Sergio Ariel Escudero

Football player infobox| playername= Sergio Ariel Escudero
fullname = Sergio Ariel Escudero
nickname = Sergio


dateofbirth = birth date and age|1988|9|1
cityofbirth = Granada
countryofbirth = Spain
height = height|m=1.71
currentclub = Urawa Red Diamonds
clubnumber = 15
position = Attacking Midfielder/Forward
youthyears = 1996-2000
2001-2002
2003
2004-2005
youthclubs = Vélez Sársfield Youth
Kashiwa Reysol Oume Junior Youth
Urawa Red Diamonds Junior Youth
Urawa Red Diamonds youth
years = 2005-present
clubs = Urawa Red Diamonds
caps(goals) = 014 00(0)
nationalyears = 2008
nationalteam = U-23 Japan
nationalcaps(goals) = 005 00(1)
pcupdate = 31 July 2008

Nihongo|Sergio Ariel Escudero|エスクデロ・セルヒオ|Esukudero Sergio|born September 1, 1988 in Granada, Spain is a Spanish-Argentine-Japanese football player. He was born to Argentine parents of Spanish descent in Spain, and thus held dual Argentine and Spanish citizenship. In 2007, he acquired Japanese citizenship automatically as a result of his father's naturalization. Escudero is a cousin of Damián Escudero of Real Valladolid.

When Escudero was three years old, he moved to Japan because of his father's work and joined the local club team. After living in Japan for five years, he moved to Argentina and Escudero began his career with the Vélez Sársfield youth team, where his father (also named Sergio Ariel Escudero) and uncle Osvaldo Salvador Escudero played. Then he was called up to the U-15 Argentina national team training camp.

In 2001, Escudero returned to Japan and joined Urawa Red Diamonds junior youth team. He scored many goals in youth team and he contracted with Urawa Reds in 2005. Playing as a forward, Escudero made his debut as a professional on April 15, 2005, against Albirex Niigata at the age of 16 years, 8 months and 21 days and he became the second youngest J. League Division 1 player after Takayuki Morimoto. In 2006, German outfit VfB Stuttgart were interested in him but Urawa refused to release him. [languageicon|de|German [http://www.kicker.de/content/news/artikel.asp?folder=24100&object=326099&liga=1&saison=2005%2F06&spieltag=17&gruppe=18664 Escudero: Stuttgart zeigt Interesse] ] On June 11, 2007, he obtained his Japanese citizenship and therefore he had a chance to play for the Japan national team at 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada. However he failed to make it to the tournament since the squad was submitted before he became a Japanese citizen. Although he hasn't shown his full potential yet due to repeated injuries, he is considered to be one of the best prospects in Japan.

On May 15, 2008, Escudero was selected to Japan U-23 national football team for 2008 Toulon Tournament.

Honors and awards

Team

* J. League Champions: 2006
* Emperor's Cup Champions: 2005, 2006
* Japanese Super Cup Champions: 2006

ee also

*List of Asian footballers with foreign heritage

References

External links

* [http://www.urawa-reds.co.jp/Team/Players/s_a_escudero.html Profile at official Urawa Reds website] languageicon|ja|Japanese
* [http://www.fd21.de/196321.asp Q&A with Escudero at fussballD21] languageicon|en|English