007 Japan 57 (2)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Japan
AFC Asian Cup
Winner 2004 China
FIFA Confederations Cup
Runner-up 2001 Korea/Japan
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Kōji Nakata (中田 浩二, Nakata Kōji, born 9 July 1979) is a Japanese former professional footballer. He played as a defender and midfielder. He was also a key player for the Japan national team, playing in the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cup.

Club Career Highlights

Kōji Nakata was known for being a very flexible player. He could play in different positions on the field, especially as a strong defensive midfielder. This made him one of Japan's best players in that role.

Starting with Kashima Antlers

Nakata was born in Otsu on July 9, 1979. After finishing high school, he joined the Kashima Antlers football club in 1998. He played alongside other future Japan national team stars like Masashi Motoyama, Mitsuo Ogasawara, and Hitoshi Sogahata.

In his first year, he played as a defensive midfielder and helped his team win the J1 League championship. By 2000, he became a regular player. That year, Kashima Antlers had an amazing season, winning all three major Japanese titles: the J1 League, the J.League Cup, and the Emperor's Cup.

In 2001, the club won the J1 League again, and Nakata was chosen for the "Best Eleven" team, which means he was one of the top players in the league. They also won the J.League Cup in 2002.

Moving to Olympique Marseille

In early 2005, Nakata moved from Japan to France to play for Olympique de Marseille. His former Japan national team coach, Philippe Troussier, signed him. However, Troussier was soon replaced, and Nakata didn't play much. He decided to look for a new team.

Playing for FC Basel in Switzerland

In February 2006, Nakata joined FC Basel, a top team in Switzerland. He was the first Japanese player to play in the Swiss top league. He quickly made an impact, scoring his first goal for Basel just a week after his first game.

In the 2005–06 season, Basel almost won the league title but lost it on the very last day. Nakata helped the team reach the Swiss Cup final in 2007, which they won 1–0. He played in many of their league and cup matches.

Basel also played in European competitions like the UEFA Cup. Nakata played in many of these games, helping his team get through the early stages. In the 2007–08 season, Basel won both the league championship and the Swiss Cup, completing a "Double." Nakata was part of this successful team.

Overall, Nakata played 112 games for Basel and scored six goals during his time there.

Returning to Kashima Antlers

In July 2008, Nakata returned to his old club, Kashima Antlers. He continued to be a very flexible player, playing in various defensive roles like defensive midfielder, left-back, and center-back.

With Nakata back, Kashima Antlers continued their winning ways. They won the J1 League in 2008 and 2009. They also won the Emperor's Cup in 2010 and the J.League Cup in 2011 and 2012. Kōji Nakata retired from professional football at the end of the 2014 season.

International Career

Kōji Nakata played for Japan's national teams at different levels. Even though he often played as a defensive midfielder for his clubs, he played as a left-back for the national teams under coach Philippe Troussier.

Youth National Teams

In April 1999, Nakata played for the Japan U20 team in the 1999 World Youth Championship. He played in all seven matches, helping Japan reach second place in the tournament.

In September 2000, he was chosen for the Japan U23 team for the 2000 Summer Olympics. He was a regular player, but an injury in a match against Brazil stopped him from playing further in the tournament.

Senior National Team

Nakata made his debut for the Japan senior national team on February 5, 2000, against Mexico. In 2001 and 2002, he played in all matches for Japan, including the 2001 Confederations Cup and the 2002 World Cup. Japan finished second in the Confederations Cup. At the 2002 World Cup, he played every minute of all four matches.

After the 2002 World Cup, Nakata continued to play for Japan, often as a defensive midfielder under the new coach, Zico. He was part of the Japan squad for the 2003 and 2005 Confederations Cups, and the 2006 World Cup.

A big highlight was the 2004 AFC Asian Cup. Nakata played in four matches and scored two important goals in the semi-final and the final, helping Japan win the championship. He played a total of 57 games for Japan and scored 2 goals before his last international match in 2007.

Personal Life

Kōji Nakata is married to actress Nao Nagasawa. They got married on February 22, 2014, and have three children together.

Honours and Achievements

Kōji Nakata won many titles during his football career:

Kashima Antlers

Marseille

  • UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2005

FC Basel

Japan National Team

Individual Awards

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Kōji Nakata para niños

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