Three World Cup appearances with Japan
©IMAGO
At the proud age of 45, former Japanese international Junichi Inamoto is hanging up his football boots. “I did everything! To be honest, that’s how I feel at the moment,” the midfielder wrote in an Instagram post, thanking the clubs, coaches, staff, teammates and fans for their years of support. “I can’t find any other words than thank you! If I could, I would hug every single one of you.”
Inamoto played 82 international matches for Japan (five goals) and took part in three World Cups (2002, 2006, 2010). In 2000 he became Asian champion with the Samurai Blue and took part in the Olympic Games. A year later he moved to Arsenal FC, with whom he became champions, even if he did not play in the Premier League. In Europe, stints at Fulham, West Brom, Cardiff City, Galatasaray, Eintracht Frankfurt and Stade Rennes followed. Inamoto played 46 games for the SGE from 2007 to 2009.
At the beginning of 2010, Inamoto returned to his home country of Japan, where he only played for Nankatsu SC in the fifth-tier Kanto Soccer League for the last three years. In the past season he was not used and was only in the squad once.
