Nozomi Hiroyama

Nozomi Hiroyama
廣山 望
Personal information
Date of birth (1975-06-06) June 6, 1975 (age 49)
Place of birth Sodegaura, Chiba, Japan
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)[1]
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
1993–1995 Narashino High School
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1996–2000 JEF United Ichihara 120 (12)
2001 Cerro Porteño 29 (3)
2002 Sport Recife 0 (0)
2002–2003 Braga 8 (0)
2003–2004 Montpellier 7 (0)
2004–2008 Tokyo Verdy 79 (11)
2005 → Cerezo Osaka (loan) 15 (0)
2009–2010 Thespa Kusatsu 73 (3)
2011–2012 Richmond Kickers 39 (0)
Total 370 (29)
International career
1997 Japan U-20 4 (1)
2001 Japan 2 (0)
Medal record
JEF United Ichihara
Runner-up J.League Cup 1998
Tokyo Verdy
Winner Emperor's Cup 2004
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Nozomi Hiroyama (廣山 望, Hiroyama Nozomi, born June 6, 1975) is a Japanese former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. Hiroyama played over 400 games during his career which included spells in Japan, France, Portugal, Paraguay, Brazil and United States, as well as earning two caps with the Japan national team. Hiroyama was the first Japanese footballer to dispute the Copa Libertadores competition.[2]

Club career

Japan

Hiroyama began his career with his hometown team, JEF United Ichihara, in the Japanese J1 League, helping his team to the final of the J.League Cup in 1998, and making 120 appearances and scoring 20 goals in total in his four years with the team. Whilst Hiroyama was at JEF United, the physical trainer of the team was Paraguayan, who gave good references to him, and then the opportunity was given to Hiroyama to play at Cerro Porteño.[3]

South America

Cerro Porteño

Hiroyama signed for Paraguayan side Cerro Porteño in 2001, and during his time in South America became the first Japanese footballer to play and score in the Copa Libertadores.[4] Hiroyama featured for Cerro Porteño for 1 year and a half.[5] He was coached by Cesar Jacquet.[6]

Hiroyama was one of two foreigners in Cerro Porteño's squad, which included Costa Rican footballer Froylan Ledezma.[7] In Cerro Porteño's team, Hiroyama colleagued with Aldo Bobadilla, Diego Barreto, Nelson Zelaya, Carlos Baez, Sergio Aquino, Jorge Luis Campos, Guido Alvarenga, Julio dos Santos, Cesar Ramirez, Virgilio Ferreira, Santiago Salcedo and Ledezma.[7]

Hiroyama scored 3 goals in 27 league games for Cerro Porteño.[1] Hiroyama scored in a 1-0 victory against Sportivo San Lorenzo.[2]

In the 2001 Copa Libertadores, Hiroyama scored 2 goals in 7 games.[1] On 22 March 2001, Hiroyama scored a double in a 4-0 away victory against Sport Boys Callao in the Copa Libertadores.[8] Both goals came in the first half of the game.[8] On 10 April, Hiroyama played in Cerro Porteño's 6-0 home victory against Universidad de Chile.[9] On 10 May in Cerro Porteño's first-leg tie of the Copa Libertadores round of 16 stage against Mexican club Cruz Azul, Hiroyama played in the team's 2-1 home victory.[10] On 16 May, Hiroyama played in the team's 3-1 away defeat in the second-leg.[11][12]

Hiroyama also played in the 2001 Copa Mercosur, appearing 8 times.[13] He started on 5 occasions in the competition.[13]

Hiroyama was champion with Cerro Porteño in the tournament of 2001.[3]

Sport Recife

He moved to Brazilian side Sport Recife prior to the 2002 season, but never managed to find a way into the team, and left for Europe halfway through the season without making a senior appearance.

Europe

Hiroyama signed for Portuguese team Braga in the winter of 2002, but made just 8 appearances for the team before moving on to French side Montpellier;[14] again, Hiroyama was unable to cement a place in the first team, and returned home to Japan prior to the beginning of the 2004 J1 League season.

Japan

Hiroyama quickly established himself at Tokyo Verdy, helping his team win the 2004 Emperor's Cup, and playing in the 2006 AFC Champions League, but was unable to prevent his side being relegated into J2 that same year. He had a brief spell on loan at Cerezo Osaka in 2005, before moving on to J2 side Thespa Kusatsu in 2009,m having made 79 league appearances and scored 11 goals for Tokyo.

United States

Hiroyama signed with Richmond Kickers of the USL Professional Division on March 16, 2011,[15] and made his debut for his new team on April 9, in a game against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds[16]

On August 17, 2012, Hiroyama announced his retirement from professional football.[17]

International career

In June 1997, Hiroyama was selected Japan U-20 national team for 1997 World Youth Championship.[18] He played 4 matches as right midfielder and scored a goal against Paraguay.

On October 4, 2001, Hiroyama debuted for Japan national team against Senegal. On October 7, he also played against Nigeria. He played 2 games for Japan in 2001.[19]

Coaching career

In 2020, Hiroyama was the second coach of Japan's under-16 national team.[3]

Personal life

In Paraguay, Hiroyama liked Sopa paraguaya and Empanadas.[3] Also, he drank lots of Terere and took with him a Terere thermus kit to keep drinking.[3] In terms of Paraguay's Guarani language, Hiroyama learnt a few words.[3]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup League cup Continental Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
JEF United Ichihara 1996 21 1 1 0 8 1 - 30 2
1997 30 1 4 2 6 1 – 40 4
1998 30 7 1 0 4 2 – 35 9
1999 30 2 3 0 0 0 – 33 2
2000 9 1 3 0 0 0 – 12 1
Cerro Porteño 2001 29 3 7 2 36 5
Sport Recife 2002 0 0 0 0
Braga 2002–03 8 0 0 0 1 0 – 9 0
Montpellier 2003–04 7 0 7 0
Tokyo Verdy 2004 4 0 1 0 1 0 – 6 0
Cerezo Osaka (loan) 2005 15 0 0 0 3 0 – 18 0
Tokyo Verdy 2006 27 4 1 0 – 2 0 30 4
2007 32 7 1 0 – – 33 7
2008 16 0 1 0 4 1 – 21 1
Thespa Kusatsu 2009 44 3 2 0 – – 46 3
2010 29 0 0 0 – – 29 0
Richmond Kickers 2011 20 0 3 1 – – 23 1
2012 19 0 1 0 – – 20 0
Career total 370 29 22 3 27 5 9 2 428 39

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year[19]
National team Year Apps Goals
Japan 2001 2 0
Total 2 0

References

  1. ^ a b c "Ficha Estadistica de Nozomi Hiroyama". www.bdfa.com.ar. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  2. ^ a b "El inolvidable Hiroyama".
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Crónica / "AÚN TENGO MI TERMO y MI CAMISETA DE CERRO"". 16 March 2020.
  4. ^ "Copa Toyota Libertadores: Boca Juniors primer clasificado". CONMEBOL. 2001-03-23. Archived from the original on October 27, 2006. Retrieved 2009-05-13.
  5. ^ "Nozomi Hiroyama". livefutbol.com. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  6. ^ "Diario HOY | Samuráis en el fútbol paraguayo: De Uchida al pedrojuanino". 26 April 2016.
  7. ^ a b Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Cerro Porteño Asunción (2001)". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  8. ^ a b "Sport Boys Callao 0-4 Cerro Porteño :: Copa Libertadores 2001 :: Ficha del Partido :: ceroacero.es". www.ceroacero.es. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  9. ^ "Cerro Porteño vs Univ de Chile - Copa Libertadores 2001: Toda la info, alineaciones y eventos".
  10. ^ "Cerro Porteño 2-1 Cruz Azul :: Copa Libertadores 2001 :: Match Events :: playmakerstats.com". www.playmakerstats.com. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  11. ^ "Cruz Azul - Cerro Porteño 3:1 (Copa Libertadores 2001, Round of 16)".
  12. ^ "Cruz Azul 3-1 Cerro Porteño :: Copa Libertadores 2001 :: Match Events :: playmakerstats.com". www.playmakerstats.com. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  13. ^ a b "Nozomi Hiroyama » Partidos de competición oficial » Copa Mercosur".
  14. ^ "Hiroyama makes history again". UEFA. 24 July 2003. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
  15. ^ "Kickers Sign Japanese Super". 16 March 2011.
  16. ^ "United Soccer Leagues (USL)". Archived from the original on 2011-05-14. Retrieved 2011-04-10.
  17. ^ "17 years". nozomi-web. 17 August 2012. Retrieved 16 November 2012.
  18. ^ "Nozomi Hiroyama » Partidos con la selección nacional » Copa Mundial".
  19. ^ a b Japan National Football Team Database