Eijun Kiyokumo facts for kids

Eijun Kiyokumo (born September 11, 1950) is a famous Japanese football player and manager. He played as a defender for the Japan national team. After his playing career, he became a successful coach for several teams, including the national team.

Playing Career: A Strong Defender

Eijun Kiyokumo was born in Koshu, Japan, on September 11, 1950. He loved football from a young age. After finishing his studies at Hosei University, he joined a professional football club called Furukawa Electric in 1973.

Club Success

Kiyokumo quickly became an important player for Furukawa Electric. He was a strong defender, helping his team win many games. In 1976, his club had an amazing year. They won the championship in the Japan Soccer League, which was the top football league in Japan at the time. They also won the Emperor's Cup, another major tournament.

Furukawa Electric continued to be successful with Kiyokumo on the team. They won the JSL Cup twice, in 1977 and again in 1982. Kiyokumo played a total of 149 games in the league, scoring 6 goals. His excellent skills were recognized when he was chosen as one of the "Best Eleven" players in the league for three years in a row: 1974, 1975, and 1976. He retired from playing football in 1982.

Playing for Japan

Kiyokumo also played for his country, representing the Japan national team. He made his first appearance for Japan on September 28, 1974, in a match against South Korea.

He played in important qualification matches for big international tournaments. These included the qualifiers for the 1976 Summer Olympics, the 1978 FIFA World Cup, and the 1980 Summer Olympics. In total, he played 42 games for Japan before he stopped playing for the national team in 1980.

Coaching Career: Leading Teams to Victory

After retiring as a player, Eijun Kiyokumo decided to become a football manager. He wanted to share his knowledge and lead new teams to success.

First Managerial Role

In 1984, Kiyokumo became the manager of his old club, Furukawa Electric. He took over from the previous manager, Masao Uchino. Under his leadership, the club continued its winning ways. They won the 1985–86 Japan Soccer League championship and the 1986 JSL Cup.

His biggest achievement as a manager with Furukawa Electric came in Asia. In 1986, the club won the 1986 Asian Club Championship. This was a huge moment because it was the first time a Japanese club had ever won this important Asian championship! Kiyokumo stayed with the club until 1990.

Later Coaching Roles

In 1992, Kiyokumo worked as a coach for the Japan national team, assisting manager Hans Ooft. He returned to manage his former club, now called JEF United Ichihara, from 1994 to 1995.

In 1998, he took on another national team role, managing the Japan U-20 national team. A year later, in 1999, he joined Omiya Ardija as a general manager. In October 2003, he briefly became the manager of Omiya Ardija.

Eijun Kiyokumo has had a long and successful career in Japanese football, both as a talented player and a championship-winning manager.

See also

In Spanish: Eijun Kiyokumo para niños