Michael Fitzgerald (footballer)
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Michael James Fitzgerald | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 17 September 1988 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Tokoroa, Waikato, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Centre-back | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | Albirex Niigata | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2007 | Seiritsu Gakuen High School | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2016 | Albirex Niigata | 99 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009 | → Japan Soccer College (loan) | 11 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2011 | → Zweigen Kanazawa (loan) | 45 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2013 | → V-Varen Nagasaki (loan) | 32 | (4) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017–2019 | Kawasaki Frontale | 3 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019– | Albirex Niigata | 141 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011 | New Zealand | 3 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20 September 2023, 17:29 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 6 June 2011, 16:22 (UTC) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Michael James Fitzgerald (フィッツジェラルド 舞行龍 ジェームズ, Fittsujerarudo Maikeru Jēmuzu, born 17 September 1988) is a professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Albirex Niigata. He has spent his entire professional club career in Japan, predominantly playing for Albirex Niigata.
Born in New Zealand, Fitzgerald became a naturalized Japanese citizen in 2013. He debuted for the New Zealand national football team in 2011 and earned 3 caps.[1][2][3]
Early life
Fitzgerald received his secondary education at St Peter's College, Auckland (1999–2005). He is the brother of Isaac Fitzgerald.[4]
Fitzgerald's application for Japanese citizenship was approved in May 2013. This means he can no longer play for the All Whites.[5] His former name is Fitzgerald Michael James (フィッツジェラルド・マイケル・ジェームズ).[6]
Club career
Youth career
Fitzgerald went through the football academy at St Peter's College, in Auckland, New Zealand before moving to Japan.[7] In 2005, Fitzgerald began his career at Seiritsu Gakuen High School with the youth team until he graduated in 2007.
Senior career
In 2008, after he had graduated from high school, Fitzgerald began his career in the J1 League, with J1 club, Albirex Niigata as part of the first team. After 2009, he transferred to JSC Niigata, Zweigen Kanazawa and V-Varen Nagasaki on loan until 2013. He made his debut for Nagasaki on 31 March 2013, coming on in the 88th minute for Shoma Mizunaga as they won 3-1.[8]
He returned to Albirex Niigata in 2016.
In 2017, Fitzgerald transferred to Kawasaki Frontale until 2019. However, he was only able to play 3 matches in the J1 league.
In 2019, he returned to his former club, Albirex Niigata. On 23 October 2022, he helped bring his club promotion to the J1 League during the 2023 season. Albirex were crowned champions of the J2 League in 2022.
International career
Fitzgerald made his international New Zealand debut in a 1–1 draw with China on 25 March 2011.[9] He later made two more appearances for New Zealand in friendly matches including a 3–0 loss to Mexico and another 3–0 loss to Australia.[10]
Career statistics
Club
- As of the 2 September 2023.[11][12][13]
| Club | Division | Season | League | Emperor's Cup | J.League Cup | Asia | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Albirex Niigata | J1 League | 2008 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
| Japan Soccer College | JRL (Hokushinetsu) | 2009 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 11 | 0 | ||
| Zweigen Kanazawa | JFL | 2010 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 20 | 1 | ||
| 2011 | 25 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 26 | 1 | ||||
| V-Varen Nagasaki | 2012 | 31 | 4 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 32 | 4 | |||
| J2 League | 2013 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||||
| Albirex Niigata | J1 League | 2013 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 15 | 0 | ||
| 2014 | 29 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | 37 | 0 | |||
| 2015 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | — | 37 | 1 | |||
| 2016 | 22 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 25 | 1 | |||
| Kawasaki Frontale | 2017 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | ||
| 2019 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
| Albirex Niigata | J2 League | 2019 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2020 | 38 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 1 | ||
| 2021 | 36 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 0 | ||
| 2022 | 27 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 1 | ||
| J1 League | 2023 | 15 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 1 | |
| Career total | 316 | 10 | 13 | 0 | 20 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 354 | 11 | ||
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | |||
| 2011 | 3 | 0 | |
| Total | 3 | 0 |
Honours
Club
Kawasaki Frontale
- J1 League: 2017 , 2018
- J.League Cup Runner-up: 2017
- Japanese Super Cup Runner-up: 2018
V-Varen Nagasaki
Albirex Niigata
Individual
- Japan Football League Team of the Year : 2012[14]
- J2 League Team of the Year : 2022
References
- ^ Fitzgerald Michael James at Football-Line-ups.com
- ^ "Three new caps in All Whites squad". Television New Zealand. 18 March 2011. Retrieved 24 October 2011.
- ^ マイケル ジェームズ選手 Ｖ・ファーレン長崎に期限付き移籍のお知らせ
- ^ St Peter's College Old Boys Newsletter, Issue No. 1 2011, p. 3. Archived 23 February 2013 at archive.today (Retrieved 22 May 2013)
- ^ "Michael Fitzgerald says goodbye to All Whites". Newshub.co.nz. Newshub. 17 December 2013. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
- ^ "マイケル ジェームズ選手 日本国籍取得申請の認可について". アルビレックス新潟. 17 June 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
- ^ Manager
- ^ "V Varen Nagasaki vs Gainare Tottori - 31 March 2013". au.soccerway.com.
- ^ Martin, Sean (26 March 2011). "All Whites draw with China in friendly". The Sunday Star-Times. NZPA. Archived from the original on 12 September 2012. Retrieved 24 October 2011.
- ^ "Michael Fitzgerald says goodbye to All Whites". NewsHub.co.nz. 17 December 2013.
- ^ Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing inc./日本スポーツ企画出版社, "J1&J2&J3選手名鑑ハンディ版 2018 (NSK MOOK)", 7 February 2018, Japan, ISBN 978-4905411529 (p. 12 out of 289)
- ^ Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing inc./日本スポーツ企画出版社, "2017 J1&J2&J3選手名鑑 (NSK MOOK)", 8 February 2017, Japan, ISBN 978-4905411420 (p. 29 out of 289)
- ^ "M. Fitzgerald – Soccerway". 23 February 2018.
- ^ "第14回日本フットボールリーグ表彰式受賞者". Japan Football League Official Website. 5 December 2012. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
External links
- Michael Fitzgerald at Soccerway
- Profile at Kawasaki Frontale (in Japanese)
- Profile at Zweigen Kanazawa (in Japanese)
- Michael Fitzgerald at National-Football-Teams.com
- Michael Fitzgerald at J.League (archive) (in Japanese)
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