Shinji Ono

Lore & Background

Ono grew up in Shizuoka Prefecture and began his professional career with Urawa Reds in 1998. He moved to Feyenoord in 2001, winning the UEFA Cup in 2002. He returned to Urawa Reds in 2006, winning the J League title in 2006 and the AFC Champions League in 2007. He moved to Bochum in January 2008, then to Shimizu S-Pulse in January 2010. He later played for Western Sydney Wanderers, Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo, and FC Ryukyu before retiring in 2023. He was the youngest Japanese player to play at the 1998 World Cup, at age 18. He captained the Japanese Under-20 side that reached the final of the 1999 World Youth Championship. He was the first Japanese in history to win a European trophy.

Reader's Guide

Shinji Ono is known as Tensai (天才, Japanese for Genius), one of the biggest stars in Asian football, known for his vision, technique and superb passing. His primary position is attacking midfielder, but he can play anywhere in the midfield, including defensive midfield and either wing.

Did You Know?

• Ono made his full international debut on 1 April 1998 against South Korea in a friendly.
• He scored his first goal in an official match in four years with a direct free kick in the Emperor's Cup on 9 June 2021, becoming the oldest player to score in that competition at 41 years and 255 days old.
• He signed a lifetime contract with Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo on 28 January 2022.
• Dutch midfielder Wesley Sneijder said 'Shinji Ono is the toughest opponent I've ever faced.'