Noriyoshi Sakai

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Noriyoshi Sakai
酒井宣福

| image =

| full_name = Noriyoshi Sakai

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1992|11|9|df=y}}

| birth_place = Sanjō, Niigata, Japan

| height = 1.80 m

| position = Winger, forward, right back

| currentclub = Sagan Tosu

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 = 2008–2010

| youthclubs1 = Teikyo Nagaoka High School

| years1 = 2011–2017

| clubs1 = Albirex Niigata

| caps1 = 44

| goals1 = 1

| years2 = 2014–2015

| clubs2 = → Avispa Fukuoka (loan)

| caps2 = 82

| goals2 = 17

| years3 = 2016

| clubs3 = → Fagiano Okayama (loan)

| caps3 = 10

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2018–2021

| clubs4 = Omiya Ardija

| caps4 = 67

| goals4 = 5

| clubs5 = Sagan Tosu

| years5 = 2021

| caps5 = 34

| goals5 = 8

| clubs6 = Nagoya Grampus

| years6 = 2022–2024

| caps6 = 56

| goals6 = 7

| clubs7 = → Renofa Yamaguchi (Loan)

| years7 = 2024

| caps7 = 10

| goals7 = 2

| clubs8 = Sagan Tosu

| years8 = 2025–

| caps8 = 0

| goals8 = 0

| club-update = 5 January 2025, 11:00 (UTC)

}}

{{nihongo|Noriyoshi Sakai|酒井宣福|Sakai Noriyoshi|born 9 November 1992}} is a Japanese professional footballer who currently play for J2 League club, Sagan Tosu.

A versatile midfielder, Sakai can play in many different positions, although left wing is his preferred position.

He is the younger brother of current Vissel Kobe player and former Albirex Niigata teammate Gotoku Sakai.

Club career

On 2 November 2010, Sakai signed for J. League club Albirex Niigata.{{cite news|url=http://www.albirex.co.jp/tools/page_store/news_2985.html|script-title=ja:酒井宣福選手（帝京長岡高）来季新加入内定のお知らせ|language=Japanese|date=2 November 2010|publisher=Albirex Niigata|accessdate=25 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180625103902/http://www.albirex.co.jp/tools/page_store/news_2985.html|archive-date=25 June 2018|url-status=dead}} He made his J. League debut on 7 May 2011, coming on as a substitute for Yoshiyuki Kobayashi against Omiya Ardija.{{cite news|url=http://www.j-league.or.jp/SS/eng/team/201301_000130_W0601_E.html|title=PLAYERS 2013 J.League Division1 Albirex Niigata|date=8 December 2013|publisher=J. League|accessdate=25 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131225092046/http://www.j-league.or.jp/SS/eng/team/201301_000130_W0601_E.html|archive-date=25 December 2013|url-status=dead}}

After Nagoya Grampus contract expired for 2024 season, Noriyoshi was announced that he would return to J2 relegated club, Sagan Tosu from 2025 season.

Personal life

Sakai is the younger brother of Gōtoku Sakai who is currently playing for J1 League club Vissel Kobe while his youngest brother, Goson Sakai who is also a professional footballer who last played for German club, FV Illertissen.

Career statistics

=Club=

{{updated|the start from 2025 season}}Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing inc./日本スポーツ企画出版社, [https://www.amazon.co.jp/J1-J3%E9%81%B8%E6%89%8B%E5%90%8D%E9%91%91%E3%83%8F%E3%83%B3%E3%83%87%E3%82%A3%E7%89%88-2018-NSK-MOOK/dp/4905411521 "J1&J2&J3選手名鑑ハンディ版 2018 (NSK MOOK)"], 7 February 2018, Japan, {{ISBN|978-4905411529}} (p. 164 out of 289)Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing inc./日本スポーツ企画出版社, [https://www.amazon.co.jp/2017-J1-J3%E9%81%B8%E6%89%8B%E5%90%8D%E9%91%91-NSK-MOOK/dp/4905411424/ref=pd_sim_14_1/356-9491148-0114816?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=BA8BN4Y0F97GNWKQM78H "2017 J1&J2&J3選手名鑑 (NSK MOOK)"], 8 February 2017, Japan, {{ISBN|978-4905411420}} (p. 123 out of 289){{cite web |title=Soccer D.B. : 2022 Noriyoshi Sakai Result by Season |url=https://soccer-db.net/player/index.php?pl=15425&la=e |website=Soccer D.B. |access-date=11 January 2025|language=en}}

rowspan=2 \| Club ! rowspan=2 \| Season ! colspan=3 \| League ! colspan=2 \| National cup ! colspan=2 \| League cup ! colspan=2 \| Other ! colspan=2 \| Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" \|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Division ! Apps	Goals ! Apps	Goals ! Apps	Goals ! Apps	Goals ! Apps	Goals
colspan=3 \| Japan ! colspan=2 \| League ! colspan=2 \| Emperor's Cup ! colspan=2 \| J. League Cup ! colspan=2 \| Other ! colspan=2 \| Total
rowspan="6"\|Albirex Niigata	2011	rowspan="3"\|J.League Div 1	3	0	0	0	0	0	colspan="2"\|–	3	0
2012	2	0	1	0	1	0	colspan="2"\|–	4	0
2013	7	0	1	0	3	0	colspan="2"\|–	11	0
2016	rowspan="2"\|J1 League	9	0	0	0	3	0	colspan="2"\|–	12	0
2017	11	1	1	0	2	0	colspan="2"\|–	14	1
colspan="2"\|Total !32\|\|1\|\|3\|\|0\|\|9\|\|0\|\|0\|\|0\|\|44\|\|1
rowspan="3"\|Avispa Fukuoka (loan)	2014	J.League Div 2	37	7	1	0	colspan="2"\|–	colspan="2"\|–	38	7
2015	J2 League	39	7	3	3	colspan="2"\|–	2{{efn\|name=J1PPO\|J1 League Promotion play-off}}	0	44	10
colspan="2"\|Total !76\|\|14\|\|4\|\|3\|\|0\|\|0\|\|2\|\|0\|\|82\|\|17
Fagiano Okayama (loan)	2016	rowspan="4"\|J2 League	6	0	2	0	colspan="2"\|–	2{{efn\|name=J1PPO}}	0	10	0
rowspan="4"\|Omiya Ardija	2018	36	3	0	0	colspan="2"\|–	1{{efn\|name=J1J2\|J1/J2 Play-offs}}	0	37	3
2019	22	2	2	0	colspan="2"\|–	1{{efn\|name=J1J2}}	0	25	2
2020	5	0	0	0	colspan="2"\|–	colspan="2"\|–	5	0
colspan="2"\|Total !63\|\|5\|\|2\|\|0\|\|0\|\|0\|\|2\|\|0\|\|67\|\|5
Sagan Tosu	2021	rowspan="4"\|J1 League	29	8	3	0	2	0	colspan="2"\|–	34	8
rowspan="3"\|Nagoya Grampus	2022	17	2	0	0	5	1	colspan="2"\|–	22	3
2023	20	0	4	0	4	4	colspan="2"\|–	28	4
2024	3	0	1	0	1	0	colspan="2"\|–	5	0
Renofa Yamaguchi	2024	rowspan="2"\|J2 League	10	2	colspan="6"\|–	10	2
Sagan Tosu	2025	0	0	0	0	0	0	colspan="2"\|–	0	0
colspan=3 \| Career total !256\|\|32\|\|20\|\|3\|\|21\|\|5\|\|6\|\|0\|\|303\|\|40