1. Overview
Go Nishida (西田剛Nishida GōJapanese) is a former Japanese professional footballer who played as a forward. Known for his extensive career in the J.League, he notably played for Yokohama FC, Avispa Fukuoka, and Ehime FC. This article provides a comprehensive overview of his career, from his early football development and professional achievements to his post-retirement activities.
2. Personal Information
Go Nishida's personal background includes his birth in Kagoshima Prefecture and his educational journey through high school and university, where he continued to develop his football skills.
2.1. Birth and Background
Go Nishida was born on September 14, 1986, in Sueyoshi TownSueyoshi-chōJapanese, Soo District, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. This area is now part of Soo City. He is a Japanese national. Nishida stands at 70 in (178 cm) tall and weighs 163 lb (74 kg), playing primarily with his right foot.
2.2. Education
Nishida began his football journey in elementary school, playing for the Sueyoshi Sports Youth Team from 1995 to 1999. During his time at Sueyoshi Town Municipal Sueyoshi Junior High School (2000-2003), he began to distinguish himself, attracting attention from prominent football high schools within Kagoshima Prefecture. He attended Kagoshima Josei High School from 2002 to 2004, and subsequently enrolled in Hannan University from 2005 to 2008, where he continued to refine his football abilities.
3. Playing Career
Go Nishida's playing career progressed from youth teams and university football to a significant professional tenure with several clubs in the J.League.
3.1. Youth Career
Nishida started playing football in 1995 with the Sueyoshi Sports Youth Team, where he remained until 1999. He then played for Sueyoshi Town Municipal Sueyoshi Junior High School from 2000 to 2003. His youth development continued at Kagoshima Josei High School from 2002 to 2004, followed by his university football career at Hannan University from 2005 to 2008.
3.2. Professional Career
Nishida's professional career in the J.League began in 2009, spanning over a decade with three different clubs.
3.2.1. Yokohama FC
Nishida joined Yokohama FC in 2009 after completing his university studies. He played for the club for three seasons, from 2009 to 2011. During his tenure, he made 92 appearances and scored 13 goals in the league. He also played 2 matches and scored 1 goal in the Emperor's Cup during the 2009 season.
3.2.2. Avispa Fukuoka
In 2012, Nishida made a full transfer to Avispa Fukuoka, where he played for two seasons until 2013. He accumulated 61 league appearances and scored 8 goals. He also participated in 1 Emperor's Cup match in 2013. Following the conclusion of the 2013 season, his contract with Avispa Fukuoka expired, leading to his departure from the club.
3.2.3. Ehime FC
Nishida moved to Ehime FC in 2014, where he spent the longest period of his professional career, playing for eight seasons until 2021. For Ehime FC, he made 148 league appearances and scored 24 goals. He also made 9 appearances in the Emperor's Cup during his time with the club. His contract with Ehime FC concluded at the end of the 2021 season.
3.3. Representative Selections
During his time at Hannan University, Go Nishida was recognized for his talent and selected for various representative teams. In 2006, he was chosen for both the Kansai University Selection and the All Japan University Selection. He received another selection for the Kansai University team in 2007.
4. Statistics
4.1. Career Statistics
The table below details Go Nishida's professional club career statistics, including his time in university and with various J.League clubs.
| Club performance | League | Emperor's Cup | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Club | League | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Japan | League | Emperor's Cup | Total | |||||
| 2008 | Hannan University | - | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| 2009 | Yokohama FC | J2 League | 44 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 46 | 5 |
| 2010 | 29 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 7 | ||
| 2011 | 19 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 2 | ||
| 2012 | Avispa Fukuoka | 28 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 3 | |
| 2013 | 33 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 34 | 5 | ||
| 2014 | Ehime FC | 30 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 32 | 10 | |
| 2015 | 37 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 39 | 7 | ||
| 2016 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 0 | ||
| 2017 | 21 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 5 | ||
| 2018 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 1 | ||
| 2019 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 1 | ||
| 2020 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | ||
| 2021 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 301 | 45 | 14 | 1 | 315 | 46 | ||
5. Other Activities
5.1. Radio Activities
Beyond his professional football career, Go Nishida also ventured into media, serving as a radio personality. From September 2016 to December 31, 2021, he hosted the program "GOGO Nishida GO!" on FM Ehime, a local radio station in Ehime Prefecture.
6. Retirement
6.1. Retirement from Football
On January 14, 2022, Go Nishida officially announced his retirement from professional football, concluding his career as a player.
7. External links
- [http://www.ehimefc.com/player/18.html Profile at Ehime FC]
- [https://data.j-league.or.jp/SFIX04/?player_id=10340 J.League Player Data]
- [https://ameblo.jp/nishidago18/ Go Nishida Official Blog (December 2014 onwards)]
- [http://blog.livedoor.jp/go_nishida/ Go Nishida Official Blog (until December 2014)]
- [https://twitter.com/gonishida_18 Go Nishida on Twitter]