Atsushi Yanagisawa facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Atsushi Yanagisawa
柳沢 敦

Personal information
Date of birth	(1977-05-27) May 27, 1977 (age 48)
Place of birth	Imizu, Toyama, Japan
Height	1.77 m
Playing position	Forward
Youth career
1993–1995	Toyama Daiichi High School
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1996–2003	Kashima Antlers	178	(71)
2003–2004	Sampdoria	15	(0)
2004–2006	Messina	29	(0)
2006–2007	Kashima Antlers	42	(9)
2008–2010	Kyoto Sanga FC	85	(21)
2011–2014	Vegalta Sendai	66	(7)
Total		415	(108)
National team
1997	Japan U-20	5	(4)
2000	Japan U-23	4	(1)
1998–2006	Japan	58	(17)
Honours Kashima Antlers Winner J1 League 1996 Winner J1 League 1998 Winner J1 League 2000 Winner J1 League 2001 Winner J1 League 2007 Runner-up J1 League 1997 Winner J.League Cup 1997 Winner J.League Cup 2000 Winner J.League Cup 2002 Runner-up J.League Cup 1999 Runner-up J.League Cup 2003 Runner-up J.League Cup 2006 Winner Emperor's Cup 1997 Winner 2000 {{{3}}} Winner Emperor's Cup 2007 Runner-up Emperor's Cup 2002 Vegalta Sendai Runner-up J1 League 2012 Representing  Japan AFC Asian Cup Gold 2000 Lebanon
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Atsushi Yanagisawa (柳沢 敦, Yanagisawa Atsushi, born May 27, 1977) is a famous Japanese former professional footballer. He played as a forward, which means he was mainly responsible for scoring goals. He was a key player for the Japan national team.

Yanagisawa is best known for playing most of his career at Kashima Antlers, a top Japanese club. He also had a chance to play for Italian teams like Sampdoria and Messina. He played 58 games for the Japan national team and represented his country in two World Cups, the 2000 Olympics, and the 2000 Asian Cup.

Atsushi Yanagisawa: A Japanese Football Star

Early Days and Club Success

Atsushi Yanagisawa was born in Imizu, Japan, on May 27, 1977. After finishing high school, he joined Kashima Antlers in 1996. He quickly became a regular player in 1997 and was even named "Rookie of the Year."

During the late 1990s and early 2000s, Kashima Antlers was a very successful team. They won the J1 League championship multiple times, including in 1996, 1998, 2000, and 2001. They also won the J.League Cup and the Emperor's Cup. In 2000, the club achieved a rare "treble," winning all three major Japanese titles in one year. Yanagisawa was a big part of this success. In 2001, he was even named "Japanese Footballer of the Year."

In June 2003, Yanagisawa decided to try playing in Europe. He moved to Italy to join Sampdoria, a club in the top Italian league, Serie A. Later, in 2004, he moved to another Italian club, Messina.

Yanagisawa returned to Kashima Antlers in March 2006. He helped them win the J1 League and the Emperor's Cup again in 2007. After that, he played for Kyoto Sanga FC from 2008 to 2010. In 2008, he scored 14 goals, which was the most by a Japanese player in the league that season. He then moved to Vegalta Sendai in 2011. Even though he didn't play as many games, his team finished second in the league in 2012. Yanagisawa retired from professional football at the end of the 2014 season.

Playing for Japan

Yanagisawa also had a great career playing for his country. In June 1997, he was chosen for the Japan U20 national team to play in the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship. He wore the number 10 jersey and played in all five matches, scoring four goals.

He made his debut for the senior Japan national team on February 15, 1998, against Australia. From 1999 onwards, he was a regular player for Japan under manager Philippe Troussier.

In September 2000, he was part of the Japan U23 national team for the 2000 Summer Olympics. He played in all four matches and scored a goal against the United States in the Quarterfinal. In October of the same year, he also played in the 2000 AFC Asian Cup, where Japan won the championship.

Yanagisawa was selected for Japan's squad for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. He played as a forward in three games during that tournament. He also represented Japan in the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup and the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Overall, he played 58 games for Japan and scored 17 goals before retiring from international football in 2006.

Career Statistics

International

Scores and results list Japan's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Yanagisawa goal.

List of international goals scored by Atsushi Yanagisawa

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	June 6, 2000	Rabat, Morocco	Jamaica		4–0	Hassan II International Cup
2	June 18, 2000	Yokohama, Japan	Bolivia		2–0	2000 Kirin Cup
3
4	October 14, 2000	Sidon, Lebanon	Saudi Arabia		4–1	2000 AFC Asian Cup
5	August 15, 2001	Fukuroi, Shizuoka, Japan	Australia		3–0	Friendly
6	July 1, 2001	Sapporo, Japan	Paraguay		2–0	2001 Kirin Cup
7
8	October 7, 2001	Southampton, England	Nigeria		2–2	Friendly
9	November 7, 2001	Saitama, Japan	Italy		1–1	Friendly
10	October 8, 2003	Tunis, Tunisia	Tunisia		1–0	Friendly
11	October 11, 2003	Bucharest, Romania	Romania		1–1	Friendly
12	February 12, 2004	Fukuroi, Shizuoka, Japan	Iraq		2–0	Friendly
13	July 9, 2004	Ōita, Japan	Slovakia		3–1	2004 Kirin Cup
14	June 8, 2005	Bangkok, Thailand	North Korea		2–0	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
15	June 16, 2005	Hanover, Germany	Mexico		1–2	2005 FIFA Confederations Cup
16	September 7, 2005	Rifu, Miyagi, Japan	Honduras		5–4	Friendly
17

Awards and Achievements

Yanagisawa won many awards and championships during his career:

With Kashima Antlers

• J1 League: 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2007
• Emperor's Cup: 1997, 2000, 2007
• J - League Cup: 1997, 2000, 2002
• Japanese Super Cup: 1997, 1998, 1999

With Japan National Team

• AFC Asian Cup: 2000

Individual Awards

• Asian Player of the Month: January 1998
• J.League Rookie of the Year: 1997
• J.League Best XI: 1998, 2001, 2008
• Japanese Footballer of the Year: 2001

See also

In Spanish: Atsushi Yanagisawa para niños