Masaya Nishitani facts for kids
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Masaya Nishitani | ||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | September 16, 1978 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Tokushima, Tokushima, Japan | ||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1994–1996 | Hokuyo High School | ||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | ||||||||||||||||
| 1997–2001 | Cerezo Osaka | 99 | (22) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2002–2003 | Vissel Kobe | 17 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2004 | Vegalta Sendai | 9 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2005 | Urawa Reds | 2 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2008 | Consadole Sapporo | 108 | (16) | ||||||||||||||||
| Total | 235 | (39) | |||||||||||||||||
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Masaya Nishitani (西谷 正也, Nishitani Masaya, born September 16, 1978) is a former Japanese football player. He played as a midfielder during his professional career. Nishitani was known for his skills on the field. He played for several teams in Japan's top football leagues.
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Playing Career: A Football Journey
Masaya Nishitani was born in Tokushima, Japan, on September 16, 1978. After finishing high school, he started his professional football journey. He joined the club Cerezo Osaka in 1997.
Early Days at Cerezo Osaka
When Nishitani first started, he was a forward player. However, he soon changed his position to a left midfielder. He played many games for Cerezo Osaka starting in 1998.
In 2001, his chances to play became fewer. That year, Cerezo Osaka was moved down to a lower league, called the J2 League. This happens when a team doesn't perform well enough in the top league.
Moving to New Teams
After leaving Cerezo Osaka, Nishitani played for a few other clubs. From 2002 to 2003, he played for Vissel Kobe. In 2004, he joined Vegalta Sendai. Then, in 2005, he moved to Urawa Reds.
During his time at these clubs, he didn't get to play in many matches. It can be tough for players to find their rhythm when they don't get regular playing time.
Success with Consadole Sapporo
In September 2005, Nishitani made a big move to Consadole Sapporo. This club was in the J2 League at the time. Here, he found his stride again and played in many games.
His hard work paid off! In 2007, Consadole Sapporo won the championship in the J2 League. This win meant they were promoted back to the J1 League, which is Japan's top football division. Nishitani continued to play for them in the J1 League.
He decided to retire from professional football at the end of the 2008 season.
Representing Japan: Under-17 Team
Masaya Nishitani also had the honor of being selected for his country's team. In August 1995, he was chosen for the Japan U-17 national team. This team was going to play in the 1995 FIFA U-17 World Championship. Even though he was part of the squad, he did not get to play in any of the matches during the tournament.
