Akira Narahashi
名良橋 晃
Personal information
Date of birth (1971-11-26) November 26, 1971
Place of birth Chiba, Chiba, Japan
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s) Right-back
Youth career
1987–1989 Chiba Eiwa High School
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1990–1996 Bellmare Hiratsuka 199 (21)
1997–2006 Kashima Antlers 196 (16)
2007 Shonan Bellmare 1 (0)
Total 396 (37)
International career
1994–2003 Japan 38 (0)
Medal record
Shonan Bellmare
WinnerEmperor's Cup1994
Kashima Antlers
WinnerJ1 League1998
WinnerJ1 League2000
WinnerJ1 League2001
Runner-upJ1 League1997
WinnerJ.League Cup1997
WinnerJ.League Cup2000
WinnerJ.League Cup2002
Runner-upJ.League Cup1999
Runner-upJ.League Cup2003
Runner-upJ.League Cup2006
WinnerEmperor's Cup1997
WinnerEmperor's Cup2000
Runner-upEmperor's Cup2002
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Akira Narahashi (名良橋 晃, Narahashi Akira, born November 26, 1971) is a Japanese former professional footballer who played as a right-back. He earned 38 caps for the Japan national team between 1994 and 2003, including three games at the 1998 FIFA World Cup.[1]

Club career

Narahashi was born in Chiba on November 26, 1971. After graduating from Chiba Eiwa High School in 1990, he joined Fujita Industries (later Bellmare Hiratsuka, Shonan Bellmare) playing in the Japan Soccer League Division 2. In 1992, Japan Soccer League was folded and the club joined new league Japan Football League. The club won the champions in 1993 and was promoted to J1 League. In 1994, the club won Emperor's Cup. In Asia, the club also won 1995 Asian Cup Winners' Cup.

Narahashi moved to Kashima Antlers in 1997. The presence of Jorginho at Kashima propelled his decision to move as he aspired to learn the trade under the Brazilian international full back. In 2000, the club won all three major title in Japan; J1 League, J.League Cup and Emperor's Cup first time in J.League history. The club won J1 League three times, J.League Cup three times and Emperor's Cup two times. From the mid-2000s, his opportunities to play decreased. At the end of the 2006 season, Kashima announced that they wouldn't renew his contract.

Narahashi returned to Bellmare in February 2007 but was released in August 2007. On February 1, 2008, he announced his retirement from professional football.[2]

International career

On September 27, 1994, Narahashi debuted for Japan national team against Australia. He competed with Hiroshige Yanagimoto for regular of right side-back. Yanagimoto got hurt in 1997, Narahashi became a regular. At 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification, Japan won the qualify for 1998 FIFA World Cup first time in Japan's history. In 1998, he played in all three matches at 1998 World Cup.

After 2002 FIFA World Cup, in October, Narahashi was selected Japan by new manager Zico for the first time in four years. He was also selected Japan for 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup, but he did not play in the match. He played 38 games for Japan until 2003.[1]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Emperor's Cup J.League Cup Asia Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Bellmare Hiratsuka[lower-alpha 1] 1990–91 JSL Division 2 25510265
1991–92 25330283
1992 Football League 181181
1993 1751050235
1994 J1 League 3924010442
1995 46420484
1996 29130141462
Kashima Antlers 1997 J1 League 1715071292
1998 3354010385
1999 1522171244
2000 2634071374
2001 2733060363
2002 2515080381
2003 271004030341
2004 1200040160
2005 1103000140
2006 30000030
Shonan Bellmare 2007 J2 League 100010
Career total 396373616843050342
  1. "Fujita Industries" until 1994

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year[1]
National teamYearAppsGoals
Japan 199410
199590
199600
1997130
199890
199900
200000
200100
200220
200340
Total380

Honors


With Shonan Bellmare

With Kashima Antlers


Individual

References

  1. 1 2 3 Japan National Football Team Database
  2. "Narahashi reportedly to retire". The Japan Times. 2 February 2008. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
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