Biography
Who is Shinji Okazaki?
Early life and club beginnings
Shinji Okazaki graduated from Takigawa Daini High School in 2004 before signing full professional terms with Shimizu S-Pulse the following year. In December 2005, he made his first J.League appearance as a substitute against Sanfrecce Hiroshima. He scored his first professional goal against Kawasaki Frontale on 15 April 2007. During the 2008 J.League season, he scored ten times in 27 matches and represented S-Pulse in the J.League Cup Final against Oita Trinita.
After continuing his promising goalscoring form through subsequent seasons, Shinji moved to German side VfB Stuttgart in January 2011 on a three-and-a-half-year contract. He made his competitive debut in a Europa League match against Benfica and scored his first Bundesliga goal against Hannover 96. During the 2011 to 2012 season, his bicycle kick against Hannover 96 was selected as Goal of the Month, making him the second player from Japan to win this award in Germany after Yasuhiko Okudera.
Mainz and Premier League success
On 1 July 2013, Shinji transferred to Mainz 05, scoring his first goal on his debut in a victory against his former club Stuttgart. He concluded that season with 15 league goals and later became the most productive Japanese player in Bundesliga history after scoring his 27th and 28th league goals against Hertha Berlin in September 2014.
In June 2015, Shinji moved to Premier League club Leicester City for a reported fee of £7 million. He scored his first goal for the club against West Ham United and later scored a crucial winner against Everton to ensure Leicester topped the table at Christmas. In March 2016, his overhead strike against Newcastle United secured a 1 0 victory and helped Leicester maintain their lead at the top of the standings. Leicester City ultimately won the Premier League title that season, making him the second Japanese player to win the league after Shinji Kagawa.
Later club career and management
Following his time at Leicester City, Shinji played for several other clubs including Málaga and Huesca, where he scored 12 goals to help his side achieve promotion to La Liga. He subsequently played for FC Cartagena and Sint-Truiden in Belgium before announcing his retirement from professional playing at the end of the 2023 to 2024 season.
Alongside his playing career, Shinji co-founded the German football club FC Basara Mainz during the 2014 to 2015 season while playing for Mainz 05. He currently serves as an adviser for the club, which started in tier 11 of the German football league system and achieved promotion to tier 6 in 2019.
International career
Shinji made his full international debut for the Japan senior national team against the United Arab Emirates in October 2008, following his participation with the under-23 team at the 2008 Olympic Games in China. He scored his first international goal against Yemen in January 2009 and later recorded hat-tricks against Hong Kong and Togo, earning him the title of The World's Top Goal Scorer of 2009 by the IFFHS.
He represented Japan at multiple FIFA World Cups, including scoring a decisive goal against Denmark to send his country into the second round of the 2010 tournament. He also played a key role in the 2011 AFC Asian Cup, scoring a hat-trick against Saudi Arabia and helping Japan defeat Australia in the final to win the trophy. He ended his international career as Japan's third all-time top goalscorer with 50 goals from 119 appearances.
Birthday and age
Shinji Okazaki was born on April 16, 1986, which makes Shinji 40 years old today. That birthday falls under the Aries sign. Shinji shares the date with 36 other famous people.
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