Shinya Yoshihara facts for kids

Shinya Yoshihara (吉原 慎也, Yoshihara Shinya, born April 19, 1978) is a former Japanese football player. He played as a goalkeeper.

He is married to Yukari Yoshihara, a famous Go player. She is well-known for teaching the game of Go. She even helped spread Go through the popular manga and anime series, Hikaru no Go.

Shinya Yoshihara's Football Journey

Starting Strong in High School

When Shinya Yoshihara was in junior high, his teacher suggested he play football. He joined Ibaraki Prefectural Hitachi Technical High School. This was one of the best teams in the area.

He became a regular player from his first year. He helped his school reach the All Japan High School Soccer Tournament. In his second and third years, he was chosen as an all-star for the Kanto region. He was also picked for the U-18 all-Japan team. He played alongside Takayuki Suzuki, who was two years older.

Beginning His Pro Career

After high school, Yoshihara started playing professionally for Yokohama Marinos. However, it was hard for him to play much. Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi was the main goalkeeper at that time.

In 1999, Yoshihara went on loan to Albirex Niigata, a team in the J2 League. He started in the very first game of the season. His amazing saves helped the team win seven games in a row. In 2000, he became a popular public figure in Niigata. He even appeared in advertisements for local companies.

Becoming a Key Player at Kawasaki Frontale

Yoshihara returned to Yokohama F. Marinos in 2001. Later that year, he made a permanent move to Kawasaki Frontale. By 2003, he became their regular goalkeeper. He played in 44 full matches that season.

The next year, he set a record of seven games without letting in a single goal. This helped Kawasaki Frontale get promoted to the J1 League. He became a very important goalkeeper for the team.

Facing Challenges and Injuries

In 2005, an injury kept him from starting the season. But he returned and helped his team stop losing games. Later that season, his teammate Takashi Aizawa took his place.

In late 2006, Yoshihara became the main goalkeeper again. This was during a time when Kawasaki Frontale was close to winning the championship. Even though they lost the championship, Yoshihara helped the team finish second in the J1 League. This allowed them to play in the 2007 AFC Champions League.

Loan to Tokyo Verdy and Final Years

In 2007, Yoshihara joined Tokyo Verdy on a loan. The team was losing a lot early in the season. He got a chance to play and helped improve their defense. He seemed set to be their main goalkeeper.

However, he got injured on July 1 during a match. He hurt his left knee and could not play for the rest of the season. Tokyo Verdy was promoted to J1 that year.

After his loan, Yoshihara went back to Kawasaki Frontale in 2008. But with more injuries and a new national team goalkeeper, Eiji Kawashima, joining the team, Yoshihara played only one match.

In 2009, he moved to Júbilo Iwata on loan. He played in the 2009 Emperor's Cup and one J1 League match. In 2010, he joined Kashiwa Reysol. On July 14, he announced he was retiring from professional football.

What Made Shinya Yoshihara Special?

• Even though he played full seasons, he was known as a great "super-sub" goalkeeper. This means he was very good at coming into games when needed.
• Yoshihara can speak Korean fluently. He was good friends with Korean players like Lee Keun-ho and Jong Tae-se.

Shinya Yoshihara's Club Statistics

See also

In Spanish: Shinya Yoshihara para niños