Stefan_Ishizaki

Stefan Ishizaki

Stefan Ishizaki

Swedish footballer

Stefan Daisuke Ishizaki (Japanese: ステファン 大輔 石崎; born 15 May 1982) is a Swedish former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. Starting off his career with AIK in the late 1990s, he went on to represent Genoa, Vålerenga, and LA Galaxy before retiring at Elfsborg in 2019. A full international between 2001 and 2012, he won 13 caps for the Sweden national team.

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Club career

AIK

Born to a Swedish mother and a Japanese father, he started his career with Rågsveds and stayed with the club until 1999 when he signed a contract with major Swedish club AIK. He made his debut for the club in the same year in Svenska Cupen as he came on as a substitute in the 80th minute against Gefle, he later came on as a substitute again in the final, which AIK won 1–0 against Göteborg, making him the youngest in the country to win the Cup, being only 16 years and 364 days old.

His league debut was not until the 2000 season against his future club Elfsborg. He quickly established himself as a starting lineup player and really broke through as a player against Helsingborgs, a 4–1 victory, scoring a goal and making two assists. He missed out the first game of the 2001 season due to an injury he got during the pre-season, which would continue to haunt him for the rest of the season, but he fully recovered for the 2002 season. Prior to the 2004 season, he was loaned out to Italian Serie B club Genoa over the spring part of the season, later when AIK was relegated to Superettan he signed with Norwegian club Vålerenga.[1]

Genoa

During the winterbreak of the 2003–04 season Genoa signed Ishizaki on loan until the end of the season.[2] Ishizaki did not play many games for the club, before returning to AIK. Genoa also had an option to buy the player, but it was never used.[citation needed]

Vålerenga

Instead of following AIK down into Superettan, Ishizaki decided to sign with Norwegian club Vålerenga,[3] helping the club to break rivals Rosenborg’s 13 straight league wins, bringing the title back to the club for the first time since 1984.

Elfsborg

Stefan Ishizaki returned to Sweden prior to the 2006 season, signing for Elfsborg.[4] Being a major signing for the coming season, he helped the club to claim the league title at the end of the season.[5]

After his successful first season, he remained with Elfsborg, taking a medal every season, gold (1st) in 2006, bronze (4th) in 2007, the Stora Silvret (2nd) in 2008, Lilla Silvret in 2009 (3rd) and bronze (4th) in 2010. Prior to the 2010 season he signed a new 5-year contract with the club.[6]

LA Galaxy

Ishizaki with the Galaxy

Stefan Ishizaki signed with the LA Galaxy in Major League Soccer before camps opened in January for the 2014 season.[7] While at the Galaxy, he won the 2014 MLS Cup where he was a starter in the final.[8] Ishizaki was released by the club on 4 July 2015 so he could return to Sweden to finish his career to be with his expectant wife.[9]

Return to AIK

On 10 July 2015, it was confirmed that Ishizaki signed a 2.5 year deal with AIK.[10] After the 2017 AIK season, Ishizaki left AIK upon the expiration of his contract.[11]

Return to Elfsborg and retirement

Ishizaki signed for Elfsborg on a free transfer ahead of the 2018 Allsvenskan season.[12] At the end of the 2019 season, Ishizaki announced his retirement from professional football.[13]

International career

Born to a Japanese father and a Swedish mother, Ishizaki was eligible to play internationally for both Sweden as well as Japan.[14] In the early 2000s, Ishizaki turned down an offer to represent the Japan national team.[15]

He represented Sweden at the U17, U19, and U21 levels, and was a squad player for the Sweden U21 team at the 2004 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.[16] Sweden was eliminated by the Serbia and Montenegro U21 team in the semifinals after penalty kicks despite Ishizaki successfully converting his penalty kick.[16]

On the senior level Ishizaki won 13 caps for the Sweden national team between 2001 and 2012 but never featured in a major tournament.[17]

Career statistics

Club

As of 13 November 2019[18][19]
More information Club Performance, League ...

International

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Honours

AIK

Vålerenga

Elfsborg

LA Galaxy

References

  1. [1]
    "STEFAN ISHIZAKI – HÖGERMITTFÄLTAREN 2000–04" (in Swedish). aik.se. Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 29 January 2010.
  2. [2]
    "Ishizaki hyrs ut till Genoa" (in Swedish). dn.se. 23 December 2003. Archived from the original on 2 August 2012. Retrieved 29 January 2010.
  3. [3]
    "Stefan Ishizaki till Vålerenga" (in Swedish). fotbolldirekt.com. 9 December 2004. Archived from the original on 11 July 2011. Retrieved 29 January 2010.
  4. [4]
    "Ishizaki valde Elfsborg – Årets värvning är klar!" (in Swedish). elfsborg.se. Retrieved 29 January 2010.[permanent dead link]
  5. [5]
    "Elfsborg klarade pressen och vann SM-guldet" (in Swedish). svenskfotboll.se. 2006. Retrieved 29 January 2010.
  6. [6]
    "Glad Stefan Ishizaki förlänger med IF Elfsborg" (in Swedish). elfsborg.se. 15 January 2010. Retrieved 29 January 2010.[permanent dead link]
  7. [7]
    "LA Galaxy sign Swedish midfielder Stefan Ishizaki". Los Angeles Galaxy. 30 January 2014. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  8. [8]
    "Stefan Ishizaki Photos Photos: 2014 MLS Cup - New England Revolution v Los Angeles Galaxy". Zimbio. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  9. [9]
    Jon Arnold [@ArnoldcommaJon] (5 July 2015). "Bruce Arena announces after the match that it was Stefan Ishizaki's last with the club. Has been granted a release" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  10. [10]
    "Comeback i AIK för Stefan Ishizaki" (in Swedish). aikfotboll.se. 10 July 2015. Archived from the original on 13 July 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  11. [11]
    "Ishizaki bekräftar: Lämnar AIK i vinter". Aftonbladet (in Swedish). Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  12. [12]
    "Officiellt: Stefan Ishizaki återvänder till Elfsborg: "Ska hjälpa klubben till toppen igen"". fotbollskanalen (in Swedish). Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  13. [13]
    "Ishizakis besked: Avslutar karriären". www.expressen.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  14. [14]
    "Han får en central roll". Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). 7 April 2002. ISSN 1101-2412. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  15. [15]
    "Ishizaki nobbade det japanska landslaget: "Känner mig svensk"". fotbollskanalen (in Swedish). Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  16. [16]
    "EM: Sverige utslaget efter straffar — svenskfotboll.se". www2.svenskfotboll.se. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  17. [17]
    "Stefan Ishizaki Spelarstatistik - Svensk fotboll". www.svenskfotboll.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  18. [18]
    "S. ISHIZAKI". Soccerway.com. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
  19. [19]
    "Stefan Ishizaki". Elitefootball.com. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
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