Naoki Soma facts for kids
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 19 July 1971 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Shizuoka, Shizuoka, Japan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.75 m | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Midfielder, defender | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current club | Kagoshima United (manager) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1987–1989 | Shimizu Higashi High School | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1994–2003 | Kashima Antlers | 250 | (10) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2002 | →Tokyo Verdy (loan) | 27 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2005 | Kawasaki Frontale | 27 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 304 | (10) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995–1999 | Japan | 58 | (4) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Teams managed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010 | Machida Zelvia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2012 | Kawasaki Frontale | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2019 | Machida Zelvia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | Kashima Antlers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022–2023 | Omiya Ardija | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2025– | Kagoshima United | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Honours
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Naoki Soma (相馬 直樹, Sōma Naoki, born July 19, 1971) is a Japanese football (soccer) manager and former player. He played for the Japan national team until 1999. He is set to manage Kagoshima United starting in 2025.
Contents
Playing Career: Club Success
Naoki Soma was born in Shizuoka, Japan, on July 19, 1971. After finishing his studies at Waseda University, he joined the football club Kashima Antlers in 1994.
Becoming a Star Player
Soma quickly became a key player for Kashima Antlers. He played as a left-back, helping the team win many important titles. In the 1990s, the club won the J1 League in 1996 and 1998. They also won the J.League Cup in 1997 and the Emperor's Cup in 1997.
Individual Achievements and Challenges
Naoki Soma was recognized as one of the best players in the league. He was chosen for the "Best Eleven" team four years in a row, from 1995 to 1998. This award goes to the top players in the J.League each season.
In 2000, his team, Kashima Antlers, had an amazing year. They won all three major titles in Japan: the J1 League, the J.League Cup, and the Emperor's Cup. However, Soma got injured in late 2000 and couldn't play for about a year.
Later Career and Retirement
When he returned in 2001, he didn't get to play as much. In 2002, he moved to Tokyo Verdy for a short time. He came back to Kashima Antlers in 2003 before joining Kawasaki Frontale in 2004. At Kawasaki Frontale, he played as a defensive midfielder. Naoki Soma retired from playing football at the end of the 2005 season.
Playing Career: International Matches
Naoki Soma made his first appearance for the Japan national team on May 28, 1995, against Ecuador. After this, he became a regular player for Japan, usually playing as a left-back or left midfielder.
World Cup Qualification
In 1996, he played in all of Japan's matches, including the 1996 AFC Asian Cup. A big moment for Japanese football happened in 1997. Japan qualified for the 1998 FIFA World Cup for the very first time in its history. Soma played in all the important qualification matches and also in all of Japan's games at the 1998 World Cup. He also played in the 1999 Copa America. Overall, he played 58 games for Japan and scored 4 goals before 1999.
Coaching Career
After retiring as a player in 2005, Naoki Soma started a new career as a football manager.
Early Coaching Roles
He first managed Japan Football League team FC Machida Zelvia in 2010. Then, he became the manager for J1 League team Kawasaki Frontale in 2011. However, he left Kawasaki Frontale in April 2012.
Return to Machida Zelvia and Recent Roles
In 2014, he returned to manage FC Machida Zelvia, which was then in the J3 League. He helped the team finish second in 2015, which meant they were promoted to the J2 League. On November 14, 2024, it was announced that Naoki Soma will become the manager of Kagoshima United starting in 2025.
Career Statistics
These tables show how many games Naoki Soma played and how many goals he scored for his clubs and the national team.
Club
| Club | Season | League | Emperor's Cup | J.League Cup | Continental | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Kashima Antlers | 1994 | 28 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | 30 | 0 | |
| 1995 | 50 | 3 | 4 | 0 | – | – | 54 | 3 | |||
| 1996 | 30 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 0 | – | 47 | 2 | ||
| 1997 | 21 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 1 | – | 28 | 1 | ||
| 1998 | 34 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | 39 | 1 | ||
| 1999 | 30 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 1 | – | 39 | 1 | ||
| 2000 | 30 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 0 | – | 41 | 2 | ||
| 2001 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | 11 | 0 | ||
| 2003 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 26 | 3 | |
| Tokyo Verdy (loan) | 2002 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | – | 33 | 0 | |
| Kawasaki Frontale | 2004 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 16 | 0 | ||
| 2005 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | – | 17 | 0 | ||
| Total | 304 | 10 | 29 | 0 | 45 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 381 | 13 | |
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | 1995 | 9 | 0 |
| 1996 | 13 | 2 | |
| 1997 | 21 | 1 | |
| 1998 | 10 | 1 | |
| 1999 | 5 | 0 | |
| Total | 58 | 4 | |
- Scores and results list Japan's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Soma goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 29 May 1996 | Fukuoka, Japan |  Mexico |
3–2 | 3–2 | 1996 Kirin Cup |
| 2 | 12 December 1996 | Al Ain, United Arab Emirates |  China |
1–0 | 1–0 | 1996 AFC Asian Cup |
| 3 | 25 March 1997 | Muscat, Oman |  Macau |
3–0 | 10–0 | 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 4 | 17 May 1998 | Tokyo, Japan |  Paraguay |
1–1 | 1–1 | 1998 Kirin Cup |
Managerial Statistics
This table shows Naoki Soma's record as a football manager.
| Team | From | To | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | Win % | |||
| Kawasaki Frontale | 2011 | 2012 | 41 | 16 | 6 | 19 | 39.02 |
| FC Machida Zelvia | 2014 | 2019 | 195 | 93 | 58 | 44 | 47.69 |
| Kashima Antlers | 2021 | present | |||||
| Total | 236 | 109 | 64 | 63 | 46.19 | ||
Honors and Awards
Naoki Soma won many awards and titles during his football career.
- J1 League: 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001
- Emperor's Cup: 1997, 2000
- J.League Cup: 1997, 2000, 2002
- Japanese Super Cup: 1997, 1998, 1999
Individual Awards
- J1 League Best Eleven: 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 (This award goes to the best players in the league each season)
- Selected to AFC All Star Team: 1997 (This means he was chosen as one of the best players in Asia)
- J1 League Fair Play Individual: 1998 (This award is given to a player who shows great sportsmanship)
