Masahiko Inoha facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Masahiko Inoha

Inoha in 2007
Personal information
Date of birth	(1985-08-28) 28 August 1985 (age 39)
Place of birth	Miyazaki, Japan
Height	1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Centre-back, full-back
Youth career
2001–2003	Kagoshima Jitsugyo High School
College career
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2004–2005	Hannan University
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2006–2007	FC Tokyo	48	(1)
2008–2011	Kashima Antlers	89	(2)
2011–2012	Hajduk Split	15	(1)
2012	Vissel Kobe	22	(0)
2013–2015	Júbilo Iwata	82	(3)
2016–2018	Vissel Kobe	52	(0)
2019–2021	Yokohama FC	66	(0)
2022	Nankatsu SC	0	(0)
International career
2006–2007	Japan U-23
2011–2014	Japan	21	(1)
Medal record Kashima Antlers Winner J1 League 2008 Winner J1 League 2009 Winner J.League Cup 2011 Winner Emperor's Cup 2010 Representing  Japan AFC Asian Cup Gold 2011 Qatar
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 01:04, 16 November 2022 (UTC)

Masahiko Inoha (伊野波 雅彦, Inoha Masahiko, born 28 August 1985) is a Japanese professional footballer. He was born on August 28, 1985. He plays as a defender, usually in the center (a centre-back) or on the side (a full-back).

Masahiko Inoha's Football Journey

Masahiko Inoha started his football journey in high school. He played for Kagoshima Jitsugyo High School. After high school, he continued to play football at Hannan University.

Early Career and University Success

While at Hannan University, Inoha was part of the Japan team. This team won the football competition at the 23rd Universiade. This big sports event was held in İzmir, Turkey. His strong performance in university football leagues caught the eye of Japan's youth team coach. This led to him being chosen for the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship.

Joining FC Tokyo and National Team Calls

After a successful tryout, Inoha signed with FC Tokyo. He took a break from his university studies to play professionally. His manager, Alexandre Gallo, quickly made him a starting player in the midfield.

In 2006, he was called up to the national team twice. He was later chosen for the 2007 AFC Asian Cup finals. However, he did not get to play in that competition.

Time with Kashima Antlers and International Debut

In 2008, Inoha moved to Kashima Antlers, which was a top team in Japan. He was an important player for Japan's Under-23 team. However, he did not join the U-23 squad for the Beijing Olympics football competition.

He was part of the team for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup finals. He played his first full international game for Japan on January 17, 2011, against Saudi Arabia. In a game against Qatar during the 2011 AFC Asian Cup, he scored a goal in the 89th minute. Japan won that game 3–2.

Playing in Croatia with Hajduk Split

In the summer of 2011, Masahiko Inoha moved to Croatia. He joined a big club there called Hajduk Split. He scored his only goal for Hajduk in a 3–0 win against Lučko on October 21, 2011.

He found it hard to get used to life in Croatia. He mentioned that learning the new language was difficult. Also, there were no other Asian players on the team, which made it harder to adapt. In January 2012, he stopped training because he was not getting paid. Many players at Hajduk Split were not paid at that time because the club had financial problems. He was fined for missing training. Eventually, he ended his contract and went back to Japan in late January 2012. He played 16 games for Hajduk Split. He said he had never been so sad in his career as he was during those last two weeks.

Return to Japan and Later Clubs

After leaving Croatia, Masahiko Inoha signed with Vissel Kobe in early 2012. After Vissel Kobe was moved down to a lower league in 2012, Inoha moved to Júbilo Iwata in January 2013. He played 25 games and scored one goal in his first season with Iwata. Unfortunately, his team was also moved down to a lower league that year.

He played three seasons for Jubilo Iwata. He helped them get promoted back to the top league. After the 2015 season, he left the club. In February 2016, he signed with Vissel Kobe again. He continued his career playing for Yokohama FC and later Nankatsu SC.

Career Statistics Summary

Masahiko Inoha played many games throughout his career for different clubs and for the Japanese national team.

Club Appearances and Goals

Note: The table above shows his league appearances and goals for each club. His total career appearances include cup games and other matches.

International Appearances and Goals

Masahiko Inoha also represented his country, Japan, in international football.

He scored one goal for Japan in an international match:

List of international goals scored by Masahiko Inoha

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	21 January 2011	Al-Gharafa Stadium, Doha, Qatar	Qatar	3–2	3–2	2011 AFC Asian Cup

Honours and Achievements

Masahiko Inoha won several important titles during his football career.

Club Honours

Kashima Antlers

• J. League Division 1:
  • 2008
  • 2009
• Emperor's Cup:
  • 2010
• Japanese Super Cup:
  • 2009
  • 2010

International Honours

Japan

• AFC Asian Cup:
  • 2011

See also

In Spanish: Masahiko Inoha para niños