Naoki Chiba

Naoki Chiba
千葉 直樹

Personal information
Full name	Naoki Chiba
Date of birth	(1977-07-24) July 24, 1977
Place of birth	Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
Height	1.79 m (5 ft 10+1⁄2 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Youth career
1993–1995	Tohoku Gakuin High School
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1996–2010	Vegalta Sendai	430	(18)
Total		430	(18)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Naoki Chiba (千葉 直樹, Chiba Naoki, born July 24, 1977) is a former Japanese football player.

Playing career

Chiba was born in Sendai on July 24, 1977. After graduating from high school, he joined Japan Football League club Brummel Sendai (later Vegalta Sendai) based in his local in 1996. He became a regular player from 1997 and played many matches as defensive midfielder for the club for a long time. The club was promoted to new league J2 League from 1999. In 2001, the club won the 2nd place and was promoted to J1 League from 2002. However the club gained new member Hajime Moriyasu and Silvinho in 2002 and Toshiya Ishii in 2003. So, Chiba's opportunity to play decreased behind new member from 2002 and the club was relegated to J2 from 2004. From 2004, he became a regular player again. In 2009, the club won the champions and was promoted to J1 from 2010 for the first time in 7 years. He retired end of 2010 season.

Club statistics

Club performance			League		Cup		League Cup		Total
Season	Club	League	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Japan			League		Emperor's Cup		J.League Cup		Total
1996	Brummel Sendai	Football League	0	0	0	0	-		0	0
1997			17	1	2	0	1	0	20	1
1998			26	0	4	0	4	0	34	0
1999	Vegalta Sendai	J2 League	31	0	2	0	2	0	35	0
2000			39	2	1	0	2	0	42	2
2001			38	1	3	1	2	0	43	2
2002		J1 League	17	0	0	0	5	0	22	0
2003			8	0	0	0	2	0	10	0
2004		J2 League	27	1	0	0	-		27	1
2005			36	1	1	0	-		37	1
2006			44	2	2	0	-		46	2
2007			43	4	0	0	-		43	4
2008			39	1	1	0	-		40	1
2009			40	5	4	0	-		44	5
2010		J1 League	25	0	1	0	3	0	29	0
Career total			430	18	21	1	21	0	472	19

External links

• Naoki Chiba at J.League (archive) (in Japanese)