Kōji Nakata

Koji Nakata
中田 浩二
Personal information
Full name Koji Nakata
Date of birth (1979-07-09) July 9, 1979
Place of birth Otsu, Shiga, Japan
Height 1.82 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in)
Playing position Defender, Midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1998–2004 Kashima Antlers 144 (27)
2005–2006 Olympique Marseille 9 (0)
2006–2008 Basel 62 (3)
2008–2014 Kashima Antlers 122 (6)
Total 337 (36)
National team
1999 Japan U-20 7 (0)
2000 Japan U-23 3 (0)
2000–2007 Japan 57 (2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Koji Nakata (中田 浩二, Nakata Kōji, born July 9, 1979) is a former Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team.

He played at both the 2002, and the 2006 FIFA World Cup.[1]

Club career

The 'other Nakata', as he is known to most non-Japanese fans, is a left-footed midfielder. A very versatile player, Nakata has established himself as one of the best defensive midfielders for Japan.

Nakata was born in Otsu on July 9, 1979. After graduating from high school, he joined Kashima Antlers in 1998. Japan national team players Masashi Motoyama, Mitsuo Ogasawara and Hitoshi Sogahata are Nakata's contemporaries. He debuted as defensive midfielder in first season and the club won the champions 1998 J1 League. From 2000, he became a regular player and constituted midfielder with Yasuto Honda, Bismarck, Motoyama and Ogasawara. In 2000, the club won all three major title in Japan J1 League, J.League Cup and Emperor's Cup. In 2001, the club won J1 League and he was also elected Best Eleven. the club also won 2002 J.League Cup.

Nakata moved from Japanese giants Kashima Antlers to France at the start of 2005 when former Japan national team manager Philippe Troussier, then the Olympique Marseille coach, signed him in a deal. After an understandably unhappy season in France (Troussier was sacked just a few months later), the frozen-out Nakata jumped at the chance to leave and by early 2006 had moved to Switzerland's top team Basel where he played as a defender.[2]

Nakata returned to Kashima Antlers in July 2008. He played at many defensive position, defensive midfielder, left side-back and center-back. The club won the champions 2008, 2009 J1 League, 2010 Emperor's Cup, 2011 and 2012 J.League Cup. He retired end of 2014 season.

National team career

Although Nakata played as defensive midfielder at the club, he played as left-back of three backs defense at U-20, U-23 and Senior national team under manager Philippe Troussier.

In April 1999, Nakata played for U-20 Japan at 1999 World Youth Championship. He played all 7 matches with defender Kazuki Teshima and Shigeki Tsujimoto, and Japan won the 2nd place.

On February 5, 2000, Nakata debuted for Japan national team against Mexico. In September, he was elected U-23 Japan for 2000 Summer Olympics. Although he played as regular player, he got hurt in third match against Brazil and he could not play after the match.

In 2001 and 2002, Nakata played all matches for Japan including 2001 Confederations Cup and 2002 World Cup. At Confederations Cup, Japan won the 2nd place. At 2002 World Cup, he played full time all 4 matches.

After 2002 World Cup, Nakata played as defensive midfielder under new manager Zico. Although his opportunity to play decreased, he was elected Japan for many competition, 2003, 2005 Confederations Cup, 2004 Asian Cup and 2006 World Cup. At 2004 Asian Cup, he played 4 matches and scored 2 goals in semifinal and final, and Japan won the champions. He played 57 games and scored 2 goals for Japan until 2007.[3]

Personal life

Nakata announced that he will get married with Nao Nagasawa on February 22, 2014. www.orendsrange.com

Club statistics

Club Season League Cup League Cup Continental Total
AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals
Kashima Antlers1998510000–51
19991742010–204
20002945222368
20012583160–349
20022965030376
2003183–2230235
20042113220–263
Total144271851643018136
Olympique Marseille2004/0550–––50
2005/0640–1050100
Total90001050150
Basel2005/06101–––101
2006/0734150–90481
2007/0818121–50252
Total6237100140834
Kashima Antlers200890–1020120
2009221401020291
2010323611062456
2011262103061363
2012500020–70
20132502060–330
2014300010–40
Total122613115016316610
Career total 3373638732438344550

National Team statistics

[3]

Japan national team
YearAppsGoals
200070
2001130
2002130
200370
200462
200580
200620
200710
Total572

Appearances in major competitions

Team Competition Category Appearances Goals Team Record
Start Sub
 JapanAFC Youth Championship 1998U-192nd Place
 Japan1999 FIFA World Youth ChampionshipU-207002nd Place
 Japan2000 Summer OlympicsU-23300Quarter-finals
 Japan2001 FIFA Confederations CupSenior2nd Place
 Japan2002 FIFA World CupSenior400Round of 16
 Japan2003 FIFA Confederations CupSenior110Group Stage
 Japan2004 AFC Asian CupSenior132Champions
 Japan2005 FIFA Confederations CupSenior020Group Stage
 Japan2006 FIFA World CupSenior010Group Stage

Goals for Senior National Team

[1]

#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.3 August 2004Jinan, China Bahrain4-3Won2004 AFC Asian Cup Semi-Final
2.7 August 2004Beijing, China China PR3-1Won2004 AFC Asian Cup Final

Honours

Club

Kashima Antlers
Olympique Marseille
FC Basel

International

Individual

References

  1. 1 2 "NAKATA Koji". Japan National Football Team Database. Archived from the original on 22 September 2013.
  2. ↑ "Zwei neue Nationalspieler für den FCB" (in German). FC Basel. 31 January 2006. Archived from the original on 15 January 2013. Retrieved 28 December 2012.
  3. 1 2 Japan National Football Team Database
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