Naohiro Takahara

Naohiro Takahara (高原 直泰, Takahara Naohiro, born 4 June 1979) is a Japanese football player and manager. He played for Japan's national football team. Currently, he play as player-manager for Okinawa SV and president club.

Naohiro Takahara
高原 直泰
Takahara with Shimizu S-Pulse in 2012
Personal information
Full name Naohiro Takahara[1]
Date of birth (1979-06-04) 4 June 1979
Place of birth Mishima, Shizuoka, Japan
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Okinawa SV
Number 10
Youth career
1995–1997 Shimizu Higashi High School
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1998–2002 Júbilo Iwata 105 (58)
2001 → Boca Juniors (loan) 6 (1)
2002–2006 Hamburg 97 (13)
2006–2008 Eintracht Frankfurt 38 (12)
2008–2010 Urawa Reds 63 (10)
2010 → Suwon Samsung Bluewings (loan) 12 (4)
2011–2012 Shimizu S-Pulse 46 (9)
2013–2014 Tokyo Verdy 41 (11)
2014–2015 SC Sagamihara 54 (11)
2016– Okinawa SV 62 (30)
Total 464 (129)
International career
1995 Japan U-17 3 (1)
1998–1999 Japan U-20 16 (16)
1998–2000 Japan U-23 11 (4)
2000–2008 Japan 57 (23)
Managerial career
2016–2019 Okinawa SV
2021– Okinawa SV
Medal record
Júbilo Iwata
WinnerJ1 League1999
WinnerJ1 League2002
Runner-upJ1 League1998
Runner-upJ1 League2001
WinnerJ.League Cup1998
Runner-upJ.League Cup2001
Shimizu S-Pulse
Runner-upJ.League Cup2012
Representing  Japan
AFC Asian Cup
Gold medal – first place2000 Lebanon
FIFA U-20 World Cup
Silver medal – second place1999 Nigeria
AFC U-19 Championship
Silver medal – second place1998 Thailand
AFC U-16 Championship
Gold medal – first place1994 Qatar
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19 March 2023, 18:22 (UTC)

Club career

Takahara was born in Mishima on 4 June 1979. After graduating from high school, he joined Júbilo Iwata in 1998. In 1998, the club won J.League Cup and he was selected New Hero awards. In 1999, the club won J1 League and Asian Club Championship. The club also reached second place at the 1999–2000 and 2000–01 Asian Club Championships. In August 2001, he moved to Boca Juniors on loan. He became the first Japanese player to play in the Argentine Primera División.[2]

In 2002, he returned to Júbilo Iwata. The club went on to win the 2002 J.League Division 1, while Takahara became the top scorer and was elected Most Valuable Player of the year.

After the 2002 season, Takahara moved to Hamburger SV. He made his Bundesliga debut on in January 2003 in a 2–2 draw against Hannover 96, thereby becoming the third Japanese footballer to play in Bundesliga after Yasuhiko Okudera and Kazuo Ozaki.[3] On 3 December 2006, he scored his first hat-trick in the Bundesliga in a match against Alemannia Aachen.

In January 2008 he moved to Urawa Reds for a transfer fee of around ¥180 million (around $1.7 million).[4] Due to a disagreement with the style of coach Volker Finke, who had taken over as coach of Urawa in 2009, Takahara was leased to Suwon Samsung Bluewings of the South Korean K League 1 in July of the following year. On 31 July 2010, he made his debut as a substitute for the 39th minute of the match against Gwangju FC. On 29 August, he scored a goal in the 39th minute of the second half of the game against FC Seoul. He helped victorious game 4-2 and won the MVP in this game.

In 2011, he returned to Japan and signed with Shimizu S-Pulse. After that, he played for J2 League club Tokyo Verdy (2013–14) and J3 League club SC Sagamihara (2014–15).

In December 2015, along with Japanese judoka Tadahiro Nomura, Takahara founded Okinawa SV.[5] He served not only as club's president, but also played and captained the club. On 27 November 2022, he brought his club a first-time promotion for the Japan Football League, after a 4–0 over FC Kariya led them to finish as runners-up at the 2022 Regional Champions League. He featured in the match as a late substitution.

International career

In August 1995, Takahara was selected by the Japan U17 national team for 1995 U-17 World Championship. He played all three matches and scored one goal. In April 1999, he was also selected Japan U-20 national team for 1999 World Youth Championship. He played all seven matches and scored three goals. Japan achieved second place. In February 2000, he was selected by the Japan national team for 2000 Asian Cup qualification. At this qualification, on 13 February, he debuted against Singapore. He played all three matches and three goals and Japan won the qualify for 2000 Asian Cup.

In September, he was selected Japan U23 national team for 2000 Summer Olympics. He played all four matches and scored three goals in first match and quarterfinal. In October, he played at 2000 Asian Cup. He played five matches and scored five goals. Japan won the champions. However he missed the 2002 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by his home country and South Korea, because of lung disease (venous thrombosis).[6]

After 2002 World Cup, Takahara played at 2003 Confederations Cup. Although his convocation for Japan decreased due to the schedule, he played as regular player when he was elected Japan. In 2006, he was elected Japan for 2006 World Cup and he played all three matches. After 2006 World Cup, he played at 2007 Asian Cup. He played six matches and scored four goals, and became a top scorer. He played 57 games and scored 23 goals for Japan until 2008.[7]

2007 Asian Cup

Takahara finished top scorer after an impressive performance at the 2007 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 to penalty kicks. Although Takahara missed his spot-kick, saves from goalkeeper Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi sent Japan through into the semifinals, where they lost to Saudi Arabia 3–2.

Career statistics

Club
As of 19 March 2023.[8]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubseasonLeagueNational cupLeague cupContinentalTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Júbilo Iwata 1998 J.League / J. League Division 1 2052064–289
1999 2193110–2510
2000 24100020–2610
2001 1380022–1510
2002 27263000–3026
Total 1055881116–12465
Boca Juniors 2001–02 Argentine Primera División 61––1071
Hamburger SV 2002–03 Bundesliga 163–––163
2003–04 292313120374
2004–05 31710–*10337
2005–06 21121–*100332
Total 9713623113011916
Eintracht Frankfurt 2006–07 Bundesliga 301144–523917
2007–08 8120––101
Total 381264–524918
Urawa Reds 2008 J.League Division 1 276103141358
2009 3240082–406
2010 400011–51
Total 631010124418015
Suwon Samsung Bluewings 2010 K-League 12410–10144
Shimizu S-Pulse 2011 J.League Division 1 2881041–259
2012 1810020–201
Total 4691061–5310
Tokyo Verdy 2013 J. League Division 2 411100––4111
2014 0000––00
Total 411100––4111
SC Sagamihara 2014 J3 League 21500––215
2015 33600––336
Total 541100––5411
Okinawa SV 2018 Kyushu Soccer League 1711–1711
2019 11721–198
2020 4510–55
2021 15510–165
2022 13210–142
2023 Japan Football League 2000–20
Total 683051–7331
Career total 5301592883212243614182

International
Appearances and goals by national team and year[7]
National teamYearAppsGoals
Japan 2000118
200140
200241
200382
200451
200572
200653
200796
200840
Total5723
Scores and results list Japan's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Takahara goal.
List of international goals scored by Naohiro Takahara
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
116 February 2000Macau, China Brunei9–02000 AFC Asian Cup qualification
2
320 February 2000Macau, China Macau3–02000 AFC Asian Cup qualification
414 October 2000Sidon, Lebanon Saudi Arabia4–12000 AFC Asian Cup
517 October 2000Sidon, Lebanon Uzbekistan8–12000 AFC Asian Cup
6
7
824 October 2000Beirut, Lebanon Iraq4–12000 AFC Asian Cup
927 March 2002Łódź, Poland Poland2–0Friendly
1020 August 2003Tokyo, Japan Nigeria3–0Friendly
11
1231 March 2004Jalan Besar, Singapore Singapore2–12006 FIFA World Cup qualification
137 September 2005Rifu, Japan Honduras5–4Friendly
148 October 2005Riga, Latvia Latvia2–2Friendly
1528 February 2006Dortmund, Germany Bosnia and Herzegovina2–2Friendly
1630 May 2006Leverkusen, Germany Germany2–2Friendly
17
1824 March 2007Yokohama, Japan Peru2–0Friendly
191 June 2007Fukuroi, Japan Montenegro2–0Friendly
209 July 2007Hanoi, Vietnam Qatar1–12007 AFC Asian Cup
2113 July 2007Hanoi, Vietnam United Arab Emirates3–12007 AFC Asian Cup
22
2321 July 2007Hanoi, Vietnam Australia1–12007 AFC Asian Cup

Managerial statistics
As of 19 March 2023.
Managerial record by club and tenure
Team From To Record
GWDLWin %
Okinawa SV 1 February 2016 31 January 2020 44 37 0 7 084.09
29 July 2021 present 40 30 6 4 075.00
Total 84 67 6 11 079.76

Honours

Júbilo Iwata

Hamburger SV

Okinawa SV (player-manager)

Japan U17

Japan U20

Japan

Individual

References
  1. "2006 FIFA World Cup Germany: List of Players: Japan" (PDF). FIFA. 21 March 2014. p. 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 June 2019.
  2. "Spreading Their Wings: Japanese Soccer Stars Seek Success Overseas", web-japan.org, accessed 20 October 2011.
  3. "Takahara struggles in Hamburg SV debut". The Japan Times. 27 January 2003. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
  4. (in German) "Takahara leaves Eintracht" Archived 19 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine, eintracht.de, accessed 4 January 2008.
  5. (in Japanese) "沖縄SV立ち上げの高原は「代表兼監督兼選手」…県3部スタートも将来的なJリーグ入り視野"
  6. "Takahara suffering lung disease again". ESPN. 31 May 2004. Archived from the original on 14 June 2018. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
  7. Japan National Football Team Database
  8. Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing inc./日本スポーツ企画出版社, "J1&J2&J3選手名鑑 2015 (NSK MOOK)", 14 February 2015, Japan, ISBN 978-4905411246 (p. 269 out of 298)
  9. "Valencia 0-0 Hamburg (Aggregate: 0 - 1)". uefa.com. Archived from the original on 12 September 2006. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
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