Biography
Who is Maya Yoshida?
Early life and career beginnings
Maya Yoshida was born in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan, on August 24, 1988. He began playing football at Nanling FC during his second year at elementary school. His older brother, Honami, helped start his career by searching the internet for Nagoya Grampus and leading him to join the U-15 team. After joining, Maya relocated to Nagoya and attended Toyota High School while training with the youth academy.
After spending five years at the youth academy, Maya signed his first professional contract and was promoted to the first team for the 2007 season. He initially played as a defensive midfielder in the youth setup before transitioning to the centre-back position. He made his debut for Nagoya Grampus on May 3, 2007, during a match against Oita Trinita. Later that year, he scored his first goal for the club in a match against Thespa Kusatsu during the Emperor's Cup.
Club career in Europe and England
In December 2009, Maya transferred to the Dutch club VVV-Venlo on a three-year contract. His start at the club was delayed due to a foot fracture, but he eventually made his debut in October 2010. During the 2011 to 2012 season, he scored a well-known bicycle kick goal against PSV Eindhoven, which earned the Eredivisie Goal of the Season award. He helped the club retain their top-flight league status through the relegation play-offs before departing.
In August 2012, Maya moved to the English Premier League by signing with Southampton for a reported fee of three million pounds. He made his debut against Arsenal in September 2012 and quickly established himself as a regular starter in the centre-back position. During his time with Southampton, he formed defensive partnerships with players like José Fonte and occasionally played in full-back positions.
International career with Japan
Maya has represented Japan across multiple international levels, including the under-23 team and the senior men's national team. He played for Japan in the Olympic football tournaments in 2008, 2012, and 2020. He also made over 120 appearances for the senior national team, serving as a key defensive leader.
He has participated in several major international competitions, including the FIFA World Cup in 2014, 2018, and 2022. Also, he competed in the AFC Asian Cup tournaments in 2011, 2015, and 2019. He won the Asian Cup title with Japan in 2011 and finished as a runner-up in the 2019 edition of the tournament.
Birthday and age
Maya Yoshida was born on August 24, 1988, which makes Maya 38 years old today. That birthday falls under the Virgo sign. Maya shares the date with 36 other famous people.
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