Shoki Hirai facts for kids
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Shoki Hirai | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 4 December 1987 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Tokushima, Japan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Current team
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FC Maruyasu Okazaki | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 14 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2005 | Gamba Osaka Youth | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2013 | Gamba Osaka | 90 | (31) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012 | → Albirex Niigata (loan) | 21 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2016 | Avispa Fukuoka | 88 | (7) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017–2018 | Giravanz Kitakyushu | 27 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018 | → FC Maruyasu Okazaki (loan) | 8 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019– | FC Maruyasu Okazaki | 27 | (7) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007 | Japan U-20 | 1 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23 February 2020 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 14 January 2012 |
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Shoki Hirai (born on December 4, 1987) is a Japanese professional footballer. He is known for playing as a striker, which means he is a player who focuses on scoring goals. Shoki Hirai currently plays for FC Maruyasu Okazaki.
Contents
Shoki Hirai's Football Journey
Starting His Career
Shoki Hirai was born in Tokushima, Japan. He started playing football at a young age for his local club, Kamihachiman SC. Later, he moved to Premiere SC in 2000 to play at a higher level.
Joining Gamba Osaka
When he was 15, Shoki Hirai was invited to join the youth academy of Gamba Osaka, a big football club in Japan. After training there for three years, he signed his first professional contract with Gamba Osaka on December 6, 2005. He was given the number 34 shirt.
He made his first professional appearance on December 9, 2006, in a cup match called the Emperor's Cup. The next season, he took over the number 14 shirt.
Big Moments at Gamba
In 2008, Shoki Hirai started playing more often. He made his debut in the J. League (Japan's top football league) on April 27, 2008. He scored his first professional goal on July 2, 2008, in a J. League Cup match. This goal helped Gamba Osaka win the game 1-0.
The 2010 season was one of his best. Shoki Hirai played in 31 matches and scored 20 goals, which was a career high for him. On March 23, 2010, he scored three goals in one game (a "hat-trick") during an AFC Champions League match. His amazing performance helped his team win 4-2, and he was named the "Man of the Match."
Playing for Other Clubs
After his time at Gamba Osaka, Shoki Hirai moved to other teams. On January 12, 2012, he joined Albirex Niigata for a season on loan. He later played for Avispa Fukuoka from 2014 to 2016 and Giravanz Kitakyushu from 2017 to 2018. In 2018, he joined FC Maruyasu Okazaki, first on loan, and then permanently in 2019. He continues to play for them today.
Playing for Japan
Shoki Hirai also had the chance to play for his country. On March 16, 2007, he was called up to the Japan U-20 squad. He played his first game for the U-20 team on March 25, coming on as a substitute.
Shoki Hirai's Trophies
During his career, Shoki Hirai has helped his teams win several important trophies:
- AFC Champions League – 2008
- Emperor's Cup – 2008, 2009
- Japanese Super Cup – 2007
See also
In Spanish: Shōki Hirai para niños
