Naohiro Takahara

Naohiro Takahara

Personal information
Full name	Naohiro Takahara
Date of birth	June 4, 1979 (1979-06-04) (age 32)
Place of birth	Mishima, Shizuoka, Japan
Height	1.81 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in)
Playing position	Striker
Club information
Current club	Shimizu S-Pulse
Number	19
Youth career
1995–1997	Shimizu Higashi High School
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1998–2002	Júbilo Iwata	105	(58)
2001	→ Boca Juniors (loan)	7[1]	(1)
2003–2006	Hamburger SV	97	(13)
2004–2005	Hamburger SV II	3	(2)
2006–2007	Eintracht Frankfurt	38	(12)
2008–2010	Urawa Red Diamonds	59	(10)
2010	Suwon Bluewings	12	(4)
2011–	Shimizu S-Pulse	22	(8)
National team‡
1998–1999	Japan U-20	16	(16)
1998–2000	Japan U-23	11	(4)
2000–2008	Japan	57	(23)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of December 3, 2010. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of February 23, 2010

Naohiro Takahara (高原 直泰, Takahara Naohiro^?, born June 4, 1979) is a Japanese footballer. He currently plays for J. League Division 1 side Shimizu S-Pulse as a striker

Takahara was born in Mishima, Shizuoka. He has previously played for Júbilo Iwata in Japan, Boca Juniors in Argentina, Hamburger SV and Eintracht Frankfurt in Germany. On December 3, 2006, he scored his first hat-trick in the German Bundesliga in a league game against Alemannia Aachen. In January 2008 he moved to Urawa Red Diamonds for a transfer fee of around ¥180 million (around $1.7 million).^[2]

Takahara had played for Japan in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney but missed the 2002 World Cup, co-hosted by his home country and South Korea, because of injury. He was a member of the Japan team for the 2007 AFC Asian Cup and played in all the six games involving Japan. He scored four goals and was a joint top scorer of the tournament.

Facts

• His goals and performances were celebrated by Eintracht supporters by singing to the melody of Gala's Freed from desire. After successful matches Takahara often joined the faithful to jump up and down the same way.
• Takahara was the first Japanese player to play in the Argentine First Division league.^[3]
• Takahara is the third Japanese to play in Fußball-Bundesliga after Yasuhiko Okudera and Kazuo Ozaki.

Asian Cup 2007

Takahara finished top scorer after an impressive performance at the 2007 AFC Asian Cup. He scored against Qatar in the first match, who Japan tied 1-1. Japan won the next match, against United Arab Emirates and Takahara impressed coach Ivica Osim with two goals. In the quarterfinal match against rivals Australia, Takahara scored the tying goal and sent the game in PKs. Although Takahara missed his spot-kick, heroic saves from goalkeeper Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi sent Japan through into the semifinals, where they lost to Saudi Arabia 2-3.

National team

• 2000 Asian Cup (Champions)
• 2003 Confederations Cup
• 2006 FIFA World Cup
• 2007 Asian Cup

Honors and awards

Individual Honors

• AFC U-19 Championship Top Scorer: 1998
• AFC Asian Cup Best Eleven: 2000
• Selected to AFC All Star Team: 2000
• J. League Most Valuable Player: 2002
• J. League Top Scorer: 2002
• J. League Best Eleven: 2002
• AFC Asian Cup Top Scorer: 2007

Team Honors

• FIFA World Youth Championship runner-up: 1999
• AFC U-17 Championship Champions: 1994
• AFC Asian Cup Champions: 2000
• AFC Champions League Champions: 1999
• Asian Super Cup Champions: 1999
• J-League Champions: 1999, 2002
• DFB-Ligapokal Champions: 2003
• UEFA Intertoto Cup Champions: 2005

Club career stats

Club performance			League		Cup		League Cup		Continental		Total
Season	Club	League	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Japan			League		Emperor's Cup		League Cup		Asia		Total
1998	Júbilo Iwata	J. League Division 1	20	5	2	0	6	4	-		28	9
1999			21	9	3	1	1	0	-		25	10
2000			24	10	0	0	2	0	-		26	10
2001			13	8	-		2	2	-		15	10
Argentina			League		Cup		League Cup		South America		Total
2001-02	Boca Juniors	Primera División	6	1	-		-		-		6	1
Japan			League		Emperor's Cup		League Cup		Asia		Total
2002	Júbilo Iwata	J. League Division 1	27	26	3	0	-		-		30	26
Germany			League		DFB-Pokal		Premiere Ligapokal		Europe		Total
2002-03	Hamburger SV	Bundesliga	16	3	-		-		-		16	3
2003-04			29	2	3	1	3	1	2	0	37	4
2004-05			31	7	1	0	-		*1	0	33	7
2005-06			21	1	2	1	-		*10	0	33	2
2006-07	Eintracht Frankfurt	Bundesliga	30	11	4	4	-		5	2	39	17
2007-08			8	1	2	0	-		-		10	1
Japan			League		Emperor's Cup		League Cup		Asia		Total
2008	Urawa Red Diamonds	J. League Division 1	27	6	1	0	3	1	4	1	35	8
2009			32	4	-		8	2	-		40	6
2010			4	0	-		1	1	-		5	1
South Korea			League		KFA Cup		League Cup		Asia		Total
2010	Suwon Samsung Bluewings	K. League Division 1	12	4	1	0	-		1	0	14	4
Japan			League		Emperor's Cup		League Cup		Asia		Total
2011	Shimizu S-Pulse	J. League Division 1	22	8	2	1	1	0	-		25	9
Total	Japan		190	76	11	2	24	10	4	1	229	89
	Argentina		6	1	-		-		-		6	1
	Germany		135	25	12	6	3	1	18	2	168	34
South Korea			12	4	1	0	-		1	0	14	4
Career total			343	106	24	8	27	11	23	3	417	128

* Includes Intertoto Cup

National team stats

^[4]

Japan national team
Year	Apps	Goals
2000	11	8
2001	4	0
2002	4	1
2003	8	2
2004	5	1
2005	7	2
2006	5	3
2007	9	6
2008	4	0
Total	57	23

International goals

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	February 16, 2000	Macau, China	Brunei	9-0	Won	2000 AFC Asian Cup Qualification
2.	February 16, 2000	Macau, China	Brunei	9-0	Won	2000 AFC Asian Cup Qualification
3.	February 20, 2000	Macau, China	Macau	3-0	Won	2000 AFC Asian Cup Qualification
4.	October 14, 2000	Sidon, Lebanon	Saudi Arabia	4-1	Won	2000 AFC Asian Cup Group Stage
5.	October 17, 2000	Sidon, Lebanon	Uzbekistan	8-1	Won	2000 AFC Asian Cup Group Stage
6.	October 17, 2000	Sidon, Lebanon	Uzbekistan	8-1	Won	2000 AFC Asian Cup Group Stage
7.	October 17, 2000	Sidon, Lebanon	Uzbekistan	8-1	Won	2000 AFC Asian Cup Group Stage
8.	October 24, 2000	Beirut, Lebanon	Iraq	4-1	Won	2000 AFC Asian Cup Quarter-Finals
9.	March 27, 2002	Łódź, Poland	Poland	2-0	Won	Friendly
10.	August 20, 2003	Tokyo, Japan	Nigeria	3-0	Won	Friendly
11.	August 20, 2003	Tokyo, Japan	Nigeria	3-0	Won	Friendly
12.	March 31, 2004	Jalan Besar, Singapore	Singapore	2-1	Won	2006 FIFA World Cup Qualification
13.	September 7, 2005	Rifu, Japan	Honduras	5-4	Won	Friendly
14.	October 8, 2005	Riga, Latvia	Latvia	2-2	Draw	Friendly
15.	February 28, 2006	Dortmund, Germany	Bosnia and Herzegovina	2-2	Draw	Friendly
16.	May 30, 2006	Leverkusen, Germany	Germany	2-2	Draw	Friendly
17.	May 30, 2006	Leverkusen, Germany	Germany	2-2	Draw	Friendly
18.	March 24, 2007	Yokohama, Japan	Peru	2-0	Won	Friendly
19.	June 1, 2007	Fukuroi, Japan	Montenegro	2-0	Won	Friendly
20.	July 9, 2007	Hanoi, Vietnam	Qatar	1-1	Draw	2007 AFC Asian Cup Group Stage
21.	July 13, 2007	Hanoi, Vietnam	United Arab Emirates	3-1	Won	2007 AFC Asian Cup Group Stage
22.	July 13, 2007	Hanoi, Vietnam	United Arab Emirates	3-1	Won	2007 AFC Asian Cup Group Stage
23.	July 21, 2007	Hanoi, Vietnam	Australia	1-1	Won	2007 AFC Asian Cup Quarter-Finals

References

1. ^ "Boca. Primera enciclopedia de un sentimiento", Olé, p. 344
2. ^ (German) "Takahara leaves the Eintracht", eintracht.de, accessed January 4, 2008.
3. ^ "Spreading Their Wings: Japanese Soccer Stars Seek Success Overseas", web-japan.org, accessed October 20, 2011.
4. ^ http://www.national-football-teams.com/v2/player.php?id=3518

External links

• Official Website
• footballdatabase.com
• Yahoo! Sports UK
• National Football Teams

Persondata
Name	Takahara, Naohiro
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	June 4, 1979
Place of birth	Mishima, Shizuoka, Japan
Date of death
Place of death