Yuichiro Nagai facts for kids
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 14 February 1979 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Forward | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1994–1996 | Mitsubishi Yowa | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1997–2008 | Urawa Reds | 278 | (63) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–1999 | → Karlsruher SC II (loan) | 21 | (4) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2011 | Shimizu S-Pulse | 39 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2013 | Yokohama FC | 21 | (3) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014 | Arterivo Wakayama | 11 | (3) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015–2017 | Thespakusatsu Gunma | 43 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 413 | (74) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1997–1999 | Japan U-23 | 12 | (2) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003 | Japan | 4 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Medal record
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Yuichiro Nagai (永井 雄一郎, Nagai Yūichirō), born on February 14, 1979, is a Japanese former footballer. He played as a forward, which means he was a player who mainly tried to score goals. He played four times for the Japan national team and scored one goal.
Contents
Yuichiro Nagai's Football Journey
Yuichiro Nagai started his football journey playing for the Mitsubishi Yowa Club when he was young. After finishing high school in 1997, he joined a professional team called Urawa Reds. He played his very first professional game on April 12, 1997. This was an important moment for him!
Playing in Germany
From 1998 to 1999, Nagai went to Germany to play for a team called Karlsruher SC. He was on loan, which means he played for them temporarily. He played 21 league games and scored 4 goals for their reserve team. This was a great experience for him to play in a different country.
Success with Urawa Reds
When Nagai returned to Urawa Reds, he became a very important player. In 2003, he took over the famous number "9" jersey from a legendary player named Masahiro Fukuda. This showed how much the team trusted him.
Nagai had many great moments with Urawa Reds:
- On August 21, 2004, he scored three goals in one game against Tokyo Verdy. This is called a "hat trick"!
- On January 1, 2007, he scored a late winning goal in the 2006 Emperor's Cup final. This helped Urawa Reds win the cup again.
- The team won many championships with him, including the J1 League in 2006, the 2003 J.League Cup in 2003, and the Emperor's Cup in 2005 and 2006.
Winning the AFC Champions League
In 2007, Nagai helped Urawa Reds win the AFC Champions League. This is a huge tournament for clubs in Asia. He scored 3 goals in the tournament and was even named the Player of the Tournament! Urawa Reds also finished third in the 2007 FIFA Club World Cup that year.
Later Club Teams
After his time with Urawa Reds, Nagai moved to Shimizu S-Pulse in 2009 and played there until 2011. Later, he played for other teams like Yokohama FC (from 2012 to 2013), Arterivo Wakayama (in 2014), and Thespakusatsu Gunma (from 2015 to 2017). He played a total of 413 games and scored 74 goals in his club career.
Playing for Japan
Yuichiro Nagai also represented his country, Japan, in international football.
Youth National Teams
- He was part of the Japan team for the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship in Malaysia. He played in all 5 matches and scored a goal against Costa Rica.
- He also played in the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship in Nigeria. He played in all 7 matches and scored a goal in the semi-final against Uruguay. His team finished as runners-up in this competition, which was a fantastic achievement!
Senior National Team
Nagai made his first appearance for the senior Japan national team on April 21, 2003. This was in a friendly game against South Korea. He scored his first international goal in that very same match, which was the winning goal! He also played in the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup. Overall, he played 4 times for the Japan national team and scored 1 goal.
Awards and Achievements
Yuichiro Nagai won many awards and honors during his football career:
- AFC Champions League: 2007 (with Urawa Reds)
- J1 League: 2006 (with Urawa Reds)
- Emperor's Cup: 2005, 2006 (with Urawa Reds)
- J.League Cup: 2004 (with Urawa Reds)
- Japanese Super Cup: 2006 (with Urawa Reds)
- FIFA World Youth Championship runner-up: 1999 (with Japan U-20)
Individual Awards:
- AFC Champions League Player of the Tournament: 2007
See also
In Spanish: Yūichirō Nagai para niños
