BIOGRAPHY AND CAREER
Yuto Nagatomo born September 12, 1986 in Saijō, Ehime is a Japanese footballer who plays as a defender for Serie A club Internazionale, on loan from Cesena.
Nagatomo's grandfather Yoshida Tatsuo and Tatsuo's brother Minoru were famed professional bicycle racers who competed in Keirin. Nagatomo started playing soccer in kindergarten. He failed to join the Ehime F.C. junior youth team and continued to play in Saijo Kita Junior High School and later moved to Fukuoka and joined Higashi Fukuoka High School. His team played at the All Japan High School Soccer Tournament. He attended Meiji University. In 2006, at the university soccer club he was moved to full-back and started to distinguish himself. He was quickly chosen for the All Japan University XI and represented Japan at the 2007 Universiade held in Bangkok.
In 2007, Nagatomo was chosen as one of the Designated Players for Development by J. League and JFA. With this status, he was able to register as a J. League club player while he was still eligible to play for his university. He played one J. League Cup game for F.C. Tokyo that season. He also played for Japan's U-22 team in the Olympic qualfiers.
Nagatomo officially signed with F.C. Tokyo in 2008 while at Meiji. Five months later, he earned his first international cap on May 24, 2008 in a friendly against Côte d'Ivoire. His first international goal was scored in a friendly against Syria held on November 13, 2008. Nagatomo was also a member of the Japan U-21 team for the 2008 Summer Olympics finals. He earned the J. League Rookie of the Year award in 2008.
In July 2010 Nagatomo was signed on loan by the Italian Serie A side A.C. Cesena, where he played played the first half of the season as Cesena's starting left back.Before moving to Italy, Nagatomo gave a speech to 25,000 supporters just after the match involving F.C. Tokyo and Vissel Kobe on July 17, 2010.
Due to his impressive performances for both Cesena and Japan in the 2011 Asian Cup, he was fully signed by Cesena in January 2011. But before making any league appearances was sent straight out on loan to Inter Milan in exchange for Davide Santon also on on loan, becoming the first Japanese player in "Nerazzurri"'s history.
Nagatomo made his debut in a black & blue shirt as number 55 on 6th February 2011, replacing Wesley Sneijder in the Serie A match against AS Roma, which Inter won 5-3. In the following game, Nagatomo came on as a late substitution against Juventus and looked lively. Nagatomo then started in both of the following games against Fiorentina and Cagliari and had great performances in both where he offered Inter a constant attacking threat down the left wing.
Nagatomo has shown his versatility by playing right back against Sampdoria on the 27th of February 2011, and finishing the whole 90 minutes.On March 6, 2011, Nagatomo scored his first goal for Inter in the 5-2 trashing against Genoa from a Kharja assist with a beautiful swivel and a powerful finish into the roof of the net.
Personal information
Full name: Yuto Nagatomo
Date of birth: September 12, 1986 (1986-09-12) (age 24)
Place of birth: Saijō, Ehime, Japan
Height: 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Playing position: Full Back
Club information
Current club : Internazionale(On loan from Cesena)
Number: 55
Youth career
2002–2004 Higashi Fukuoka High School
2005–2007 Meiji University
Senior career*
2008–2011 F.C. Tokyo 72 (5)
2010–2011 → Cesena (loan) 16 (0)
2011– Cesena 0 (0)
2011– → Internazionale (loan) 7 (1)
National team‡
2007–2008 Japan U-23 8 (1)
2008– Japan 40 (3)
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