Yuzo Kurihara facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Yuzo Kurihara | ||
| Date of birth | 18 September 1983 | ||
| Place of birth | Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan | ||
| Height | 1.84 m (6 ft +1⁄2 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1996–2001 | Yokohama F. Marinos | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2002–2019 | Yokohama F. Marinos | 316 | (16) |
| International career | |||
| 2003 | Japan U-20 | 2 | (0) |
| 2006–2013 | Japan | 20 | (3) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of end of 2019 season | |||
Yuzo Kurihara, whose full name is 栗原 勇蔵 (Kurihara Yūzō), is a former Japanese football player. He was born on September 18, 1983. He played as a defender for Yokohama F. Marinos and also represented the Japanese national team.
Contents
Club Career Highlights
Yuzo Kurihara started his football journey in his hometown of Yokohama. He joined the youth team of Yokohama F. Marinos in 1996. He then moved up to the main team in 2002.
Becoming a Key Player
In 2003, Yuzo played his first games as a center back. A center back is a player who helps protect the goal. It was tough for him to get a regular spot at first. This was because two famous Japanese national team players, Naoki Matsuda and Yuji Nakazawa, played in the same position.
By 2006, Yuzo became a regular player. He often played as a "stopper" in a three-defender system. A stopper is a defender who tries to stop the opposing team's attackers. From 2007 onwards, he played many games as a center back alongside Nakazawa. He continued to be a key defender for many years.
Team Success and Retirement
In 2013, Yuzo's team, Yokohama F. Marinos, had a great year. They finished second in the J1 League, which is Japan's top football league. They also won the Emperor's Cup, a major knockout competition.
After 2015, Yuzo played fewer matches. He decided to retire from professional football at the end of the 2019 season.
Playing for Japan
Yuzo Kurihara also had the honor of playing for his country.
Youth National Team
In November 2003, Yuzo was chosen to play for the Japan U-20 national team. He played in two matches during the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship.
Senior National Team Debut
After the 2006 FIFA World Cup, a new manager, Ivica Osim, took over the Japanese national team. Yuzo made his debut for Japan on August 9, 2006. This was in a match against Trinidad and Tobago at the Tokyo National Stadium. He came on as a substitute in the 60th minute.
After his debut, he didn't play for Japan for a while. But in April 2010, he played again under a new manager, Takeshi Okada. Even though he wasn't selected for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, he continued to play several matches as a center back for Japan after 2010.
International Tournaments and Final Games
In 2013, Yuzo was selected for two important tournaments: the 2013 Confederations Cup and the 2013 East Asian Cup. At the East Asian Cup, he played in all three matches. Japan won the championship in that tournament! These games were his last for the national team.
Overall, Yuzo Kurihara played 20 games for Japan and scored 3 goals between 2006 and 2013.
Honours
Club Achievements
- Yokohama F. Marinos
- J1 League: 2003, 2004
- Emperor's Cup: 2013
Japan National Team Achievements
- EAFF East Asian Cup: 2013
See also
In Spanish: Yūzō Kurihara para niños
