Naomichi Ueda

Naomichi Ueda (植田 直通, Ueda Naomichi; born 24 October 1994) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for J1 League club Kashima Antlers and the Japan national team.

Born in Uto, Kumamoto, Japan, Ueda began playing football when he was at third grade elementary school. Ueda then attended Uto City Sumiyoshi Junior High School and Kumamoto Prefectural Ohzu High School. While at high school, he started in a forward but switched to a centre–back position. Ueda was impressed by Manager Kazunori Hiraoka, who described him as "a very rare material in Japan". Ueda, himself, spoke out about his development and playing in the centre–back position. He also became a captain for Kumamoto Prefectural Otsu High School.

His performance at high school attracted clubs from J. League clubs, such as, Urawa Red Diamonds, Yokohama F. Marinos, Kawasaki Frontale, FC Tokyo, Nagoya Grampus and Kashima Antlers. It was announced on 4 September 2012 that Shoji would be joining Kashima Antlers from 1 January 2013.

Ueda made his first-team debut for Kashima Antlers in the J. League Cup on 23 March 2013 against F.C. Tokyo in which he started and played the whole 90 minutes as Kashima lost the match 4–2. Two months later on 22 May 2013, Ueda made another appearance for the side, starting the whole game, in a 2–1 loss against Cerezo Osaka. He later played a role against Sony Sendai in the second round of the Emperor's Cup on 7 September 2013, setting up the club's first goal of the game, in a 3–0 win. However, Ueda found his first team opportunities limited in his first season at Kashima Antlers and appeared as an unused substitute for most of the season. At the end of the 2013 season, he went on to make three appearances for the side in all competitions.

At the start of the 2014 season, Ueda made his league debut for the club, coming on as a 78th-minute substitute, in a 4–0 win against Ventforet Kofu in the opening game of the season. A month later on 16 April 2014, he set up the winning goal for Shuhei Akasaki, in a 2–1 win against Vegalta Sendai in the J.League Cup. Nine days later on 25 April 2014, Ueda made his first league starts for the side, keeping a clean sheet, in a 3–0 win against Sanfrecce Hiroshima. Having started the season on the substitute bench, he began to establish himself in the starting eleven, playing in the centre–back position, under the management of Toninho Cerezo. This lasted until Ueda missed one match due to fatigue on 16 August 2014. He made his return to the first team on 23 August 2014 against Shimizu S-Pulse and started the match before being sent–off in the 63rd minute for a second bookable offence, in a 3–1 win. After spending two months away from the club, due to international commitment, Ueda made his return to the starting line-up on 18 October 2014, starting the whole game, in a 3–2 loss against Kashiwa Reysol. He later regained his first team for the rest of the 2014 season and went on to make twenty–six appearances in all competitions.

At the start of the 2015 season, Ueda made his AFC Champions League debut, starting the whole game, in a 3–1 loss against Western Sydney Wanderers on 25 February 2015. It wasn't until on 16 April 2015 when he scored his first goal for the club, in a 3–1 win against Kashiwa Reysol. Ueda continued to receive a handful of first team football throughout the league's first stage. However, his first team opportunities at the club became limited, due to the arrival of new signing, Hwang Seok-ho and spent time on the substitute bench as a result. At the end of the 2015 season, he went on to make sixteen appearances and scoring once in all competitions. Following this, Ueda was linked a move away from Kashima Antlers, with Sagan Tosu and Vissel Kobe interested in signing him.

At the start of the 2016 season, Ueda started the season well when he helped Kashima Antlers keep two clean sheets in the first two league matches of the season. Ueda also managed to regain his first team place, playing in the centre–back position. After the match in a 3–0 win against Shonan Bellmare on 16 April 2016, he was in tears in a post-match interview and dedicate the win to his family and people who were in situation at Kumamoto earthquakes. Ueda later helped the side finish first place in the first stage of the league. However, he soon found himself placed on the substitute bench for the rest of the 2016 season. Despite this, Ueda continued to be involved in the Kashima Antlers’ first team and helped the side finish at the top of the table. Although he made one appearance in the Championship stage, the club win the league after playing both legs to beat Urawa Red Diamonds 2–2 on aggregate through away goal. Ueda appeared three out of the four matches in the FIFA Club World Cup, as he helped Kashima Antlers reach the final, only to lose 4–2 against Real Madrid. Despite losing in the final, both Ueda and Gen Shoji's centre-back partnership were praised by the media, both in and outside of Japan. Ueda then featured for the next two matches by beating Sanfrecce Hiroshima and Yokohama F. Marinos to reach the Emperor's Cup Final. He then started in the final, starting the whole game, in a 2–1 win against Kawasaki Frontale. At the end of the 2016 season, Ueda went on to make thirty–one appearances in all competitions.

At the start of the 2017 season, Ueda started the whole match against Urawa Red Diamonds in the Japanese Super Cup, as he helped Kashima Antlers win 3–2 to win the trophy. Ueda then helped the side keep three clean sheets in three matches between 4 March 2017 and 14 March 2017. During which, he scored two goals, scoring against Shimizu S-Pulse and Brisbane Roar on 14 March 2017 and 18 March 2017. For his performance in the AFC Champions League, Ueda was named March's Young Player of the Month. Ueda started in every match since the start of the season until he suffered a thigh injury in mid–May. It wasn't until on 4 June 2017 when Ueda returned to the starting line-up, in a 3–1 win against Sanfrecce Hiroshima. He appeared in the next two matches, keeping a clean sheet against Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo and Albirex Niigata before suffering another thigh injury. After missing two matches, Ueda returned to the starting line-up, keeping a clean sheet, in a 3–0 win against Ventforet Kofu on 29 July 2017. He helped Kashima Antlers keep three clean sheets between 19 August 2017 and 9 September 2017. Ueda then scored his third goal of the season, in a 2–1 win against Gamba Osaka on 23 September 2017. His fourth goal of the season came on 21 October 2017, in a 3–2 loss against Yokohama F. Marinos. He later helped Kashima Antlers keep three clean sheets in the last three remaining matches but the club finished second place behind Kawasaki Frontale. At the end of the 2017 season, Ueda went on to make thirty–nine appearances and scoring four times in all competitions.