Shinji Okazaki is a Japanese professional football player currently playing for Shimizu S-Pulse of the Japanese J.League. He was born 16 April 1986 in Takarazuka, Hy?go Prefecture who competes for Japan in World Cup soccer. Okazaki was part of the 2008 Olympic squad, and made his senior debut in October of that year in a friendly against the UAE. Shinji Okazaki is a forward and is 5’8″ and weighs 154 pounds. Japan was in Group E for World Cup 2010.
The young striker has declared that he will never give up trying to score from the first minute to the last and such spirit has earned him the nickname ‘Samurai’. Since arriving on the international scene for Japan, Shinji Okazaki has show he is deadly in front of goal. In 2009, he scored 15 goals in 16 national team games. Okazaki likes to get behind the defence with his speed and his goals have given him confidence to take on the strongest backlines. Furthermore, In January 2010 he was named the World’s Top Goal Scorer by the IFFHS for his 15 goals with the national team during the year 2009.
Shinji Okazaki Profile
Shinji Okazaki scored his first hat-trick for his country one year later against Hong Kong, and another treble just six days later against Togo.
Okazaki was born in Hyogo Prefecture and grew up there until he signed a professional contract with Shimizu S-Pulse. His hero was Masashi Nakayama, the former Japan striker who scored their first FIFA World Cup™ goal against Jamaica at France 1998
Full name : Shinji Okazaki
Nickname : Samurai
Date of birth : April 16, 1986 (1986-04-16) (age 24)
Place of birth : Takarazuka, Hy?go, Japan
Height : 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Weight : 70 Kg.
Nationality : Japan
Education : Takigawa Daini High School in 2004
Shinji Okazaki Football information :
Current club : Shimizu S-Pulse
Playing position : Striker
Shirt number : 9
First international : Japan – United Arab Emirates (9 October 2008)
Firts International Goal : 20 Jan 2009 – Japan vs Yemen
Market value : 1.936.000 £ – 2.200.000 €
Player’s agent: Marko Bzenic
Foot: both
Youth career
2002–2004 Takigawa Daini High School
Senior career
2005– Shimizu S-Pulse
National team
2008– Japan
Shinji Okazaki Individual honors :
* J. League Best Eleven: 2009
* IFFHS The World’s Top Goal Scorer: 2009