Naotake Hanyu facts for kids
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Naotake Hanyu | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | December 22, 1979 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Chiba, Chiba, Japan | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.67 m (5 ft 5+1⁄2 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995–1997 | Yachiyo High School | |||||||||||||||||||||
| College career | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–2001 | University of Tsukuba | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2002–2007 | JEF United Chiba | 165 | (24) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2016 | FC Tokyo | 196 | (10) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2013 | →Ventforet Kofu (loan) | 20 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2017 | JEF United Chiba | 8 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 389 | (34) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2008 | Japan | 17 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Naotake Hanyu (born December 22, 1979) is a famous former Japanese football player. He was a midfielder who played for several top clubs in Japan. He also proudly represented the Japan national team in international matches.
Contents
Naotake Hanyu's Football Journey
Naotake Hanyu was born in Chiba, Japan, on December 22, 1979. After finishing his studies at the University of Tsukuba, he began his professional football career.
Starting Strong at JEF United
In 2002, Hanyu joined his hometown club, JEF United Ichihara. This club later changed its name to JEF United Chiba. He quickly became an important player for the team. In his very first professional season, he played 22 games and scored 2 goals. He often played as an attacking midfielder, helping his team score.
JEF United Chiba had great success with Hanyu on the team. They won the J.League Cup twice in a row, first in 2005 and then again in 2006. These were big wins for the club and for Hanyu.
Moving to FC Tokyo and More Wins
In 2008, Hanyu moved to FC Tokyo, another strong Japanese club. His success continued there. FC Tokyo won the J.League Cup in 2009.
In 2010, FC Tokyo was moved down to the J2 League, which is the second division of Japanese football. However, they quickly bounced back! In 2011, the team won the J2 League championship. They also won the Emperor's Cup in 2011, which is another major football tournament in Japan.
Returning Home and Retirement
From 2012, Hanyu faced some challenges, including injuries, which meant he played less often. In 2013, he went on loan to Ventforet Kofu to get more playing time. He returned to FC Tokyo in 2014.
Finally, in 2017, Hanyu made a special move back to his first professional club, JEF United Chiba. It was his first time playing for them in 10 years! He played for one more season before deciding to retire from professional football at the end of that year.
Playing for Japan
Naotake Hanyu also had a great career playing for his country, Japan.
Student Games Success
Even before he became a professional, Hanyu represented Japan. In 2001, while he was still a student at the University of Tsukuba, he played for Japan in the Summer Universiade in Beijing. This is a big sports event for university students from around the world. Hanyu was a key player, scoring 3 goals. He even scored the only goal in the final match against Ukraine, helping Japan win the whole tournament!
Joining the National Team
Hanyu made his debut for the senior Japan national team on August 13, 2006. This was in a qualifying match for the 2007 Asian Cup against Yemen. He came on as a substitute in that game.
He was chosen to be part of the Japan team for the main 2007 Asian Cup tournament. He played in five games during the tournament, usually coming on as a substitute to help the team. Japan finished in 4th place in that competition. Hanyu played a total of 17 games for Japan between 2006 and 2008.
Honors and Awards
Naotake Hanyu won several important trophies during his career:
Team Achievements
- JEF United Chiba
- J.League Cup: 2005, 2006
- FC Tokyo
- J2 League: 2011
- Emperor's Cup: 2011
- J.League Cup: 2009
See also
In Spanish: Naotake Hanyū para niños
