Naoki Sugai facts for kids
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Naoki Sugai | ||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 21 September 1984 | ||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Yamagata, Yamagata, Japan | ||||||||||||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||||||||||||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||
| 2000–2002 | Yamagata Chuo High School | ||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | ||||||||||
| 2003–2018 | Vegalta Sendai | 389 | (40) | ||||||||||
| Total | 389 | (40) | |||||||||||
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Honours
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Naoki Sugai (born September 21, 1984) is a former Japanese football player. He spent his entire professional career playing for Vegalta Sendai.
Contents
Playing Career Highlights
Sugai was born in Yamagata, Japan. After finishing high school, he joined the J1 League club Vegalta Sendai in 2003. In his first year, he did not play in any matches. His team, Vegalta Sendai, was moved down to the J2 League at the end of the 2003 season.
Becoming a Key Player
From 2004, Sugai started playing in many games. He often played as a defensive midfielder. This role helps protect the team's goal. In 2006, a new manager, Joel Santana, changed his position. Sugai became a right side back. This position involves both defending and attacking on the right side of the field. He played regularly in this role for many years.
In the 2009 season, Vegalta Sendai won the championship in the J2 League. This win meant they were promoted back to the J1 League.
Success in J1 League
The 2011 season was challenging for Sendai. A big earthquake and tsunami hit the region. Despite this, Vegalta Sendai had an amazing season. They finished in 4th place, which was the best result in the club's history at that time.
In the 2012 season, Vegalta Sendai did even better. They finished in 2nd place in the J1 League. This high finish allowed them to play in the 2013 AFC Champions League. This is a major competition for top clubs in Asia.
Later Career and Retirement
From 2016, Sugai's chances to play in matches became less frequent. Another player, Kazuki Oiwa, often played in his position. Naoki Sugai decided to retire from professional football at the end of the 2018 season. He played a total of 389 league matches and scored 40 goals for Vegalta Sendai.
