1. Personal Information
Yuzo Minami's personal background includes his birth details, nationality, and early life experiences, including his high school education and formative football achievements.
1.1. Birth and Nationality
Minami was born on November 17, 1983, in Iruma, Saitama Prefecture, Japan. He holds Japanese nationality.
1.2. Youth and Education
Minami attended Seibudai High School from 1999 to 2001. During his high school years, he was part of the Saitama Prefecture selection team that won the football competition at the 2001 Miyagi National Sports Festival.
2. Playing Career
Yuzo Minami's professional football career spanned from 2002 to 2010, during which he played for three different clubs across Japan's professional leagues.
2.1. Professional Debut
After graduating from high school, Minami joined J1 League club Urawa Reds, based in his home Saitama Prefecture, in 2002. He made his professional debut on June 4, 2005, as a substitute defender in a J.League Cup match against Omiya Ardija. His J.League debut occurred on August 26, 2006, in a J2 League match against Kashiwa Reysol at Hitachi Kashiwa Soccer Stadium. He scored his first J.League goal on October 21, 2006, in a J2 League match against Thespa Kusatsu at Shikishima Park Athletics Stadium.
2.2. Club Affiliations
Minami played for three clubs throughout his professional career: Urawa Reds, Ehime FC, and V-Varen Nagasaki.
2.2.1. Urawa Reds
Minami was with Urawa Reds from 2002 until August 2006. During his tenure, he had limited opportunities, making only one appearance in the J.League Cup in 2005 and no league appearances.
2.2.2. Ehime FC
In August 2006, Minami moved to Ehime FC, a club newly promoted to the J2 League, initially on a loan deal until December 2006, which later became a permanent transfer. He quickly established himself as a regular center-back during the latter half of the 2006 season. However, his playing opportunities decreased from 2007 onwards. He remained with Ehime FC until the end of the 2008 season.
2.2.3. V-Varen Nagasaki
In 2009, Minami joined V-Varen Nagasaki, a club competing in the Japan Football League. He played for V-Varen Nagasaki for two seasons, but similar to his time at Urawa Reds, he did not feature in many matches.
2.3. Retirement
Yuzo Minami concluded his professional football career at the end of the 2010 season, after his stint with V-Varen Nagasaki.
3. Club Statistics
Yuzo Minami's career statistics across various competitions are detailed below.
| Club performance | League | Cup | League Cup | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Club | League | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Japan | League | Emperor's Cup | J.League Cup | Total | ||||||
| 2002 | Urawa Reds | J1 League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2004 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2005 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2006 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Ehime FC | J2 League | 14 | 1 | 2 | 0 | - | 16 | 1 | ||
| 2007 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 11 | 0 | |||
| 2008 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 0 | - | 15 | 2 | |||
| 2009 | V-Varen Nagasaki | Football League | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 5 | 0 | |
| 2010 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 4 | 0 | |||
| Total | 48 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 52 | 3 | ||
4. Post-Playing Career
After retiring from professional football, Yuzo Minami transitioned into a new role. He currently serves as the personal manager for Japanese international footballer Makoto Hasebe.
5. Personal Aspects and Episodes
Minami has several personal interests and notable anecdotes. He is a fan of the Saitama Seibu Lions, a professional baseball team. He is also known for his talent in impersonating Japanese comedian Yoshio Kojima. Minami's playing height was 72 in (183 cm) and he weighed 159 lb (72 kg). He was right-footed.