Tuesday , March 19 2024

India international Izumi Arata retires from professional football!

Former India international midfielder Izumi Arata yesterday on social media announced his retirement from professional football to focus on his coaching career.

Izumi was the first Indian origin player to successfully play professional football in India, but it lasted years before he was granted Indian citizenship in 2012 for him to be eligible for Team India. He made his international debut in 2013 and he went on to play nine games for India.

35 year old Shimonoseki (Yamaguchi) born Arata as Indian and Japanese roots, and he started his career with Albirex Niigata before getting his first professional break with their sister club Albirex Niigata Singapore in the S-League.

He returned to Japan to play for Mitsubishi Mizushima in 2006 before shifting in the summer transfer window to Kolkata giants East Bengal Club. After a season with them he joined Mahindra United to play for them for two years.

In 2009 he joined Pune FC and would stay there until the club pulled out of the I-League in 2015, while he played on loan for Mumbai FC in 2016. He has been a part of the Indian Super League, playing in 2015 for Atlético Kolkata and in 2016 for FC Pune City.

In early-2017, Arata joined then Second Division League side NEROCA FC and helped them to get promoted before he played for Kerala Blasters FC in the 2017/18 season.

Arata now joins the Reliance Foundation Young Champs academy, where he will be working with youngsters to develop them as footballers.

About Arunava Chaudhuri

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