is a Japanese professional

footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby lea ...

who plays for

J2 League The or simply J2 is the second division of the and the second level of the Japanese association football league system. The top tier is represented by the J1 League. It (along with the rest of the J.League) is currently sponsored by Meiji Yasud ...

club

Sagan Tosu is a Japanese professional Association football, football club based in Tosu, Saga, Tosu, Saga Prefecture. The club plays in the J2 League, the second tier of Japanese football, since 2025 following relegation from the J1 League in 2024 J1 Leag ...

. A versatile midfielder, Sakai can play in many different positions, although

left wing Left-wing politics describes the range of political ideologies that support and seek to achieve social equality and egalitarianism, often in opposition to social hierarchy either as a whole or of certain social hierarchies. Left-wing politic ...

is his preferred position.

Club career

On 2 November 2010, Sakai signed for J. League club

Albirex Niigata is a professional football club based in Niigata, Japan. Formed in 1955 as Niigata Eleven SC, it was renamed Albireo Niigata FC in 1995, and Albirex Niigata in 1997. They currently play in J1 League after being promoted from J2 League as cha ...

. He made his J. League debut on 7 May 2011, coming on as a substitute for Yoshiyuki Kobayashi against

Omiya Ardija is a Japanese professional association football club based in Ōmiya-ku, Saitama, Ōmiya, Saitama Prefecture. Its "hometown" (as designated by the league) is shared with neighbours Urawa Red Diamonds. The team currently play in J2 League, the ...

. After playing 450 minutes with Albirex Niigata, Sakai signed a Professional A contract with the club on 5 June 2013. On 7 January 2014, Sakai was announced at Avispa Fukuoka on a one year loan. On 19 July 2016, Sakai was announced at Fagiano Okayama on a six month loan. On 7 January 2018, Sakai was announced at

on a permanent transfer. On 8 December 2020, the club announced it would not be renewing his contract for the 2021 season. On 29 December 2020, Sakai was announced at Sagan Tosu on a permanent transfer. On 21 December 2021, Sakai was announced at Nagoya Grampus on a permanent transfer. On 4 July 2024, Sakai was announced at

Renofa Yamaguchi FC is a Japanese professional Association football, football club based in Yamaguchi (city), Yamaguchi, the capital of Yamaguchi Prefecture. They currently play in the J2 League, the second tier of professional football in Japanese association foot ...

on a six month loan. On 9 December 2024, his loan with Renofa Yamaguchi expired, and his contract with Nagoya Grampus would expire at the end of the season. On 5 January 2025, Sakai announced that he would return to newly relegated J2 club

Personal life

Sakai is the younger brother of

Gōtoku Sakai is a professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Vissel Kobe. He was born in the United States but raised in Japan, where he represented internationally. Club career Early career Sakai was born in New York to a German mother and a J ...

, who is currently playing for J1 League club

Vissel Kobe is a Japanese professional football club based in Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture. The club plays in the J1 League, which is the top tier of football in the country. They are currently the J1 League champions. The club's home stadium is Noevir Stad ...

, while his youngest brother Goson Sakai last played for German club

FV Illertissen FV Illertissen is a German association football club from the town of Illertissen, Bavaria and was established in 1921. Despite its location in Bavaria the club had never played in the league system of its home state but instead preferred to p ...

. During the 2011 season with Albirex Niigata, he shared a squad with

Career statistics

Club

References

External links

Profile at Nagoya Grampus
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Sakai, Noriyoshi 1992 births Living people Association football people from Niigata Prefecture Japanese men's footballers J1 League players J2 League players Albirex Niigata players Avispa Fukuoka players Fagiano Okayama players RB Omiya Ardija players Sagan Tosu players Nagoya Grampus players Renofa Yamaguchi FC players Japanese people of German descent Men's association football forwards 21st-century Japanese sportsmen