Hiroki Mizumoto

2.1. Childhood and education

Born on September 12, 1985, in Misosono Village, Watarai District, Mie Prefecture (which is now part of Ise City), Hiroki Mizumoto started playing football for Misono SSS, a local youth club associated with Misono Elementary School, from 1992 to 1997. In his sixth year of elementary school, he was selected for an all-star team from Ise City, which also included future professional footballer Shun Morishita.

Upon entering Misono Junior High School in 1998, which notably lacked a football club, Mizumoto joined Ise SC Junior. This club team catered to students whose schools did not offer football programs, providing him the opportunity to gain experience through practice matches. Despite his dedication, he remained largely unknown on the national stage during this period.

His talent began to garner significant attention after he enrolled at Mie High School in 2001, where he received crucial guidance from coaches such as Lin Issho. During his time at Mie High School, he played alongside Yosuke Nozaki, who was one year his senior. He participated in the Inter-High (All Japan High School Championship) after his team successfully navigated the prefectural qualifiers. Additionally, he represented Mie Prefecture as a selected member at the Kochi National Sports Festival in 2002. By 2003, his promising performances led to his selection for the U-18 Japan National Team. Upon graduating from high school in 2004, Mizumoto was a highly sought-after prospect, receiving professional offers from five clubs, including prominent J.League teams such as Nagoya Grampus Eight and JEF United Chiba.

3.1. JEF United Chiba

In 2004, Hiroki Mizumoto began his professional career by signing with JEF United Ichihara, which later became JEF United Chiba, a club in the J1 League. His debut in the J1 League occurred on May 20, 2004, in a match against Oita Trinita. From his inaugural year, Mizumoto was significantly shaped by the club's manager, Ivica Osim, and was recognized as one of "Osim's Children," a term for players who flourished under Osim's unique coaching philosophy.

Mizumoto gained broader recognition on July 29, 2004, during a preseason friendly against Spanish giants Real Madrid, where he famously marked legendary Portuguese winger Luís Figo. By the 2006 season, he had established himself as a consistent starter in JEF United Chiba's defensive lineup. He scored his first professional goal on July 22, 2006, in a J1 League fixture against Sanfrecce Hiroshima. At the end of 2007, Mizumoto attracted considerable interest, receiving lucrative offers from four major J.League teams-Nagoya Grampus Eight, Kyoto Sanga FC, FC Tokyo, and Gamba Osaka. Despite JEF United Chiba's efforts to retain him, he ultimately decided to accept an offer and transferred to Gamba Osaka.

3.2. Gamba Osaka

In 2008, Hiroki Mizumoto joined Gamba Osaka in a high-profile transfer, with the fee estimated to be around 300.00 M JPY. Despite the significant investment and the high expectations for him to strengthen the team's defense, Mizumoto struggled to establish himself as a regular starter. He often found himself competing for a spot, frequently losing out to fellow defender Sota Nakazawa, which resulted in fewer playing opportunities compared to his previous club.

After a mere six months with the club, on June 19, 2008, Mizumoto requested to leave Gamba Osaka. His decision was motivated by his strong desire to secure more consistent playing time, which he believed was essential for his selection and performance at the upcoming 2008 Beijing Olympics. His brief tenure at Gamba Osaka, marked by an unexpectedly quick departure, attracted considerable attention given his high transfer fee.

3.3. Kyoto Sanga FC

Following his departure from Gamba Osaka, Hiroki Mizumoto made a complete transfer to Kyoto Sanga FC on June 22, 2008. The estimated transfer fee for this move was 400.00 M JPY. This transfer proved to be a pivotal moment in Mizumoto's career, as he quickly integrated into the team and became an indispensable regular in their defense.

At Kyoto Sanga, Mizumoto received valuable coaching from experienced defenders who were also former Japan national team members, including Hisashi Kato, Yutaka Akita, and Ryuzo Morioka. Under their guidance, he solidified his position as the defensive anchor of the team, often forming a strong partnership with South Korean international Lee Jung-soo at the back. His consistent and strong performances at the club level earned him a call-up to the Japanese Olympic squad for the Beijing Olympics in the same year, where he not only participated but also served as the team's captain, playing in all three group stage matches. In 2010, Mizumoto demonstrated remarkable durability and commitment by appearing in every single official match for Kyoto Sanga FC throughout the season.

3.4. Sanfrecce Hiroshima

In 2011, after Kyoto Sanga FC's relegation to J2, Hiroki Mizumoto made a complete transfer to Sanfrecce Hiroshima. This move marked the beginning of the most successful period of his club career, as he quickly established himself as a crucial player for the team.

However, his first season with Hiroshima was significantly interrupted on May 7, 2011, during a match against Ventforet Kofu. In an aerial challenge following a set piece, Mizumoto collided with an opposing defender, resulting in a severe skull fracture and an acute epidural hematoma. He required immediate emergency surgery for his injuries. Following a period of recovery, he was discharged from the hospital on May 20, 2011. Demonstrating remarkable resilience, he began light training while wearing a protective headgear on July 12, 2011, and impressively returned to competitive play on August 7, 2011. With his doctor's approval, he was able to play without the headgear from the 2012 season onwards.

His perseverance was greatly rewarded in 2012. He was recalled to the Japan senior national team by manager Alberto Zaccheroni, marking his return to the national squad after a four-year absence. That same year, Mizumoto played a pivotal role in Sanfrecce Hiroshima securing their first-ever J1 League title. His outstanding performance was recognized with his first selection to the prestigious J.League Best XI. He continued to be a central figure in Hiroshima's sustained success, contributing to back-to-back league titles in 2013 and a third championship in 2015.

Mizumoto also demonstrated exceptional durability. On May 16, 2015, during a J1 First Stage match against Kashima Antlers, he set a new J1 League record for a field player by completing 127 consecutive full-time appearances. He continued to reach significant career milestones: on May 20, 2017, he played his 350th J1 League match, becoming the 47th player in J1 history to achieve this feat. On October 6, 2018, he reached his 400th J1 League appearance, becoming the 22nd player to achieve this milestone, in a match against Kashiwa Reysol.

3.5. Matsumoto Yamaga FC

On August 4, 2019, Hiroki Mizumoto was loaned from Sanfrecce Hiroshima to Matsumoto Yamaga FC. He remained with the club until December 2019, making 13 appearances and scoring 1 goal during his loan spell.

3.6. FC Machida Zelvia

For the 2020 season, Hiroki Mizumoto was again loaned out, this time to FC Machida Zelvia. After a successful loan period, his move was made permanent in 2021, and he officially joined FC Machida Zelvia on a full transfer. He continued to play for the club throughout the 2021 season, making 24 appearances. Following the conclusion of the 2021 season, it was announced that Mizumoto would be departing FC Machida Zelvia.

3.7. SC Sagamihara

On January 8, 2022, Hiroki Mizumoto's move to SC Sagamihara was announced, marking his final professional club stint. However, his time at Sagamihara was unfortunately cut short by a severe injury.

On April 17, 2022, during a match, Mizumoto suffered a right mandibular fracture. The medical diagnosis indicated a recovery period of 6 to 8 weeks from the date of surgery. However, due to the critical nature and severity of the injury, his doctor advised him to consider immediate retirement from professional football. Despite this significant setback, he completed the 2022 season with SC Sagamihara, making 22 appearances. On November 7, 2022, SC Sagamihara announced the expiration of his contract and that it would not be renewed.

5.1. Youth national teams

Mizumoto's international career began early, with his selection for the U-18 Japan National Team in 2003 while still in high school. In June 2005, he was part of the Japan U-20 national team that competed in the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship (now known as the FIFA U-20 World Cup) in the Netherlands. In this tournament, he played the full 90 minutes in all four of Japan's matches, as the team advanced to the Round of 16.

He also represented Japan at the U-21 level, participating in the 2006 Asian Games in Qatar, where he made 3 appearances. As a member of the U-22 Japan National Team, he played in the Beijing Olympic Asia Qualifiers in 2007, appearing in 10 matches across the second and final qualification rounds. In August 2008, Mizumoto was selected for the Japan U-23 national team for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. At this tournament, he served as the team's captain and played the full duration in all three of Japan's group stage matches, though the team was eliminated in the first round.

5.2. Senior national team

Hiroki Mizumoto made his debut for the senior national team on October 4, 2006, in a friendly match against Ghana as part of the Kirin Challenge Cup 2006. The match was held at the Yokohama International Stadium, and he played under the management of Ivica Osim, who had also coached him at JEF United Chiba.

He earned a total of 7 international A-caps for Japan between 2006 and 2015, scoring no goals. His appearances included:

• October 4, 2006: vs. Ghana (Kirin Challenge Cup 2006, Yokohama) - Japan lost 0-1.
• October 11, 2006: vs. India (AFC Asian Cup 2007 Qualification, Bengaluru) - Japan won 3-0.
• February 17, 2008: vs. North Korea (East Asian Football Championship 2008, Chongqing) - Match ended in a 1-1 draw.
• August 15, 2012: vs. Venezuela (Kirin Challenge Cup 2012, Sapporo) - Match ended in a 1-1 draw.
• September 6, 2012: vs. United Arab Emirates (Kirin Challenge Cup 2012, Niigata) - Japan won 1-0.
• September 9, 2014: vs. Venezuela (Kirin Challenge Cup 2014, Yokohama) - Japan won 3-0.
• March 31, 2015: vs. Uzbekistan (JAL Challenge Cup 2015, Tokyo) - Japan won 5-1.

He was also part of the squad for the 2015 EAFF East Asian Cup.

6.1. Club statistics

¹Includes appearances in the A3 Champions Cup, Japanese Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup, and J.League Championship.

6.2. National team statistics

6.3. Appearances in Major Competitions

7.1. Club honours

• JEF United Chiba
  • J.League Cup: 2005, 2006
• Sanfrecce Hiroshima
  • J1 League: 2012, 2013, 2015
  • J1 2nd Stage: 2015
  • Japanese Super Cup: 2013, 2014, 2016

7.2. Individual honours

• J.League Best XI: 2012
• J.League Fair Play Award (Individual): 2014, 2017
• J.League Excellent Player Award: 2015