FC Tokyo have announced that midfielder Keigo Higashi will retire from professional football following the MEIJI YASUDA J1 100 YEAR VISION LEAGUE. He has also been appointed as an Academy Transition Coach at Oita Trinita.
Higashi was promoted to the Oita Trinita first team from the club’s U-18 side in 2009. He later played for Omiya Ardija before joining FC Tokyo in 2013.
Across his 18-year professional career, Higashi made 410 J1 appearances, scoring 28 goals, and 29 J2 appearances, scoring six goals.
Higashi commented through the club:
“I have decided to bring my career as a professional footballer to a close. I am truly grateful to the partners, fans and supporters of Oita Trinita, Omiya Ardija and FC Tokyo who have supported me throughout my career. Thank you so much. After it was decided that I would leave FC Tokyo, I was approached by several clubs and gave a great deal of thought to what I wanted to do next. In the end, I realised that I wanted to become a coach and pass on the experiences I have gained to the next generation.
“FC Tokyo also offered me a coaching role and told me they wanted to work together again, but I decided to begin my coaching career at Oita Trinita, the club that helped develop me. I want to keep growing step by step in my own way, with the ultimate goal of becoming a manager. For everyone who has supported me throughout my career, I’ll keep working hard every day towards that goal. Thank you so much for these 18 years! I hope you’ll continue to support me in this next chapter. See you at Ajinomoto Stadium on 6 September!”
A retirement ceremony for Higashi is scheduled to be held after FC Tokyo’s MEIJI YASUDA J1 LEAGUE Matchweek 6 fixture against Kyoto Sanga F.C. at Ajinomoto Stadium on Sunday 6 September.
