Shinji Ono facts for kids
Ono playing for Western Sydney Wanderers in 2013
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 27 September 1979 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Numazu, Shizuoka, Japan | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.75 m | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Midfielder | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Imazawa Boys SC | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1992–1994 | Imazawa Junior High School | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995–1997 | Shimizu Shogyo High School | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–2001 | Urawa Reds | 79 | (20) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2005 | Feyenoord | 112 | (19) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2007 | Urawa Reds | 53 | (8) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2009 | VfL Bochum | 29 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2012 | Shimizu S-Pulse | 70 | (8) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2014 | Western Sydney Wanderers | 51 | (10) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2019 | Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo | 62 | (2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2019–2020 | FC Ryukyu | 23 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2021–2023 | Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo | 6 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 485 | (67) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| National team | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995 | Japan U-17 | 3 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1999 | Japan U-20 | 6 | (2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2004 | Japan Olympic (O.P.) | 3 | (2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–2008 | Japan | 56 | (6) | |||||||||||||||||||
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Honours
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Shinji Ono (小野 伸二, Ono Shinji, born 27 September 1979) is a famous Japanese former professional footballer. He was known for his amazing vision, technique, and passing skills. People even called him Tensai, which means Genius in Japanese!
Shinji Ono started his senior career with the J1 League team Urawa Reds in Japan. Later, in 2001, he moved to the Dutch team Feyenoord. There, he helped them win the UEFA Cup in 2002, making history as the first Japanese player to win a European trophy.
He returned to Urawa Reds in 2006 and helped them win the J.League title in 2006 and the AFC Champions League in 2007. After playing for other clubs like VfL Bochum in Germany, Shimizu S-Pulse, Western Sydney Wanderers, Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo, and FC Ryukyu, he retired in 2023.
Shinji Ono also played for the Japan national team 56 times. He was part of Japan's squads for the 1998, 2002, and 2006 World Cups.
Contents
Shinji Ono's Football Journey
Starting with Urawa Reds
Shinji Ono grew up in Shizuoka Prefecture in Japan. He began his professional football journey with Urawa Reds in the J1 League in 1998. That same year, when he was just 18, he became the youngest Japanese player to play in the 1998 FIFA World Cup.
He really impressed international clubs with his skills at the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship in Nigeria. He was the captain of the Japanese Under-20 team that made it all the way to the final. However, he later got a serious knee injury during a game to qualify for the 2000 Olympics. This injury meant he missed the rest of that season.
Playing in Europe with Feyenoord
After showing great talent at the 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup, Ono moved to Feyenoord in the Netherlands in 2001. In his very first season, he helped Feyenoord win the 2002 UEFA Cup. This was a huge achievement, as he was the first Japanese player ever to win a European trophy!
Sadly, he faced many injuries during his time there, which kept him from playing often. Even so, his time at Feyenoord is highly praised. Another famous Dutch midfielder, Wesley Sneijder, once said that Shinji Ono was the "toughest opponent" he had ever played against.
Returning to Urawa Reds
On January 13, 2006, Shinji Ono returned to Japan and signed a three-year deal with his old club, Urawa Reds. He quickly helped them win the J.League Division 1 title in 2006 and the AFC Champions League in 2007.
Time in Germany with Bochum
In January 2008, Ono moved back to Europe to play for VfL Bochum in Germany's Bundesliga. He made his debut on February 3, 2008, and helped Bochum win their first-ever game against Werder Bremen at their home stadium. However, injuries continued to bother him, limiting his playing time over the next two years. In 2010, he asked to return to Japan for family reasons.
Back to Japan with Shimizu S-Pulse
On January 9, 2010, Shinji Ono returned to his home area of Shizuoka Prefecture to play for Shimizu S-Pulse. He said the main reason for his move was to be reunited with his wife and children, who were living in Japan.
Adventures in Australia with Western Sydney Wanderers
On September 28, 2012, it was announced that Shinji Ono would join the new A-League club Western Sydney Wanderers. He signed a two-year deal as their special "marquee player," which means he was a big star brought in to attract fans.
He played his first game for the Wanderers on October 6, 2012. Ono scored his first goal for the club with a penalty kick. He also scored two amazing goals in a game against Melbourne Victory on January 1, 2013, helping his team win 2–1.
On January 16, 2014, the club announced that Ono would return to Japan at the end of the A-League season. He played his last game for the Wanderers on May 4, 2014, in the Grand Final, which they sadly lost.
Joining Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo
After his contract ended and because he wanted to be closer to his family, Ono joined Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo in May 2014.
Playing for FC Ryukyu
On August 5, 2019, Ono signed with J2 League club FC Ryukyu. He played there until December 2020.
Second Return to Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo
On January 1, 2021, it was announced that Shinji Ono would return to his former club, Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo. He wore jersey number 44, the same as his previous time there.
On June 9, 2021, he scored his first goal in four years with a fantastic free kick in the Emperor's Cup. This goal made him the oldest player to score in the Emperor's Cup, at 41 years and 255 days old!
On January 28, 2022, the club announced that he had signed a "lifetime contract." Ono said, "I consider Hokkaido to be my second home." He also mentioned wanting to give back to the club by sharing his experiences.
On his 44th birthday, September 27, 2023, Shinji Ono announced that he would retire as a professional football player at the end of the 2023 season. He played his very last professional game on December 3, 2023, against Urawa Reds, saying goodbye to his teammates and fans.
Shinji Ono's International Career
When he was healthy, Shinji Ono was a regular player for the Japan national football team. He played his first international game on April 1, 1998, against South Korea. After playing in the 1998 World Cup, he was a very important player for Japan in the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
He represented Japan at every age level, starting with the Under-16 team. He was also one of three older players chosen for the 2004 Olympics in Athens. Injuries unfortunately limited his appearances in the qualifiers for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Despite this, he still played in his third World Cup in Germany.
Shinji Ono's Style of Play
Shinji Ono was known as Tensai (天才, Japanese for Genius) because of his amazing football skills. He was famous for his great vision on the field, excellent technique, and superb passing. Even though his main position was attacking midfielder, he could play anywhere in the middle of the field. This included playing as a defensive midfielder or on either wing.
Shinji Ono's Achievements
Shinji Ono won many awards and trophies throughout his career:
With Feyenoord
With Urawa Red Diamonds
- J.League Division 1: 2006
- Emperor's Cup: 2006
- Japanese Super Cup: 2006
- AFC Champions League: 2007
With Western Sydney Wanderers
- A-League Premiership: 2012–13
- A-League Finals: Runner-up 2012–13
With Japan National Team
- AFC U-16 Championship: 1994
- AFC Asian Cup: 2000
Individual Awards
- AFC Youth Championship Most Valuable Player: 1998
- Asian Young Footballer of the Year: 1998
- J.League Rookie of the Year: 1998
- J.League Best Eleven: 1998
- FIFA World Youth Championship Best Eleven: 1999
- Asian Footballer of the Year: 2002
- J.League 30th Anniversary Team
See also
In Spanish: Shinji Ono para niños
