Biography
Who is Naoya Kikuchi?
Early life and education
Naoya Kikuchi was born in Shimizu, Japan, on November 24, 1984. During his youth, he developed his football skills by playing for the Shimizu S-Pulse junior youth team.
He continued his education and athletic training at Shimizu Commercial High School. This institution has a strong soccer tradition and counts players like Shinji Ono among its well-known alumni.
Club career highlights
After graduating from high school, Naoya Kikuchi joined the professional club Júbilo Iwata. During his early years, he was also briefly loaned to Albirex Niigata to gain more playing experience.
His talent drew international attention when he was invited for trials with European clubs such as Arsenal in England and Feyenoord in the Netherlands. In 2007, he moved to Germany to play for FC Carl Zeiss Jena after leaving his previous team.
Naoya Kikuchi later returned to Japan and signed with Oita Trinita in July 2009. He subsequently transferred to Albirex Niigata and Sagan Tosu before officially retiring from playing at the end of the 2019 season.
International experience
Naoya Kikuchi represented Japan on the international stage across various age groups. He played in the 2001 U-17 World Championship and later participated in the 2003 World Youth Championship with the under-20 national team.
He was selected for the Japan Olympic football team that competed in the 2004 tournament. His full international debut for the senior national team took place on January 6, 2010, during an AFC Asian Cup qualification match against Yemen.
Birthday and age
Naoya Kikuchi was born on November 24, 1984, which makes Naoya 41 years old today. That birthday falls under the Sagittarius sign. Naoya shares the date with 35 other famous people.
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