World Cup South Africa 2010
History - Groups - Players - Venues
Favorite Players by Country (Germany 2006)
Group F - Japan:
Shinji Ono
Place of Birth: Numazu, Shizuoka
Date of Birth: September 27th, 1979
Position: Midfielder
Clubs: Feyenoord, Urawa Red Diamonds
From his youth days Ono is one of the biggest stars in Asian football, known for his vision and versatility - he can play anywhere in the midfield, including playmaker, defensive midfield and either wing.
Ono grew up in the Japanese soccer hotbed of Shizuoka Prefecture and caught the attention of foreign clubs with his performance at the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship. He began his professional career with Urawa Red Diamonds of the J. League and after three years with the Reds, he moved to Feyenoord of the Dutch Eredivisie in 2001.
He helped Feyenoord win the UEFA Cup in his first season in Rotterdam and emerged as a fan favorite. However, a series of injuries kept him sidelined for long stretches. After he missed the majority of 2004/2005 season, his fourth at De Kuip, the club was ready to sell him.
On January 13, 2006, after an unsuccessful attempt to stay in European football, Ono returned to J. League, agreeing a 3-year deal with his old club, Urawa Red Diamonds. [
When healthy, Ono is an ever-present member of the Japanese national team. Ono has represented Japan at every age level starting with the U-16 team, and was one of three overage selections at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.
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