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, who is a famous professional Go player. She is well-known for helping to spread the game of Go, especially through the popular manga and anime series Hikaru no Go.

Shinya Yoshihara's Football Journey

Early Career and High School Success

Shinya Yoshihara started playing football at a young age. When he was in junior high, his teacher suggested he play for Ibaraki Prefectural Hitachi Technical High School. This was one of the best football 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 player for the Kanto region. He was also selected for the U-18 all-Japan team. He played alongside Takayuki Suzuki, who was two years older than him.

Starting Professional Football

After high school, Yoshihara joined Yokohama Marinos (now Yokohama F. Marinos). However, it was hard for him to play much. This was because Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi, a very good goalkeeper, was already the main player.

In 1999, Yoshihara went on loan to Albirex Niigata. This club was in the J2 League, which is Japan's second-highest football league. He became the starting goalkeeper in his very first game there. His amazing saves helped the team win seven matches in a row. In 2000, he became a popular public figure in Niigata. He even appeared in advertisements for local companies.

Moving to Kawasaki Frontale

Yoshihara returned to Yokohama F. Marinos in 2001. But in the middle of that year, he made a permanent move to Kawasaki Frontale. He became the main goalkeeper for them in 2003. That season, he played in 44 full matches.

The next year, 2004, was very important. He kept a record of seven matches in a row without letting in any goals. This helped Kawasaki Frontale get promoted to the J1 League, which is Japan's top football league. He became a key player for the team.

Challenges and Injuries

In 2005, an injury kept Yoshihara from starting the season. But he returned to play later in the year. He helped the team stop a series of losses. However, his teammate Takashi Aizawa took over his main position for a while.

Towards the end of 2006, Kawasaki Frontale was close to winning the championship. Yoshihara became the main goalkeeper again in a match against Sanfrecce Hiroshima. Even though they didn't win the championship, Yoshihara helped the team finish second in the J1 League. This meant they qualified for the 2007 AFC Champions League, an important international competition.

Loan to Tokyo Verdy

In 2007, Yoshihara went on loan to Tokyo Verdy. The team was losing a lot of games early in the season. This gave him chances to play. He helped improve the team's defense and get them back on track. It looked like he would be their regular goalkeeper.

However, he got injured during a match on July 1. He hurt his left knee, which kept him from playing for nine weeks. This injury meant he couldn't play for the rest of the season. Tokyo Verdy was promoted to the J1 League that year.

Final Years in Football

After his loan at Tokyo Verdy, Yoshihara returned to Kawasaki Frontale in 2008. But he had more injuries. Also, Eiji Kawashima, a goalkeeper who played for the national team, joined the team. Because of this, Yoshihara only played one match in the 2008 J.League Cup.

In 2009, Yoshihara moved to Júbilo Iwata for a season. He played his first game for them in the 2009 Emperor's Cup. He also played in a J1 League match against Vissel Kobe. In 2010, he joined Kashiwa Reysol. On July 14, 2010, he announced that he was retiring from professional football.

Interesting Facts About Shinya Yoshihara

• Even though he played full seasons, Yoshihara was known as a "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 striker Lee Keun-ho from Júbilo Iwata. He was also close to North Korean striker Jong Tae-se from Kawasaki Frontale.

Club Statistics

See also

In Spanish: Shinya Yoshihara para niños