Naoto Matsuo facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | September 10, 1979 | ||
| Place of birth | Wakayama, Japan | ||
| Height | 1.81 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in) | ||
| Playing position | Defender | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1995–1997 | Kindai University Wakayama High School | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1998–2005 | Vissel Kobe | 71 | (3) |
| 1999 | →Gimnasia y Esgrima Jujuy (loan) | ||
| 2002 | →Cerezo Osaka (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 2004 | →Albirex Niigata (loan) | 11 | (1) |
| 2006 | FC Tokyo | 0 | (0) |
| 2007–2009 | Albirex Niigata | 63 | (2) |
| 2010–2011 | Shonan Bellmare | 4 | (0) |
| 2012–2013 | FC Osaka | 19 | (3) |
| Total | 168 | (9) | |
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Naoto Matsuo (松尾 直人, Matsuo Naoto, born September 10, 1979) is a former Japanese football player. He played as a defender. Matsuo spent most of his career playing for Japanese clubs like Vissel Kobe and Albirex Niigata.
Contents
Playing Career Highlights
Naoto Matsuo was born in Wakayama, Japan, on September 10, 1979. After finishing high school, he began his professional football journey.
Starting with Vissel Kobe
In 1998, Matsuo joined Vissel Kobe, a club in the top Japanese league, J1 League. In his first season, he played in many games as a substitute midfielder.
Loan to Argentina
In 1999, Matsuo had a unique experience. He moved to an Argentine club called Gimnasia y Esgrima Jujuy for a short time. This kind of move is called a "loan," where a player temporarily plays for another team. He returned to Vissel Kobe in April 1999.
Moving Between Clubs
Matsuo continued to play for Vissel Kobe, often as a left-sided defender. In 2002, he was loaned to J2 League club Cerezo Osaka, but he did not play any matches there. He then returned to Vissel Kobe.
In 2004, he was loaned again, this time to Albirex Niigata, a team that had just moved up to the J1 League. He played many games as a left-back for them. After this loan, he went back to Vissel Kobe for the 2005 season.
Later Career and Retirement
In 2006, Matsuo moved to FC Tokyo, but he could not play any matches due to an injury. The next year, in 2007, he joined Albirex Niigata permanently. He became a regular player there, often playing as a left-sided defender. However, his playing time became less frequent by 2009.
In 2010, Matsuo moved to Shonan Bellmare. Injuries continued to affect him, and he played very few matches. In 2012, he joined FC Osaka, a club in the Regional Leagues. Naoto Matsuo retired from professional football at the end of the 2013 season.
