Junichi Inamoto

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Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox football biography Script error: No such module "Nihongo". is a Japanese former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.[1] He is a retired international for the Japan national team.

Club career

Gamba Osaka

Inamoto was born in the town of Kurino (now Yūsui) in Kagoshima Prefecture and raised in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, where his family moved two months after his birth.[2] He played for Japanese club Gamba Osaka during his last year of high school, signing with the club in 1997. In April of that year, at the age of 17, he made his debut in the 1997 J.League season,[1] making him the youngest player in the J.League (at that time).[3] He played for Gamba until summer 2001 and played 118 matches in the J1 League.[1]

Loan to Arsenal

Inamoto was then one of many high-profile transfers of Asian players to Europe, signing with Arsenal of the English Premier League. Inamoto scored two goals for the Japan national team at the 2002 FIFA World Cup, but had already been released by Arsenal shortly before the tournament began.[4]

Loan to Fulham

Inamoto was then signed by Fulham on a long-term loan deal from Gamba Osaka.[5] Initially he settled well at the London club,[6] garnering good notices as a tough-tackling midfielder with an eye for a spectacular goal. He became a fan favourite quickly, scoring four goals over the two legs of Fulham's 2002 UEFA Intertoto Cup final win against Bologna, scoring once in the first leg[7] and a hat trick in the second.[8] Other notable goals he scored in his time for Fulham include goals against Tottenham Hotspur,[9] Sunderland,[10] Middlesbrough[11] and also in the 3–1 win against Manchester United at Old Trafford in October 2003.[12] He also scored in the FA Cup against Everton[13] which commentator Barry Davies described as "a Japanese peach".Script error: No such module "Unsubst". Inamoto was also described as "bigger than Beckham" by the Japanese media.[14] However, he sustained a fractured tibia in an international friendly against England, and returned to Gamba Osaka to do promotional work. Fulham were interested in signing him once more, but concerns remained over his recovery from injury.[15][16]

West Bromwich Albion

Inamoto signed with West Bromwich Albion for a decidedly small £200,000 transfer fee, which was only to be paid once he had made an appearance for the Midlands club.[17] However, Gary Megson departed as West Bromwich Albion manager shortly afterwards, and successor Bryan Robson was unsure of the player.

Loan to Cardiff City

Inamoto was loaned to Cardiff City for the latter part of the 2004–05 season,[18] and impressed, being recalled to play a role in West Brom's survival campaign in the Premiership. In 2005–06 he was a regular in the West Brom side, and was called up to the Japan squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, the first Albion player to play in the tournament for 20 years.Script error: No such module "Unsubst". While at West Brom Inamoto scored once, an extra time winner in a League Cup tie against former club Fulham on 25 October 2005.[19]

Galatasaray

On 31 August 2006, Inamoto signed for Galatasaray.[20]

Eintracht Frankfurt

On 29 May 2007, it was revealed that he signed a two-year contract with German club Eintracht Frankfurt, joining on a free transfer.[21] Inamoto was presented in a press conference joining fellow Japanese striker Naohiro Takahara in Frankfurt and was released on 30 May 2009.

Rennes

On 19 June 2009, French Ligue 1 side Rennes announced that Inamoto had signed a contract with them.[22]

Kawasaki Frontale

Inamoto signed for J1 League club Kawasaki Frontale on 11 January 2010 in a move back to his homeland after nine years away in Europe. He played for Frontale for 5 seasons. He left at the end of the 2014 season.[23]

Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo

In 2015, Inamoto then subsequently featured for Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo (later Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo) in the J2 League. Consadole won the 2016 season and was promoted to J1.[24] However he could only play single-digit matches every season from the 2016 season onward.[1] He resigned at the end of the 2018 season.[25]

SC Sagamihara

On 23 January 2019, Inamoto signed with J3 League club SC Sagamihara.[26] On 15 June 2019, he scored his first goal for the club in a league match against Gamba Osaka U23.

Nankatsu SC

On 18 January 2022, Inamoto signed for fifth tier Kantō Soccer League club, Nankatsu SC. On 30 July 2023, he scored his first goal for the club at the age of 43 in a league match against Toin University of Yokohama scoring a header.

He retired from playing in December 2024.[27]

International career

In August 1995, Inamoto was selected for Japan U17 for the 1995 U-17 World Championship. He played all three matches.[28] In April 1999, he was selected for Japan U20 for the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship.[28] At this tournament, he played three matches as Japan finished second.

On 5 February 2000, Inamoto debuted for the senior Japan national team under manager Philippe Troussier against Mexico.[29] After his debut, Inamoto played ten matches or more every year under Troussier.[29]

In September 2000, Inamoto was selected for Japan U23 for 2000 Summer Olympics. He played the full game in all four matches and scored a goal against Slovakia.[28]

In 2000, Inamoto played at the 2000 AFC Asian Cup. He played four matches[29] as Japan won the championship. In 2001, he also played at the 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup. He played four matches[29] as Japan finished second. In 2002, he was selected by Japan for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. He played all four matches and scored two goals against Belgium in the first match and Russia in the second match. Japan qualified for the knockout stage for the first time in their history.

After the 2002 FIFA World Cup, Inamoto played at the 2003 and the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup.[29] In 2006, he was selected by Japan for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He played two matches as Japan was eliminated at the group stage.

After the 2006 FIFA World Cup, due to generational change, Inamoto was not selected for Japan again until June 2007.[29] After that, he played several matches every year. In 2010, he was selected for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He played two matches[29] as Japan qualified for the knockout stage. This World Cup would mark Inamoto’s last game for Japan. In total, he played 82 games and scored 5 goals for the national side.[29]

Career statistics

Club

As of 14 October 2022Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".[1][30]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup League cup Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Gamba Osaka 1997 J1 League 27 3 3 0 6 0 – 36 3
1998 28 6 1 0 4 0 – 33 6
1999 22 1 2 0 0 0 – 24 1
2000 28 4 2 0 4 1 – 34 5
2001 13 2 0 0 3 0 – 16 2
Total 118 16 8 0 17 1 – 143 17
Arsenal (loan) 2001–02 Premier League 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 4 0
Fulham (loan) 2002–03 Premier League 19 2 2 0 2 0 10Template:Efn 4 33 6
2003–04 22 2 2 1 1 0 – 25 3
Total 41 4 4 1 3 0 10 4 58 9
West Bromwich Albion 2004–05 Premier League 3 0 0 0 0 0 – 3 0
2005–06 Premier League 22 0 2 0 2 1 – 26 1
2006–07 Championship 3 0 0 0 0 0 – 3 0
Total 28 0 2 0 2 1 – 32 1
Cardiff City (loan) 2004–05 Championship 14 0 2 0 0 0 – 16 0
Galatasaray 2006–07 Süper Lig 25 0 3 0 – 5 1 33 1
Eintracht Frankfurt 2007–08 Bundesliga 24 0 2 0 – – 26 0
2008–09 19 0 1 0 – – 20 0
Total 43 0 3 0 – – 46 0
Rennes 2009–10 Ligue 1 5 0 0 0 0 0 – 5 0
Kawasaki Frontale 2010 J1 League 28 0 2 0 4 0 5 0 39 0
2011 12 2 1 0 1 0 – 14 2
2012 20 0 1 0 3 0 – 24 0
2013 25 0 3 0 10 0 – 36 0
2014 14 1 1 0 1 0 3 0 19 1
Total 99 3 8 0 20 0 8 0 135 3
Consadole Sapporo 2015 J2 League 31 0 1 0 – – 32 0
2016 J2 League 8 1 0 0 – – 8 1
2017 J1 League 6 0 0 0 0 0 – 6 0
2018 2 0 1 0 5 0 – 8 0
Total 47 1 2 0 5 0 – 54 0
SC Sagamihara 2019 J3 League 9 1 0 0 – – 9 1
2020 1 0 0 0 – – 1 0
2021 J2 League 9 0 2 0 – – 11 0
Nankatsu SC 2022 Kanto Soccer League 2 0 0 0 – – 2 0
Career total 441 25 34 1 49 2 25 5 549 33

Template:Notelist

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year[29]
National team Year Apps Goals
Japan 2000 14 0
2001 11 1
2002 11 2
2003 10 1
2004 6 0
2005 10 0
2006 4 0
2007 3 0
2008 2 0
2009 4 1
2010 8 0
Total 82 5
Scores and results list Japan's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Inamoto goal.
List of international goals scored by Junichi Inamoto
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 4 July 2001 Ōita, Japan {{ Template:Yesno alias = Federal Republic of Yugoslavia shortname alias = Yugoslavia flag alias = Flag of Serbia and Montenegro (1992–2006).svg name alias-football = FR Yugoslavia link alias-football = Serbia and Montenegro national football team link alias-ice hockey = Serbia and Montenegro national ice hockey team link alias-basketball = Serbia and Montenegro national basketball team link alias-volleyball = Serbia and Montenegro men's national volleyball team link alias-handball = Serbia and Montenegro men's national handball team link alias-water polo = Serbia and Montenegro men's national water polo team link alias-baseball = Serbia and Montenegro national baseball team flag alias-navy = Naval ensign of Serbia and Montenegro.svg link alias-navy = Yugoslav War Navy flag alias-naval = Naval jack of Serbia and Montenegro (1993–2006).svg link alias-naval = Yugoslav War Navy flag alias-air force = Fin flash of the Air Force of Serbia and Montenegro.svg link alias-air force = Yugoslav War Air Force border-air force= size = name = altlink = national football team altvar = football variant =

}} || || align="center"|1–0 || Friendly match

2 4 June 2002 Saitama, Japan {{ Template:Yesno alias = Belgium flag alias = Flag of Belgium (civil).svg flag alias-government = Government Ensign of Belgium.svg flag alias-state = Flag of Belgium.svg flag alias-1830 = Flag of Belgium (1830).svg flag alias-1858 = Royal ensign of Belgium (1858).svg flag alias-army = Flag of the Belgian Land Component.svg link alias-army = Belgian Land Component flag alias-naval = Naval Ensign of Belgium.svg link alias-naval = Belgian Navy flag alias-air force = Air Force Ensign of Belgium.svg link alias-air force = Belgian Air Component flag alias-navy = Naval Ensign of Belgium.svg link alias-navy = Belgian Navy size = name = altlink = national football team variant =

}} || || align="center"|2–2 || 2002 FIFA World Cup Group Stage

3 9 June 2002 Yokohama, Japan {{ Template:Yesno alias = Russia flag alias = Flag of Russia.svg flag alias-1668 = Flag of Russia (1668).svg flag alias-1696 = Flag of Russia.svg flag alias-1858 = Romanov Flag.svg flag alias-1918a=Flag of Russia (1918).svg flag alias-1918 = Flag of Russia (1918–1920).svg flag alias-1925 = Flag of the Russian SFSR (1920-1937).svg flag alias-1937 = Flag of the Russian SFSR (1937-1954).svg flag alias-1954 = Flag of the Russian SFSR.svg flag alias-1991 = Flag of Russia (1991–1993).svg flag alias-military = Banner of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (obverse).svg link alias-military = Russian Armed Forces flag alias-army = Flag of the Russian ground forces.svg link alias-army = Russian Ground Forces flag alias-naval = Naval Jack of Russia.svg link alias-naval = Russian Navy flag alias-VV MVD naval-1992 = Russia, Naval flag of ships and vessels of the Interior Force 1992.svg flag alias-VV MVD naval = Russia, Naval flag of ships and vessels of the Interior Force 2000.svg flag alias-NGF naval-2016 = Russia, Naval flag of ships and vessels of the Interior Force 2000.svg flag alias-NGF naval = Russia, Flag of ships and vessels of the National Guard.svg flag alias-navy = Naval Ensign of Russia.svg link alias-navy = Russian Navy flag alias-navy-1992 = Naval ensign of Russia (1992).svg flag alias-air force = Flag of the Air Force of the Russian Federation.svg link alias-air force = Russian Air Force flag alias-marines = Флаг Морской пехоты ВМФ России (2021).jpg link alias-marines = Russian Naval Infantry flag alias-space force = Russian military space troops flag.svg link alias-space force = Russian Space Forces flag alias-coast guard = Russia, Flag of border service 2008.svg link alias-coast guard = Russian Coast Guard flag alias-coast guard-1993 = Russia. Flag of ships of Border Guard Force 1993.svg link alias-coast guard-1993 = Russian Coast Guard flag alias-roc-olympics = Russian Olympic Committee flag.png flag alias-nbfr-badminton = Nbfr logo.png flag alias-rwf-wrestling = RWF logo.svg flag alias-tennis = Rtf tennis flag vector.svg flag alias-aerospace forces = Flag of the Russian Aerospace Forces.svg size = name = altlink = national football team variant =

}} || || align="center"|1–0 || 2002 FIFA World Cup Group Stage

4 28 March 2003 Tokyo, Japan {{ Template:Yesno alias = Uruguay flag alias = Flag of Uruguay.svg flag alias-1828 = Flag of Uruguay (1828-1830).svg link alias-naval = National Navy of Uruguay flag alias-army = Flag of Uruguayan Army.svg National Army of Uruguay link alias-air force = Uruguayan Air Force flag alias-air force = Flag of the Uruguayan Air Force.svg link alias-navy = National Navy of Uruguay size = name = altlink = national football team variant =

}} || || align="center"|2–2 || Friendly match

5 9 September 2009 Utrecht, Netherlands {{ Template:Yesno alias = Ghana flag alias = Flag of Ghana.svg flag alias-1964 = Ghana flag 1964.svg flag alias-civil = Civil Ensign of Ghana.svg flag alias-naval = Naval Ensign of Ghana.svg flag alias-air force = Air Force Ensign of Ghana.svg flag alias-navy = Naval Ensign of Ghana.svg size = name = altlink = national football team variant =

}} || || align="center"|4–3 || Friendly match

Honours

Fulham

Hokkaido Consodale Sapporo

Japan U17

Japan U20

Japan

Individual

  • J.League Best Eleven: 2000Script error: No such module "Unsubst".

References

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  1. ↑ a b c d e Template:J.League player
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  3. ↑ goal.com
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  10. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  11. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  12. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  13. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  14. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  15. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  16. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  17. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  18. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  19. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  20. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  21. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  22. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  23. ↑ Kawasaki Frontale Template:In lang
  24. ↑ J.League
  25. ↑ Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo Template:WebarchiveTemplate:In lang
  26. ↑ SC SagamiharaTemplate:In lang
  27. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  28. ↑ a b c Template:First word/index.html Template:PAGENAMEBASE – FIFA competition record (archived)Template:EditAtWikidataTemplate:WikidataCheck
  29. ↑ a b c d e f g h i Japan National Football Team Database
  30. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  31. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  32. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

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External links

Template:Sister project

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