Biography
Who is Atsuto Uchida?
Early life and career
Atsuto Uchida was born in Kannami, Japan, on March 27, 1988. He attended Shimizu Higashi High School, where he played in the wing position due to his speed. The school director Kazuo Umeda later switched him to the right-back position. He moved to Kashima Antlers with a high school diploma in 2006.
On March 5, 2006, Atsuto Uchida made his professional football debut for Kashima Antlers at the age of seventeen against Sanfrecce Hiroshima. He scored his first professional goal on March 21, 2006, against Ventforet Kofu. During his first season, he made forty-one appearances and scored two goals across all competitions, helping his team achieve success.
Kashima Antlers success
During the 2007 season, Atsuto Uchida helped Kashima Antlers win the league title and the Emperor Cup, securing a domestic double. He scored the opening goal in the final against Sanfrecce Hiroshima. His strong performances earned him selection to the J. League All-Star Soccer game by popular vote.
Atsuto Uchida continued to play an important role for Kashima Antlers in the following seasons. He signed a contract extension in 2008 and was named to the J. League Best Eleven for the first time. In 2009, he won his third consecutive league title with the club and earned a second J. League Best Eleven selection before moving to Europe.
Move to Schalke 04 and Germany
On June 13, 2010, German club Schalke 04 signed Atsuto Uchida to a three-year contract for a transfer fee of 1.3 million euros. He made his club debut against Bayern Munich in the DFL-Supercup. With Schalke, he won the DFB-Pokal during the 2010-11 season and was named in the Bundesliga team of the season twice between 2012 and 2014.
After his time with Schalke 04, Atsuto Uchida played in the 2. Bundesliga with Union Berlin. He later returned to his first professional club, Kashima Antlers, where he finished his playing career and retired from professional football in 2020.
International career with Japan
Atsuto Uchida made his first appearance for the Japan national team in January 2008. He earned seventy-four caps and scored two goals for his country over the course of his international career. He represented the national team in several major international tournaments.
His major tournament appearances for Japan included the 2011 AFC Asian Cup, the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, and the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He also represented the Japan national under-20 and under-23 teams during his developing years.
Birthday and age
Atsuto Uchida was born on March 27, 1988, which makes Atsuto 38 years old today. That birthday falls under the Aries sign. Atsuto shares the date with 77 other famous people.
Explore more
