Yuzo Kurihara facts for kids

Yuzo Kurihara (栗原 勇蔵, Kurihara Yūzō, born 18 September 1983) is a Japanese former football player. He played as a defender. Yuzo spent his entire career playing for Yokohama F. Marinos. He also played for the Japan national team.

Yuzo Kurihara's Club Career

Yuzo Kurihara was born in Yokohama, Japan, on September 18, 1983. He started his football journey early. He joined the youth team of J1 League club Yokohama F. Marinos in 1996. He then moved up to the main team in 2002.

Early Years at Yokohama F. Marinos

Yuzo made his first appearance as a center back in 2003. However, it was hard for him to play many games. This was because two famous Japan national team players, Naoki Matsuda and Yuji Nakazawa, were already playing in his position.

Becoming a Regular Player

In 2006, Yuzo became a regular player for his club. He played as a stopper in a three-back defense system. He played alongside Matsuda and Nakazawa. From 2007, he often played as a center back with Nakazawa. They were part of a four-back defense. He continued to be a key defender for many years. He played in both four-back and three-back defense formations.

Club Achievements and Retirement

In 2013, Yuzo's team, Yokohama F. Marinos, had a great year. They finished second in the J1 League. They also won the Emperor's Cup, which is a big tournament. After 2015, Yuzo played fewer matches. He decided to retire from football at the end of the 2019 season.

Yuzo Kurihara's National Team Career

Yuzo Kurihara also played for his country, Japan. He started with the youth national team.

Playing for Japan U-20

In November 2003, Yuzo was chosen for the Japan U-20 national team. He played in two matches at the 2003 World Youth Championship.

Debuting for the Senior Team

After the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Ivica Osim became the new manager for the Japan national team. Yuzo made his debut for Japan on August 9, 2006. This was against Trinidad and Tobago at the Tokyo National Stadium. He came into the game in the 60th minute.

Later Years with Japan

After his debut, Yuzo did not play for Japan for a while. In April 2010, he played for Japan again under manager Takeshi Okada. This was his first game in four years. Even though he was not picked for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, he played several matches each year. He played as a center back under manager Alberto Zaccheroni after the 2010 World Cup.

In 2013, Yuzo was selected for two important tournaments. These were 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 this tournament. This was his last tournament playing for Japan. He played 20 games for Japan and scored 3 goals in total.

Club Statistics

Here's a look at Yuzo Kurihara's games and goals for his club team.

¹Includes Japanese Super Cup and A3 Champions Cup.

Firsts in the J.League

• First Appearance: April 26, 2003. This was in a game where Yokohama F. Marinos played against JEF United Ichihara at Ichihara Stadium.
• First Goal: August 20, 2005. He scored in a match where Yokohama F. Marinos played against Júbilo Iwata at Shizuoka Stadium.

National Team Statistics

Here are Yuzo Kurihara's games and goals for the Japan national team.

International Goals

Here are the goals Yuzo Kurihara scored for Japan. Japan's score is listed first.

No	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	8 June 2012	Saitama Stadium 2002, Saitama, Japan	Jordan	6–0	6–0	2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
2.	12 June 2012	Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Australia	Australia	1–0	1–1	2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
3.	21 July 2013	Seoul World Cup Stadium, Seoul, South Korea	China	1–1	3–3	2013 EAFF East Asian Cup
.

Honours and Achievements

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