36 Facts About Naomichi Ueda

Naomichi Ueda is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for J1 League club Kashima Antlers.

Naomichi Ueda then attended Uto City Sumiyoshi Junior High School and Kumamoto Prefectural Otsu High School.

Naomichi Ueda was impressed by Manager Kazunori Hiraoka, who described him as "a very rare material in Japan".

Naomichi Ueda became a captain for Kumamoto Prefectural Otsu High School.

However, Naomichi Ueda found his first team opportunities limited in his first season at Kashima Antlers and appeared as an unused substitute for most of the season.

Naomichi Ueda continued to receive a handful of first team football throughout the league's first stage.

At the start of the 2016 season, Naomichi Ueda started the season well when he helped Kashima Antlers keep two clean sheets in the first two league matches of the season.

Naomichi Ueda later helped the side finish first place in the first stage of the league.

Naomichi Ueda then helped the side keep three clean sheets in three matches between 4 March 2017 and 14 March 2017.

Naomichi Ueda appeared in the next two matches, keeping a clean sheet against Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo and Albirex Niigata before suffering another thigh injury.

Naomichi Ueda helped Kashima Antlers keep three clean sheets between 19 August 2017 and 9 September 2017.

Naomichi Ueda later helped Kashima Antlers keep three clean sheets in the last three remaining matches but the club finished second place behind Kawasaki Frontale.

Naomichi Ueda played four times for the U-22 side between 2014 and 2015.

Since making his debut for the club, Naomichi Ueda found himself rotating in the starting line-up, as he began to fight for his first team place.

Shortly after, Naomichi Ueda began to regain his first team place for the next three months.

On 18 January 2021, Naomichi Ueda joined Ligue 1 club Nimes Olympique on a loan deal until the end of the season.

On 30 November 2022, it was confirmed that Naomichi Ueda would make a permanent return to his former club, Kashima Antlers.

In July 2010, Naomichi Ueda was called up to the Japan U16 squad for the first time during his time at Kumamoto Prefectural Otsu High School.

Later in 2010, Naomichi Ueda was called up to the national team squad for the AFC U-16 Championship in Uzbekistan.

Naomichi Ueda was a part of the Japan U17 side that participated in the 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

Naomichi Ueda started in all of Japan's five fixtures during the tournament as the team made it all the way to the quarter-finals.

Naomichi Ueda started all three matches in the tournament, Japan U18 finished as runner-up.

In March 2012, Naomichi Ueda was called up to the Japan U19 squad.

Five month later in August 2012, Naomichi Ueda was called up to the squad for the SBS Cup.

Naomichi Ueda played all three matches in the tournament, Japan U19 finished as a winner.

In October 2012, Naomichi Ueda was called up to the Japan U19 squad for the AFC U-19 Championship.

In January 2014, Naomichi Ueda was called up to Japan U22's squad for the AFC U-22 Championship in Oman.

Naomichi Ueda started all three matches and helped the side reach the knockout stage.

In January 2016, Naomichi Ueda was called up by the Japan U23 for the AFC U-23 Championship in Qatar.

Naomichi Ueda later helped Japan U23 reach the final after beating Iran U23 and Iraq U23.

Naomichi Ueda was selected for the Japan U23 for the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Naomichi Ueda previously stated his determination to earn his place in the Olympics.

Naomichi Ueda played all three matches, as Japan U23 were eliminated in the group stage tournament.

Two months later, it was announced that Naomichi Ueda was called up to the Japan national team by manager Javier Aguirre in place of Atsuto Uchida ahead of the AFC Asian Cup in Australia.

In December 2017, Naomichi Ueda was called up to the national team squad for the EAFF E-1 Football Championship as a host.

However, Naomichi Ueda stopped taking lessons after he entered junior high school to focus on his football career.