Biography
Who is Makoto Hasebe?
Early life and career beginnings
Makoto Hasebe was born on January 18, 1984, in Fujieda, Japan. He graduated from Fujieda Higashi High School in 2002. Following his graduation, he joined the J.League club Urawa Red Diamonds. He quickly established himself as a regular player in the team's first squad during the 2003 season, primarily playing as a defensive midfielder alongside Keita Suzuki.
During his time with the Urawa Red Diamonds, Makoto earned individual recognition when he received the J.League Cup New Hero Award in 2004. He was also selected as a member of the J.League team of the year and won the Urawa Fans' Player of the Year award that same season. The club achieved significant success, winning the J1 League championship in 2006 and the AFC Champions League in 2007.
German Bundesliga career
In January 2008, Makoto moved to Germany to join the Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg, becoming the first Japanese player to represent the club. He won a league title with Wolfsburg during the 2008-09 season, making him the second Japanese player to win the Bundesliga title. He later extended his contract with the club and reached a milestone by playing his 100th Bundesliga match in December 2011.
After a brief spell with 1. FC Nürnberg following their relegation, Makoto transferred to Eintracht Frankfurt for the 2014-15 season. He played over 300 matches for Frankfurt across ten seasons. Under coach Niko Kovač, he transitioned successfully to playing as a centre-back in a five-man backline. He won the DFB-Pokal in the 2017-18 season and later secured the UEFA Europa League title in the 2021-22 season.
International football career
Makoto made his senior debut for the Japan national team on February 11, 2006, in a friendly match against the USA in San Francisco. He went on to earn 114 international caps and scored two goals for his country. He served as the captain of the national team from 2010 until his retirement from international football in 2018.
He represented Japan in multiple major tournaments, including the FIFA World Cups in 2010, 2014, and 2018. He also captained the starting line-up that won the AFC Asian Cup final in 2011. Following Japan's exit in the Round of 16 at the 2018 World Cup, he announced his retirement from international competition.
Birthday and age
Makoto Hasebe was born on January 18, 1984, which makes Makoto 42 years old today. That birthday falls under the Capricorn sign. Makoto shares the date with 47 other famous people.
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