Zion Suzuki is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Serie A club Parma. He was born in Newark, New Jersey, United States, to a Ghanaian father and a Japanese mother.
๐บ๐ธ Early Life and Background
Suzuki was named after the biblical location of Mount Zion in Jerusalem. His family moved to Japan while he was young and settled in Urawa, Saitama, where he grew up.
โฝ Youth and Club Career Start
Suzuki took up football in kindergarten and played as a goalkeeper from elementary school. He joined the academy of Urawa Red Diamonds and attended N High School while in the youth team.
๐ Urawa Red Diamonds Debut and Achievements
Suzukiโs professional career began with Urawa Red Diamonds at 16 years and five months old, making him the youngest player in club history to sign a professional contract. He made his debut on 2 March 2021 in the J.League Cup, keeping a clean sheet, and won the New Hero Award of the 2021 J.League Cup.
๐ International Career
Suzuki earned his first cap with Japanโs national team on 19 July 2022 against Hong Kong in the 2022 EAFF E-1 Football Championship. On 15 May 2026, he was selected in the 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
| Date | Event | Club/Team | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 August 2002 | Birth | โ | Born in Newark, New Jersey, USA |
| 2 March 2021 | Professional Debut | Urawa Red Diamonds | J.League Cup match, kept clean sheet |
| 19 July 2022 | National Team Debut | Japan | Full match vs Hong Kong, 6โ0 win |
| 15 July 2024 | Transfer | Parma | Signed five-year contract in Serie A |