Naoki Chiba facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Naoki Chiba | ||
| Date of birth | July 24, 1977 | ||
| Place of birth | Sendai, Miyagi, Japan | ||
| Height | 1.79 m (5 ft 10+1⁄2 in) | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1993–1995 | Tohoku Gakuin High School | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1996–2010 | Vegalta Sendai | 430 | (18) |
| Total | 430 | (18) | |
|
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Naoki Chiba (千葉 直樹, Chiba Naoki, born July 24, 1977) is a former Japanese football player. He played as a midfielder. Chiba spent his entire professional career playing for Vegalta Sendai.
Contents
Naoki Chiba's Football Journey
Naoki Chiba was born in Sendai, Japan, on July 24, 1977. After finishing high school, he began his football career in 1996. He joined a team called Brummel Sendai. This team later became known as Vegalta Sendai. It was his hometown club.
Becoming a Key Player
Chiba quickly became an important player for the team. From 1997, he played many matches as a defensive midfielder. This role means he helped protect the team's goal. He was very good at stopping opponents' attacks.
Moving Up the Leagues
In 1999, his club, Vegalta Sendai, moved up to a new league called J2 League. Chiba continued to play a big part in the team. In 2001, the team finished second in J2 League. This success meant they were promoted to the top league, the J1 League, for the 2002 season.
Challenges and Comebacks
When Vegalta Sendai joined the J1 League, new players joined the team. This meant Chiba had fewer chances to play in 2002 and 2003. The team was then relegated back to J2 League in 2004. However, Chiba became a regular player again from 2004. He helped his team try to get back to the top league.
Return to J1 and Retirement
In 2009, Vegalta Sendai won the J2 League championship. This was a great achievement! They were promoted back to the J1 League for the 2010 season. This was their first time back in J1 in seven years. Naoki Chiba played one more season in the J1 League. He then retired from professional football at the end of the 2010 season.
Chiba played a total of 430 league matches and scored 18 goals for Vegalta Sendai during his career. He was a loyal player who spent his entire professional career with one club.
See also
In Spanish: Naoki Chiba para niños
