Takayuki Suzuki

Suzuki has spent the majority of his playing career with Kashima Antlers, playing six stints for the team over the course of ten years, in between short periods playing in Brazil and Belgium. Suzuki played 87 games in the J1 League for Kashima, scoring 17 goals, and helping the team win the J1 Championship in 1996, 1998, 2000 and 2001. Takayuki Suzuki had not scored for 1790 minutes/46 games consecutive, until he scored a goal against RSC Anderlecht in September 2003. On 28 January 2006, Suzuki signed with Red Star Belgrade during the 2005–06 season winter break at the period Toyota was the main sponsor of the club. However, Suzuki's time in Serbia was a disappointment and his move back to J1 League to join Yokohama F. Marinos was announced on 19 January 2007. On 28 March 2008, it was revealed that he signed a one-year contract with Portland Timbers of the USL First Division, joining on a free transfer. On 8 June 2011, Suzuki agreed to join J2 League side Mito HollyHock. With the club and city in financial difficult following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, he promised to play for free in the 2011 season. After one season with JEF United Chiba, he announced his retirement from football at the age of 39.

Suzuki made his international debut for Japan national team in 2001, and scored his first international goal on 2 June 2001, in a 2001 Confederations Cup game against Cameroon. He played all four of Japan's games at the 2002 World Cup on home soil, starting the first three and scoring in the 2–2 tie against Belgium; Japan were eliminated in the round of 16 following a 1–0 defeat to Turkey. He was also part of the Japanese team which won the 2004 Asian Cup. He played 55 games and scored 11 goals for Japan until 2005.

Club

International

Scores and results list Japan's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Suzuki goal.

Suzuki was born in Chiba Prefecture on October 4, 1973. After graduating from Chuo University, he joined Japan Football League club Tokyo Gas (later FC Tokyo) in 1996. In 1997, he became the club's starting goalkeeper in place of the injured Hiromitsu Horiike. Tokyo were promoted to the newly-formed J2 League in 1999, with Suzuki still their first-choice goalkeeper. He performed well as Tokyo finished second, earning promotion to the J1 League in 2000. However, Yoichi Doi took his starting spot, which made him unsatisfied. He retired after the 2000 season.

Kashima Antlers

J1 League: 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001 CFZ

Campeonato Carioca Série B1: 1997 Genk

Belgian Supercup runner-up: 2002 Red Star Belgrade

Serbian Superliga: 2005–06, 2006–07 Serbian Cup: 2006–07 Portland Timbers

USL First Division Commissioner's Cup: 2009 Japan

AFC Asian Cup: 2004 FIFA Confederations Cup runner-up: 2001 Individual

FIFA Confederations Cup Silver Shoe: 2001