Gamba Osaka facts for kids
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| Full name | Gamba Osaka | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Nerazzurri (Black-and-Blues) | ||
| Founded | 1980 as Matsushita Electric SC | ||
| Stadium | Panasonic Stadium Suita | ||
| Stadium capacity |
39,694 | ||
| Owner | Panasonic (70%), The Kansai Electric Power Company (10%), Osaka Gas (10%), JR West (10%) | ||
| Chairman | Takashi Yamauchi | ||
| Manager | Dani Poyatos | ||
| League | J1 League | ||
| 2022 | J1 League, 15th of 18 | ||
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Gamba Osaka (ガンバ大阪) is a professional football club from Suita, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. They play in the J1 League, which is the top football league in Japan. Their home games are played at Panasonic Stadium Suita. Gamba Osaka has a big local rivalry with Cerezo Osaka, another team from the Osaka area.
Gamba Osaka is one of Japan's most successful football clubs. They have won the J1 League twice, the J2 League once, the J.League Cup twice, and the Japanese Super Cup twice. In Asia, they won the 2008 AFC Champions League. They also played in the FIFA Club World Cup in 2008, finishing in third place.
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What Does "Gamba" Mean?
The club's name Gamba comes from the Japanese word ganbaru (頑張る). This word means "to do your best" or "to stand firm." It shows the team's spirit!
Gamba Osaka's Journey
The club started in 1980 as Matsushita Electric SC in Nara Prefecture. It was founded by the company now known as Panasonic. The team joined the Japan Soccer League. Many players and staff from the old Yanmar Club (which later became Cerezo Osaka) joined the new team.
Gamba Osaka was one of the first ten teams to play in the first J.League season in 1993. Because they joined the J.League, the club changed its name to Panasonic Gamba Osaka in 1992. In 1996, the club dropped "Panasonic" from its name.
Big Wins and Records
In 2005, Gamba Osaka won its first J.League championship. It was a very exciting final day where five teams could have won! Gamba won their match 4–2 against Kawasaki Frontale. Their rivals, Cerezo Osaka, drew their game, which meant Gamba became champions.
In 2006, Gamba set a record in the AFC Champions League by beating Vietnamese team Đà Nẵng 15–0. This was a huge victory! In 2008, Gamba won the 2008 Pan-Pacific Championship by beating the MLS club Houston Dynamo 6–1. A player named Bare scored four goals in that final.
Becoming Asian Champions
In October 2008, Gamba Osaka reached the final of the AFC Champions League for the first time. They beat fellow Japanese team Urawa Red Diamonds in the semi-finals. Gamba Osaka then won the 2008 AFC Champions League title by beating Australian club Adelaide United 5–0 over two games. They were the fifth Japanese club to win this important Asian title.
In December 2008, Gamba Osaka played in the 2008 FIFA Club World Cup. They reached the semi-finals after beating Adelaide United 1–0. They then played against Manchester United, who were champions of England and Europe. Gamba lost that match but then won the third-place game 1–0 against Mexican team Pachuca.
In 2012, Gamba Osaka was relegated from the J1 League to J2. This happened even though they scored more goals than most other teams. Their defense was not strong enough. However, the team quickly bounced back! In 2013, they won the J2 League and were promoted straight back to J1.
In 2014, Gamba Osaka won the J1 League title again, just one year after winning J2. They also won the J.League Cup and the Emperor's Cup that same year. This meant they won the "domestic treble," which is a rare achievement in Japanese football.
In 2015, Gamba Osaka returned to the 2015 AFC Champions League. They reached the semi-finals but lost to Guangzhou Evergrande. They also reached the finals of the J.League Cup and J1 League Championship, but lost both. However, they successfully defended their Emperor's Cup title.
In 2020, Gamba finished second in the J1 League, which meant they qualified for the 2021 AFC Champions League again. In July 2021, Gamba had their biggest ever win in the AFC Champions League, beating Tampines Rovers 8–1. Even with this big win, they did not make it to the next round.
In the 2024 season, Gamba Osaka finished fourth in the J1 League. This means they qualified for the 2025–26 AFC Champions League Two group stage.
Partner Clubs
Gamba Osaka works with other football clubs around the world.
Chonburi (2023–present)
* Since 2023, Gamba Osaka has partnered with Chonburi FC from Thailand. They share players and coaching staff to help both teams improve.
AFC Ajax (2024–present)
* In 2024, Gamba Osaka started a partnership with AFC Ajax, a famous club from the Netherlands. This partnership helps Gamba Osaka learn Ajax's training methods for young players. It also helps Ajax find new talent in Japan.
Home Stadium
From 1980 to 2015, Gamba Osaka played its home games at the Osaka Expo '70 Stadium. This stadium could hold about 21,000 fans.
In December 2013, the club started building a new stadium called Suita City Football Stadium. It is in the same park and can hold 39,694 people. The first official match at the new stadium was on February 14, 2016.
Team Rivalries
Gamba Osaka has a strong rivalry with their local neighbors, Cerezo Osaka. When these two teams play, it's called the Osaka derby. They also have a big rivalry with Urawa Red Diamonds from Saitama, which is sometimes called the "National Derby" of Japan.
Players
Current Team
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Players on Loan
Sometimes players go to other clubs for a short time to get more playing experience.
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Club Staff
Here are some of the important people who help run Gamba Osaka:
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Manager |  Dani Poyatos |
| Assistant manager | Marcel Sans |
| First-team coach |  Yasuhito Endo Shota Uemura Kazumichi Takagi |
| Goalkeeper coach | Motohiro Yoshida |
| Physical coach | Koichiro Yoshimichi |
| Analyst | Kento Nashimoto |
| Assistant coach and interpreter | Takanori Okai |
| Doctor | Yusuke Enomoto |
| Physiotherapist | Yuta Tanaka Yuki Nakamura |
| Trainer and physiotherapist | Ryosuke Kaji |
| Trainer | Satoshi Ikeguchi Shotaro Shinba |
| Interpreter | Masaki Kimura Kazushi Shimizu Yu Ono |
| Side manager and competent | Atsushi Hashimoto |
| Side manager and side affairs | Junji Yamashita Shunsuke Hitomi |
Team Achievements
Gamba Osaka has won many trophies throughout its history, both as Matsushita Electric and Gamba Osaka.
| Trophy | How Many | Years Won |
|---|---|---|
| All Japan Senior Football Championship | 1 | 1983 |
| Japan Soccer League Division 2 | 1 | 1985/86 |
| Emperor's Cup | 5 | 1990, 2008, 2009, 2014, 2015 |
| J1 League | 2 | 2005, 2014 |
| J.League Cup | 2 | 2007, 2014 |
| Japanese Super Cup | 2 | 2007, 2015 |
| AFC Champions League Elite | 1 | 2008 |
| Pan-Pacific Championship | 1 | 2008 |
| J2 League | 1 | 2013 |
Famous Players and Awards
Many Gamba Osaka players have won important awards.
- Best Player in J.League:
* Araújo (2005) * Yasuhito Endō (2014)
- Top Scorer in J.League:
* Patrick M'Boma (1997) * Araújo (2005) * Magno Alves (2006)
- Best Eleven (Top Team) in J.League:
* Many players have been chosen for the best team of the year, including Yasuhito Endō an amazing 12 times!
- Best Young Player in J.League:
* Takashi Usami (2010)
- Best Player in J.League Cup:
* Michihiro Yasuda (2007) * Patric (2014)
- Best Young Player in J.League Cup:
* Michihiro Yasuda (2007) * Takashi Usami (2014)
International Awards
- Asian Footballer of the Year:
* Yasuhito Endō (2009)
- Best Player in AFC Champions League:
* Yasuhito Endō (2008)
- Top Scorer in AFC Champions League:
* Magno Alves (2006) * Leandro (2009)
Players in World Cups and Olympics
Several Gamba Osaka players have represented their countries in major tournaments like the FIFA World Cup and the Summer Olympic Games.
- World Cup Players:
* Patrick M'Boma (1998) * Tsuneyasu Miyamoto (2002, 2006) * Akira Kaji (2006) * Yasuhito Endō (2006, 2010, 2014) * Yasuyuki Konno (2010, 2014) * Masaaki Higashiguchi (2018)
- Olympic Players:
* Shigeru Morioka (1996) * Tsuneyasu Miyamoto (2000) * Junichi Inamoto (2000) * Ryōta Tsuzuki (2000) * Michihiro Yasuda (2008) * Yosuke Ideguchi (2016) * Hiroki Fujiharu (2016)
Greatest Team Ever
In 2011, fans voted for the best Gamba Osaka team of all time to celebrate the club's 20th anniversary.
- Goalkeeper:
- Defenders:
* Akira Kaji * Sidiclei * Tsuneyasu Miyamoto * Satoshi Yamaguchi
- Midfielders:
* Yasuhito Endō * Tomokazu Myojin * Hideo Hashimoto * Takahiro Futagawa
- Forwards:
* Patrick M'Boma * Araújo
International Matches
Gamba Osaka has played many official matches against clubs from other countries. Here are some of their results:
| Opponent | Season | Home Score | Away Score |
|---|---|---|---|
 Adelaide United |
2008 AFC Champions League Final | 3–0 | 2–0 |
| 2008 FIFA Club World Cup Quarter-finals |
1–0 | ||
| 2012 AFC Champions League Group Stage | 0–2 | 0–2 | |
| 2017 AFC Champions League Group Stage | 3–3 | 3–0 | |
| Melbourne Victory |
2008 AFC Champions League Group Stage | 2–0 | 4–3 |
| 2011 AFC Champions League Group Stage | 5–1 | 1–1 | |
| 2016 AFC Champions League Group Stage | 1–1 | 1–2 | |
 Dalian Shide |
2006 AFC Champions League Group Stage | 3–0 | 0–2 |
| Shandong Taishan |
2009 AFC Champions League Group Stage | 3–0 | 1–0 |
| Henan Jianye |
2010 AFC Champions League Group Stage | 1–1 | 1–1 |
| Tianjin Teda |
2011 AFC Champions League Group Stage | 2–0 | 1–2 |
| Guangzhou R&F |
2015 AFC Champions League Group Stage | 0–2 | 5–0 |
| Guangzhou Evergrande |
2015 AFC Champions League Semi-finals | 0–0 | 1–2 |
| Shanghai Port |
2016 AFC Champions League Group Stage | 0–2 | 1–2 |
| Jiangsu Suning |
2017 AFC Champions League Group Stage | 0–1 | 0–3 |
 Manchester United |
2008 FIFA Club World Cup Semi-finals |
3–5 | |
 Sriwijaya |
2009 AFC Champions League Group Stage | 5–0 | 3–0 |
| Urawa Red Diamonds |
2008 AFC Champions League Semi-finals | 1–1 | 3–1 |
| Kawasaki Frontale |
2009 AFC Champions League Round of 16 | 2–3 | N.A. |
| Cerezo Osaka |
2011 AFC Champions League Round of 16 | 0–1 | N.A. |
 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors |
2006 AFC Champions League Group Stage | 1–1 | 2–3 |
| 2015 AFC Champions League Quarter-finals | 3–2 | 0–0 | |
| 2021 AFC Champions League Group Stage | 2–2 | 1–2 | |
| Jeonnam Dragons |
2008 AFC Champions League Group Stage | 1–1 | 4–3 |
| FC Seoul |
2009 AFC Champions League Group Stage | 1–2 | 4–2 |
| 2015 AFC Champions League Round of 16 | 3–2 | 3–1 | |
| Suwon Samsung Bluewings |
2010 AFC Champions League Group Stage | 2–1 | 0–0 |
| 2016 AFC Champions League Group Stage | 1–2 | 0–0 | |
| Seongnam |
2010 AFC Champions League Round of 16 | N.A. | 0–3 |
| 2015 AFC Champions League Group Stage | 2–1 | 0–2 | |
| Jeju United |
2011 AFC Champions League Group Stage | 3–1 | 1–2 |
| 2017 AFC Champions League Group Stage | 1–4 | 0–2 | |
| Pohang Steelers |
2012 AFC Champions League Group Stage | 0–3 | 0–2 |
 Johor Darul Ta'zim |
2017 AFC Champions League Play-off | 3–0 | N.A. |
 Pachuca |
2008 FIFA Club World Cup Third place |
1–0 | |
 Warriors |
2010 AFC Champions League Group Stage | 3–0 | 4–2 |
| Tampines Rovers |
2021 AFC Champions League Group Stage | 8–1 | 2–0 |
 Al-Karamah |
2008 AFC Champions League Quarter-finals | 2–0 | 2–1 |
| Chonburi |
2008 AFC Champions League Group Stage | 1–1 | 2–0 |
| Buriram United |
2015 AFC Champions League Group Stage | 1–1 | 2–1 |
| Chiangrai United |
2021 AFC Champions League Group Stage | 1–1 | 1–1 |
 Bunyodkor |
2012 AFC Champions League Group Stage | 3–1 | 2–3 |
 SHB Đà Nẵng |
2006 AFC Champions League Group Stage | 15–0 | 5–1 |
Images for kids
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Gamba Osaka playing against the Melbourne Victory in the 2008 AFC Champions League
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Yasuhito Endō is a legendary player for Gamba Osaka.
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A panoramic view of Suita City Football Stadium
See also
In Spanish: Gamba Osaka para niños
