Shinji Ono facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Shinji Ono
小野 伸二

Ono playing for Western Sydney Wanderers in 2013
Personal information
Full name	Shinji Ono
Date of birth	(1979-09-27) 27 September 1979 (age 45)
Place of birth	Numazu, Shizuoka, Japan
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s)	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	47	(9)
2014–2019	Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo	62	(2)
2019–2020	FC Ryukyu	23	(0)
2021–2023	Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo	6	(0)
Total		481	(66)
International career
1995	Japan U-17	3	(0)
1999	Japan U-20	6	(2)
2004	Japan Olympic (O.P.)	3	(2)
1998–2008	Japan	56	(6)
Medal record Men's football Representing  Japan AFC Asian Cup Winner 2000 Lebanon FIFA Confederations Cup Runner-up 2001 Korea/Japan
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Shinji Ono (小野 伸二, Ono Shinji, born 27 September 1979) is a famous Japanese former professional football player. He was a talented midfielder known for his amazing skills on the field.

Shinji Ono started his professional career with J1 League team Urawa Reds in Japan. In 2001, he moved to the Dutch team Feyenoord and helped them win the UEFA Cup in 2002. This was a big achievement, making him the first Japanese player to win a European trophy!

He later returned to Urawa Reds in 2006. There, he helped them win the J.League title in 2006 and the AFC Champions League in 2007. Shinji Ono also played for other teams like VfL Bochum in Germany, Shimizu S-Pulse in Japan, Western Sydney Wanderers in Australia, and Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo and FC Ryukyu in Japan. He retired from playing football in 2023.

Shinji Ono played 56 games for the Japan national team. He was part of Japan's team in the 1998, 2002, and 2006 World Cups.

Shinji Ono's Football Journey

Starting with Urawa Reds

Shinji Ono grew up in the 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 a FIFA World Cup.

His skills really caught the eye of clubs from other countries during 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, later that year, he got a serious knee injury. This meant he missed the rest of the season and the Olympic qualifying games.

Playing in Europe with Feyenoord

After showing great talent at the 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup, Shinji Ono moved to Feyenoord in the Netherlands in 2001. In his very first season, he helped Feyenoord win the UEFA Cup in 2002. This was a historic moment, as he was the first Japanese player to win a major European football trophy!

Even though he was very talented, Shinji Ono faced many injuries during his time at Feyenoord. These injuries kept him off the field for long periods. Because of this, the club decided to sell him in 2005. Despite the injuries, his time at Feyenoord is remembered very well. Famous Dutch midfielder Wesley Sneijder even said that Shinji Ono was the "toughest opponent" he had ever played against.

Back 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 made an impact, helping them win the J.League Division 1 title in his first season back. The next year, in 2007, he also helped Urawa Reds win the AFC Champions League, which is a huge competition for Asian clubs.

Time in Germany with Bochum

In January 2008, Shinji 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 be a challenge for him in Bochum. He only played 34 matches over two years. In late 2009, Shinji Ono asked to return to Japan for personal reasons, wanting to be closer to his family.

Playing for Shimizu S-Pulse

Shinji Ono playing for Shimizu S-Pulse in 2012.

On January 9, 2010, Shinji Ono returned to his home area, Shizuoka Prefecture, and joined Shimizu S-Pulse. He said that the main reason for this move was to be reunited with his wife and children, who were living in Japan.

Adventures with Western Sydney Wanderers

On September 28, 2012, it was announced that Shinji Ono would join the new Australian team, Western Sydney Wanderers. He was signed as their "marquee player," which means he was a big-name player brought in to attract fans. He played his first game for the Wanderers on October 6, 2012.

Shinji 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 unfortunately lost.

Joining Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo

After his contract with Western Sydney Wanderers ended, Shinji Ono joined Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo in May 2014. He wanted to be closer to his family. He played for this club for several years.

Short Time with FC Ryukyu

On August 5, 2019, Shinji Ono signed with FC Ryukyu, another Japanese team in the J2 League. He played there until December 2020.

Return to Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo and Retirement

On January 1, 2021, Shinji Ono made a permanent return to his former club, Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo. He wore jersey number 44, the same number he had before.

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 with Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo. Shinji Ono said that he considered Hokkaido his "second home" and wanted to keep helping the club.

On September 27, 2023, his 44th birthday, Shinji Ono announced that he would retire from professional football at the end of the 2023 season. He said his body was telling him it was time to rest. On December 3, 2023, he played his very last professional game against Urawa Reds, saying goodbye to his teammates and fans.

Playing for Japan

Shinji Ono was a regular player for the Japan national team whenever he was fit. 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 from the Under-16 team. He was also one of three older players chosen for the 2004 Olympics in Athens. Injuries limited his appearances in the qualifiers for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He played in his third World Cup in Germany.

Shinji Ono's Playing Style

Shinji Ono was known as Tensai (天才), which means Genius in Japanese. He was famous for his amazing vision on the field, his excellent technique, and his superb passing skills. Even though he mostly played as an attacking midfielder, he could play anywhere in the middle of the field. This included playing as a defensive midfielder or on either wing.

Career Achievements

Shinji Ono won many awards and trophies throughout his career:

Feyenoord

• UEFA Cup: 2001–02

Urawa Red Diamonds

• J.League Division 1: 2006
• Emperor's Cup: 2006
• Japanese Super Cup: 2006
• AFC Champions League: 2007

Western Sydney Wanderers

• A-League Premiership: 2012–13

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

Career Statistics

Club Appearances and Goals

International Appearances and Goals

Scores and results list Japan's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Ono goal.

List of international goals scored by Shinji Ono

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	14 October 2000	Sidon, Lebanon	Saudi Arabia	4–0	4–1	2000 AFC Asian Cup
2	31 May 2001	Niigata, Japan	Canada	1–0	3–0	2001 FIFA Confederations Cup
3	16 October 2002	Tokyo, Japan	Jamaica	1–0	1–1	Friendly
4	1 June 2004	Manchester, England	England	1–1	1–1	2004 FA Summer Tournament
5	8 September 2004	Kolkata, India	India	2–0	4–0	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
6	22 February 2006	Yokohama, Japan		1–0	6–0	2007 AFC Asian Cup qualification

See also

In Spanish: Shinji Ono para niños