Full name Kenichi Uemura Name Kenichi Uemura Position Defender Years Team Weight 74 kg | 1990–1992 Matsunaga High School Height 1.80 m Role Football player | |
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Date of birth (1974-04-22) April 22, 1974 (age 41) Place of birth Yatsushiro, Kumamoto, Japan | ||
Playing position | ||
Kenichi Uemura (上村 健一, Uemura Kenichi, born April 22, 1974) is a former Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team. He was a defender and was capped 4 times for Japan national team.
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Playing career
After graduating from Matsunaga High Schook, he joined J1 League side Sanfrecce Hiroshima in 1993. He broke into the first team in the first season. His first league appearance came on July 4, 1993 against Verdy Kawasaki at Todoroki Stadium. He scored his first professional goal on July 24, 1993 against Urawa Red Diamonds at Hiroshima Stadium.
He represented Japan national team at the 1996 Summer Olympics. He scored a goal in a group stage match against Hungary.
National coach Philippe Troussier gave him the first full international cap on April 25, 2001 in a friendly against Spain in Córdoba. He was a member of the Japan team for the 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup and he played three games.
After 11 year long service at Sanfrecce Hiroshima, he moved to Cerezo Osaka in 2004, then Tokyo Verdy (2005–2006). After a brief spell at YSCC Yokohama, he joined Rosso Kumamoto (Currently Roasso Kumamoto) in 2007.
He damaged his knee ligaments three times and experienced seven operations. These injuries have affected his form.
Uemura retired from professional football after the 2008 season.