Nobuyuki Zaizen facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 19 October 1976 | ||
| Place of birth | Muroran, Hokkaido, Japan | ||
| Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1989–1994 | Verdy Kawasaki | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1995–1998 | Verdy Kawasaki | 0 | (0) |
| 1996 | → Logroñés (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 1999 | Rijeka | 0 | (0) |
| 1999–2005 | Vegalta Sendai | 154 | (18) |
| 2006–2009 | Montedio Yamagata | 105 | (5) |
| 2010 | Muangthong United | 11 | (0) |
| 2011 | BEC Tero Sasana | 10 | (0) |
| Total | 280 | (23) | |
| International career | |||
| 1993 | Japan U17 | 4 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Nobuyuki Zaizen (財前 宣之, Zaizen Nobuyuki, born 19 October 1976) is a Japanese former professional footballer. He played as a midfielder, which is a player who helps both defend and attack on the field.
Contents
About Nobuyuki Zaizen
His Early Life and Family
Nobuyuki Zaizen was born in Muroran, Japan, on October 19, 1976. He grew up with his older brother, Keiichi, who also became a professional footballer.
Playing for Clubs
Starting His Professional Journey
Nobuyuki Zaizen began his football career with Verdy Kawasaki in 1995. He had been part of their youth team before joining the main club. In 1996, he went to a Spanish club called Logroñés on a loan. A loan means a player temporarily plays for another team. However, he could not play any matches there because of an injury. He soon returned to Japan.
He played his first official match in the 1998 J.League Cup. After a short time with a Croatian club called Rijeka, he joined Vegalta Sendai in 1999. This club was in the J2 League, which is Japan's second-highest football league.
Success with Vegalta Sendai
At Vegalta Sendai, Zaizen became an important player. He often played as an offensive midfielder, helping to create scoring chances. In 2001, he became a regular starter for the team. That year, Vegalta Sendai achieved a big goal: they were promoted to the J1 League for the first time ever! The J1 League is Japan's top professional football league.
After 2002, Zaizen played less often, and Vegalta Sendai was relegated back to the J2 League at the end of the 2003 season. However, he became a regular player again from 2004.
Moving to New Teams
In 2006, Zaizen moved to another Japanese club, Montedio Yamagata. In 2008, even though he didn't play as much, Montedio Yamagata also made history. They were promoted to the J1 League for the first time!
In 2010, Zaizen moved to Thailand. He played for Muangthong United in 2010 and then for BEC Tero Sasana in 2011. He officially announced his retirement from playing football in January 2012.
Playing for Japan's National Team
In August 1993, when he was younger, Nobuyuki Zaizen was chosen to play for the Japanese under-17 team. He participated in the 1993 FIFA U-17 World Championship, which is a big international tournament for young players. He played in all four matches for Japan during that championship. He was even selected as a member of the 'All Star' team for the tournament, which means he was one of the best players there!
See also
In Spanish: Nobuyuki Zaizen para niños
