52 Facts About Atsuto Uchida

Atsuto Uchida is a Japanese former professional footballer who played as a right-back.

Atsuto Uchida made his first appearance for the Japan national team in January 2008, and went on to make 74 appearances and score two goals for his country, representing them in the 2011 AFC Asian Cup, the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup and the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Atsuto Uchida is widely regarded as one of the best Asian right backs of all time.

In 2006, Atsuto Uchida moved to Kashima Antlers with a high school diploma.

Atsuto Uchida helped the club kept two clean sheets in the first two league matches.

Since returning from injury, Atsuto Uchida quickly began playing in the receiver role later in the season.

Atsuto Uchida then helped the club keep three consecutive clean sheets between 28 September 2008 and 4 October 2008.

Atsuto Uchida signed a contract extension with the club, keeping him until 2012.

Ahead of the 2009 season, Atsuto Uchida was linked a move away from Kashima Antlers, as several clubs from Europe were interested in signing him.

Ahead of the 2010 season, Atsuto Uchida's performance continued to attract interests from European clubs.

Atsuto Uchida helped Schalke 04's defence by keeping three consecutive clean sheets between 4 December 2010 and 18 December 2010.

However, Atsuto Uchida tore a muscle in his right thigh during training and was out for a month.

Atsuto Uchida has a top attitude towards work and club.

Atsuto Uchida was featured in the first two league matches before dropped in favour of Benedikt Howedes.

Atsuto Uchida managed to regain his first team place for the next seven matches before suffering from injuries for the second time this season.

On 10 September 2017, Atsuto Uchida was given a farewell send-off before a Schalke 04 match.

On 2 January 2018, Atsuto Uchida re-joined J1 team Kashima Antlers after playing seven and a half years in Germany.

Atsuto Uchida was scheduled to join his teammates in Kashima on 9 January 2018, shortly before the start of the 2018 J1 season.

Atsuto Uchida appeared in the next four matches, setting up two goals against Vissel Kobe on 25 April 2018 and V-Varen Nagasaki on 2 May 2018 that saw the club earn a total of four points in both matches.

However, Atsuto Uchida suffered a knee injury that saw him out for two months.

However, Atsuto Uchida suffered a hamstring injury that kept him out for a month.

Ahead of the 2019 season, Atsuto Uchida was appointed as the new Kashima Antlers' captain following the departure of Gen Shoji.

Atsuto Uchida later captained three more matches for Kashima Antlers between 9 March 2019 and 30 March 2019, helping the club earn a total of seven points.

Since returning from injury, Atsuto Uchida resumed his captaincy role despite being placed on the substitute bench in a number of matches for the rest of the 2019 season.

Atsuto Uchida helped Kashima Antlers finish third place in the league.

However, Atsuto Uchida previously ruled out being a manager, citing as leadership to be difficult.

On 28 March 2021, Atsuto Uchida was hired as a sportscaster for TV Asahi's "Hodo Station".

Atsuto Uchida was appointed as Schalke's team ambassador and LIXIL ambassador.

Atsuto Uchida was part of the Japan team for the 2006 AFC Youth Championship finals hosted by India.

Atsuto Uchida helped the Japan's defence with two clean sheets in the first two matches in the group stage, which saw the side through to the knockout stage.

Atsuto Uchida later helped Japan reach the finals of the AFC Youth Championship by beating South Korea and Saudi Arabia.

Atsuto Uchida took part in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup finals hosted by Canada.

In July 2008, Atsuto Uchida was called up to Japan U23 squad for the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Atsuto Uchida went on to make two appearances for the side in the tournament, as Japan were eliminated in the group stage.

Atsuto Uchida received an international call-up on two occasions for the Japan national team squad from national coach Ivica Osim between December 2007 and January 2008 but he did not play any game.

Atsuto Uchida finally made a full international debut for the Samurai Blue on 26 January 2008 in a friendly against Chile at National Olympic Stadium in Tokyo.

In June 2009, Atsuto Uchida was featured in two of the three World Cup qualifying matches, which resulted in the Samurai Blue qualified for the tournament.

Later in the year, Atsuto Uchida helped Japan keep four consecutive clean sheets between 10 October 2009 and 18 November 2009, all of them were friendly matches.

In February 2010, Atsuto Uchida was called up to the Japan's national squad for the East Asian Football Championship.

Atsuto Uchida helped the Samurai Blue keep two clean sheets in the first two matches.

In May 2010, Atsuto Uchida was a member of the Japan team for the 2010 World Cup squad.

In December 2010, Atsuto Uchida was called up to the Japan's squad for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar.

Atsuto Uchida played all the first three matches in the tournament and helped the Samurai Blue reach the knockout stage.

Shortly after, Atsuto Uchida was called up to the Samurai Blue's squad for the 2013 Confederations Cup.

Atsuto Uchida was featured three times in the tournament, as Japan loss all three matches and was eliminated in the group stage.

In May 2014, Atsuto Uchida was called up to Japan's squad for the 2014 World Cup.

Unlike the previous World Cup, Atsuto Uchida started all three matches in the World Cup, which saw Japan eliminated from the group stage.

Atsuto Uchida played two times in the tournament, winning both matches.

Outside of football, Atsuto Uchida is considered a massively popular figure in his native country of Japan.

Outside of football, Atsuto Uchida provided the voice for Uschi, who is named after him, in the Pokemon movie Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction.

Since May 2015, Atsuto Uchida has been married to Yuko Aoki, whom he has known since childhood, and together, the couple has three daughters.

In December 2008, Atsuto Uchida affiliated himself with FIFA Players' Agent Tetsuro Kiyooka, in hopes of moving to Europe.