Takayuki Suzuki (鈴木 隆行, Suzuki Takayuki; born 5 June 1976) is a Japanese former professional footballer who played as a forward. He made over 50 appearances for the Japan national team and he played professionally for two decades in Japan, Brazil, Belgium, Serbia and the United States.
Contents
Club career
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.
International career
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.
Career statistics
International
Scores and results list Japan's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Suzuki goal.
Honours
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
Trivia
Takayuki Suzuki is featured on the 2001 PlayStation 2 game cover Jikkyou J. League Perfect Striker 4 (whose engine served as the basis for International Superstar Soccer 2) together with Shunsuke Nakamura and Atsuhiro Miura.