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Kawasaki Frontale
川崎フロンターレ
Kawasaki Frontale logo.svg
Full name Kawasaki Frontale
Nickname(s) Azzurro Nero (Blue-black), Frontale
Founded 1955; 70 years ago (1955) as Fujitsu SC
Ground Kawasaki Todoroki Stadium,
Nakahara, Kawasaki, Japan
Ground Capacity 26,232
Owner Fujitsu
Chairman Yoshihiro Warashina
Manager Toru Oniki
League J1 League
2022 J1 League, 2nd of 18

Kawasaki Frontale (川崎フロンターレ, Kawasaki Furontāre) is a professional football club from Kawasaki, Japan. They play in the J1 League, which is the top football league in Japan. Their home games are held at Kawasaki Todoroki Stadium.

History of Kawasaki Frontale

Todoroki 15031401
Kawasaki Todoroki Stadium

Early Years (1955–1996)

The club started in 1955 as the Fujitsu Soccer Club. It was one of many city clubs in the Japan Soccer League (JSL). They reached the top division of the JSL in 1977 but were moved down to a lower league the next year.

Becoming a Professional Club (1997–2000)

In 1997, the Fujitsu club became a professional team. They changed their name to "Kawasaki Frontale". The name "Frontale" means "frontal" in Italian. The club's old badge and colours were inspired by a Brazilian team called Grêmio. This is because the two clubs started working together in 1997.

In 1999, the club joined the second division of the J.League and won the championship. However, in the next season (2000), they finished last in the J.League Division 1 and were moved down again. They returned to the top league (J1) later in 2000 but were moved back to J2 at the end of that season.

Return to the Top and Asian Debut (2004–2007)

In 2004, Frontale won the J2 league again and moved up to J1. They started to become a stronger team in their city.

In 2006, the club finished second in J1, which was their best result at that time. This allowed them to play in the AFC Champions League for the first time in 2007. Kawasaki Frontale did well in this competition. They were the first Japanese club to get past the group stage before the eventual winners, Urawa Red Diamonds. However, they lost in the quarter-finals to an Iranian team, Sepahan, after a penalty shootout.

Winning Titles with Toru Oniki (2017–Present)

After finishing second in 2008 and 2009, Kawasaki Frontale finally won their first J1 League title in 2017. They came from behind to beat their rivals Kashima Antlers. This win came 16 seasons and 40 years after they first reached the top division.

Kawasaki Frontale became the first team to win four J1 titles in just five years. They had been close to winning many times before. In 2019, they won their first J.League Cup by beating Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo in a penalty shootout. In 2020, they won their third J1 League title with a big lead of 17 points over the second-place team, Gamba Osaka. They secured the title with four games left, which was a record for the 34-match league format.

In 2021, Frontale won their first title of the year in the opening match. They beat Gamba Osaka 3–2 in the 2021 Japanese Super Cup.

Many of Frontale's players became good enough to play for the national team. This made foreign clubs notice them. Some important players left the club, like Kaoru Mitoma and Ao Tanaka. Mitoma joined Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League, and Tanaka moved to Fortuna Düsseldorf in Germany.

Even with these players leaving, the club had a record-breaking season in 2021. They won the 2021 J1 League with the most points ever (92 points from 38 matches). They also had the fewest losses in a J1 League season, with only two defeats. They were also unbeaten at home games, matching a record set by Urawa Red Diamonds in 2006.

Leandro Damião was a star player in 2021, scoring 23 goals. He won the MVP award and was one of the top scorers. Other Frontale players, like Miki Yamane, Shogo Taniguchi, and Yasuto Wakizaka, also played for the National Team.

In 2022, Frontale did not win any major titles. They were knocked out early from several competitions. They lost the 2022 Japanese Super Cup to Urawa Red Diamonds. They were also eliminated from the AFC Champions League and the Emperor's Cup. In the J.League Cup, they drew both games against Cerezo Osaka and were eliminated because of away goals.

Frontale still fought for the J1 League title until the very end of the season. They finished second, just two points behind Yokohama F. Marinos. This second-place finish allowed them to play in the 2023–24 AFC Champions League.

On December 9, 2023, Frontale won the 2023 Emperor's Cup title. They beat Kashiwa Reysol 8–7 in a penalty shootout after a 0–0 draw. This win qualified them for the 2024–25 AFC Champions League Elite.

On February 17, 2024, Frontale won their third 2024 Japanese Super Cup title. They defeated 2023 J1 League champions, Vissel Kobe. It was announced on October 16, 2024, that Toru Oniki will leave his role as head coach at the end of the season.

Rivalries

Tamagawa Clásico

Kawasaki Frontale has a big rivalry with FC Tokyo. This rivalry is called the Tamagawa Clásico. The two clubs first played each other in 1967. They became rivals again in the 1990s when they both wanted to move up to the J.League. They both started in the new J2 League in 1999 and were promoted together that year.

Frontale also has a rivalry with Tokyo Verdy 1969. This team was also based in Kawasaki but moved to Tokyo in 2000. Many Kawasaki fans started supporting Frontale instead of Tokyo Verdy because Frontale was seen as more connected to the community.

Affiliated Clubs

  • Japan Fukushima United (2024−2026)
  • Brazil Grêmio (1997−present)

Kit and Colours

Kit Sponsors

Here's a look at the main sponsors on Kawasaki Frontale's jerseys over the years:

Season(s) Main Shirt Sponsor Collarbone Sponsor Additional Sponsor(s) Kit Manufacturer
2017 Fujitsu - SMBC Nikko Securities @nifty Fujitsu Marketing PFU Puma
2018 - /
RENOSY		 - /
Fujitsu BSC		 Fujitsu Fsas
2019 RENOSY Fujitsu BSC
2020 Fujitsu Marketing /
Fujitsu Japan
2021 Anker Japan Fujitsu Japan - /
Matsuo Komuten
2022 Matsuo Komuten
2023 PwC Consulting Ebara Food Industry
2024

Players

Current Squad

No. Position Player
1 South Korea GK Jung Sung-ryong
2 Japan DF Kota Takai
4 Brazil DF Jesiel
5 Japan DF Asahi Sasaki
6 Brazil MF Zé Ricardo
7 Japan DF Shintaro Kurumaya
8 Japan MF Kento Tachibanada
9 Brazil FW Erison
10 Japan MF Ryota Oshima
11 Japan FW Yu Kobayashi (vice-captain)
13 Japan DF Sota Miura
14 Japan MF Yasuto Wakizaka (captain)
15 Japan DF Shuto Tanabe
17 Japan FW Daiya Tono
19 Japan MF So Kawahara
20 Japan FW Shin Yamada (vice-captain)
21 Japan GK Shunsuke Andō
No. Position Player
22 Japan GK Yuki Hayasaka
23 Brazil FW Marcinho
24 Japan FW Ten Miyagi
26 Japan MF Hinata Yamauchi
28 Brazil MF Patrick Verhon
30 Japan MF Yusuke Segawa
31 Japan DF Sai van Wermeskerken
32 Japan FW Soma Kanda
34 Japan MF Kota Yui
35 Japan DF Yuichi Maruyama (vice-captain)
36 Japan DF Ryota Kamihashi DSP
39 Japan DF Kaito Tsuchiya Type 2
40 Japan GK Naoto Matsuzawa Type 2
41 Japan MF Akihiro Ienaga
44 Colombia DF César Haydar (on loan from Red Bull Bragantino)
77 Japan MF Yuki Yamamoto
98 Japan GK Louis Yamaguchi (on loan from Machida Zelvia)

Players on Loan

No. Position Player
3 Japan DF Takuma Ominami (on loan at OH Leuven)
25 Japan MF Renji Matsui (on loan at Vegalta Sendai)
Japan DF Yuto Matsunagane (on loan at Fukushima United)
Japan MF Takatora Einaga (on loan at Tegevajaro Miyazaki)
No. Position Player
Japan MF Toya Myogan (on loan at Vegalta Sendai)
Japan MF Yuto Ozeki (on loan at Fukushima United)
Japan FW Taiyo Igarashi (on loan at Renofa Yamaguchi)

Kawasaki Frontale U-18 Team

The Kawasaki Frontale U-18 team plays in the 2024 Prince Takamado U-18 Premier League. This is the top league for U-18 football teams in Japan.

No. Position Player
1 Japan GK Kensho Yamamoto
2 Japan DF Shotaro Shibata (vice-captain)
3 Japan DF Daiki Yamanaka
4 Japan DF Shunsuke Hayashi (vice-captain)
5 Japan DF Kaito Tsuchiya (captain)
6 Japan DF Yuta Saina
7 Japan MF Umi Kajisa (vice-captain)
8 Japan MF Haruki Chiku
9 Japan FW Takeshi Katori
10 Japan MF Mikito Yagoshi
11 Japan MF Shotaro Kodama
13 Japan FW Hinata Masuda
14 Japan FW Shuto Hatta
15 Japan DF Noriharu Kan
16 Japan GK Naoto Matsuzawa
17 Japan FW Yutaro Onda
19 Japan GK Haruki Izawa
20 Japan MF Rensuke Fujii
21 Japan GK Kantaro Iwata
No. Position Player
22 Japan DF Kaito Luca Patience
23 Japan MF Haruki Kusuda
24 Japan MF Ryota Kashimura
25 Japan MF Issei Hirauchi
26 Japan MF Kakeru Shinbori
27 Japan MF Luka Hiroto Stemper
28 Japan MF Hayato Hiratsuka
29 Japan DF Asuto Fujita
30 Japan DF Kyo Kikuchi
31 Japan MF Yohei Yamakawa
32 Japan MF Kosuke Nagasaki
33 Japan GK Kanta Okamoto
34 Japan MF Hiroto Ogawa
35 Japan MF Katsuyoshi Kinoshita
36 Japan DF Shota Ogawa
37 Japan FW Eita Mikami
38 Japan FW Yuma Okuda
39 Japan FW Neo Hirose

Club Officials

These are the main people who work for the club in 2024:

Position Name
Manager Japan Toru Oniki
Head coach Japan Mitsuhiro Toda
Coach Japan Tatsuya Murata
Japan Yu Nikaido
Japan Kenta Kano
Goalkeeper coach Japan Tomoaki Ishino
Physical coach Japan Takanori Ishii
Analyst Japan Ryoga Matsuno
Trainer Japan Toshiyuki Tokorozawa
Japan Yoji Hirahara
Japan Tomohisa Seki
Japan Katsuhiro Suzuki
Japan Naoya Kinoshima
Physiotherapist Japan Hiroshi Nishimura
Japan Ryota Kudo
Interpreter Japan Daigo Terasaki
Japan Kazuya Nakayama
Japan Hiroto Furukawa
South Korea Kim Myong-ho
Roupeiro Japan Hiroyuki Ito
Side manager Japan Takashi Seto
Japan Akito Kobayashi
Scouting Japan Tatsuru Mukojima
Doctor Japan Hiroshi Iwaso
Japan Hidetaka Goto
Japan Yutaro Ishida
Japan Ryota Kuzuhara
Japan Eisaburo Honda
Japan Kensuke Kimura

League History

Kawasaki Frontale has played in different football leagues over the years:

  • Regional Leagues (Kanto Soccer League): 1967–1971 (as Fujitsu)
  • Division 2 (JSL Div. 2): 1972–1976 (as Fujitsu)
  • Division 1 (JSL Div. 1): 1977–1978
  • Division 2 (JSL Div. 2): 1979–1991
  • Division 2 (former JFL Div. 1): 1992–1998 (as Fujitsu and then Kawasaki Frontale)
  • Division 2 (J2 League): 1999
  • Division 1 (J1 League): 2000
  • Division 2 (J2 League): 2001–2004
  • Division 1 (J1 League): 2005–present

As of 2021, the club has spent 20 seasons in the top league, 30 seasons in the second league, and 5 seasons in regional leagues.

Honours and Trophies

Kawasaki Frontale has won many titles throughout its history:

Kawasaki Frontale honours
Honour How Many Times Years Won
Kanto Soccer League 1 1968
Japan Soccer League Division 2 1 1976
J2 League 2 1999, 2004
J1 League 4 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021
J.League Cup 1 2019
Japanese Super Cup 3 2019, 2021, 2024
Emperor's Cup 2 2020, 2023

Player Awards

Many players from Kawasaki Frontale have won special awards:

  • J.League Player of the Year
  • J.League Top Scorer
  • J.League Best Eleven (Top 11 players of the season)
  • Japan Kengo Nakamura (8 times)
  • Japan Hiroyuki Taniguchi (2006)
  • Brazil Juninho (2007)
  • Japan Eiji Kawashima (2009)
  • Japan Yoshito Ōkubo (3 times)
  • Japan Yu Kobayashi (2 times)
  • Japan Shintaro Kurumaya (2 times)
  • Brazil Elsinho (2 times)
  • Japan Shogo Taniguchi (4 times)
  • Japan Akihiro Ienaga (4 times)
  • South Korea Jung Sung-ryong (2 times)
  • Japan Ryota Oshima (2018)
  • Japan Miki Yamane (3 times)
  • Brazil Jesiel (2 times)
  • Japan Hidemasa Morita (2020)
  • Japan Kaoru Mitoma (2020)
  • Japan Kyohei Noborizato (2020)
  • Japan Ao Tanaka (2020)
  • Brazil Leandro Damião (2021)
  • Japan Reo Hatate (2021)
  • Japan Yasuto Wakizaka (3 times)
  • Brazil Marcinho (2022)
  • J.League Rookie of the Year
  • Japan Ao Tanaka (2019)

Players in the World Cup

These players were chosen to play for their country in the FIFA World Cup while playing for Kawasaki Frontale:

Players in the Olympics

These players played for their country at the Summer Olympic Games while with Kawasaki Frontale:

  • Japan Hiroyuki Taniguchi (2008)
  • Japan Shunsuke Ando (2012)
  • Japan Riki Harakawa (2016)
  • Japan Ryota Oshima (2016)
  • Japan Ao Tanaka (2020)
  • Japan Kaoru Mitoma (2020)
  • Japan Reo Hatate (2020)

Managerial History

Here are the managers who have led Kawasaki Frontale:

Manager Country Time as Manager
Kazuo Saito  Japan 1997
Everaldo Pierrotti  Brazil 1997
Beto  Brazil 1998–1999
Ikuo Matsumoto  Japan 1999
Zeca  Brazil 2000
Toshiaki Imai  Japan 2000
Hiroshi Kobayashi  Japan 2000
Yoshiharu Horii  Japan January 2001 – June 2001
Nobuhiro Ishizaki  Japan July 2001 – December 2003
Takashi Sekizuka  Japan January 2004 – April 2008
Tsutomu Takahata  Japan May 2008 – December 2008
Takashi Sekizuka  Japan January 2009 – December 2009
Tsutomu Takahata  Japan January 2010 – December 2010
Naoki Soma  Japan January 2011 – April 2012
Tatsuya Mochizuki  Japan April 2012 (temporary)
Yahiro Kazama  Japan April 2012 – December 2016
Toru Oniki  Japan February 2017 – present

Images for kids

  • Kawasaki Frontale 1999 - 2000 HOME FP

    1999-2000 Home Kit

  • Kawasaki Frontale 2001 - 2003 HOME FP

    2001-2003 Home Kit

  • Kawasaki Frontale 2004 - 2005 HOME FP

    2004-2005 Home Kit

  • Kawasaki Frontale 2006 HOME FP

    2006 Home Kit

  • Kawasaki frontale 2007 HOME FP

    2007 Home Kit

  • Kawasaki Frontale 2008 HOME FP

    2008 Home Kit

  • Kawasaki Frontale 2009 - 2010 HOME FP

    2009-2010 Home Kit

  • Kawasaki frontale 2011 HOME FP

    2011 Home Kit

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    2012 Home Kit

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    2013 Home Kit

  • Kawasaki frontale 2014 HOME FP

    2014 Home Kit

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    2015 Home Kit

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    2016 Home Kit

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    2017 Home Kit

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    2018 Home Kit

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    2019 Home Kit

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    2020 Home Kit

  • Kawasaki frontale 2021 HOME FP

    2021 Home Kit

  • Kawasaki frontale 2022 HOME FP

    2022 Home Kit

  • Kawasaki frontale 2023 HOME FP

    2023 Home Kit

  • Kawasaki frontale 2024 HOME FP

    2024 Home Kit

  • Kawasaki Frontale 1999 AWAY FP

    1999-2003 Away Kit

  • Kawasaki Frontale 2004 AWAY FP

    2004 Away Kit

  • Kawasaki Frontale 2005 AWAY FP

    2005 Away Kit

  • Kawasaki Frontale 2006 AWAY FP

    2006 Away Kit

  • Kawasaki frontale 2007 AWAY FP

    2007 Away Kit

  • Kawasaki Frontale 2008 AWAY FP

    2008 Away Kit

  • Kawasaki Frontale 2009 AWAY FP

    2009 Away Kit

  • Kawasaki Frontale 2010 AWAY FP

    2010 Away Kit

  • Kawasaki frontale 2011 AWAY FP

    2011 Away Kit

  • Frontale12a

    2012 Away Kit

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    2013 Away Kit

  • Kawasaki frontale 2014 AWAY FP

    2014 Away Kit

  • Frontale15a

    2015 Away Kit

  • Kawasaki16a

    2016 Away Kit

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    2017 Away Kit

  • Frontale18a

    2018 Away Kit

  • Kawasaki frontale 2019 AWAY FP

    2019 Away Kit

  • Frontale20a

    2020 Away Kit

  • Kawasaki frontale 2021 AWAY FP2

    2021 Away Kit

  • Kawasaki frontale 2022 AWAY FP

    2022 Away Kit

  • Kawasaki frontale 2023 AWAY FP

    2023 Away Kit

  • Kawasaki frontale 2024 AWAY FP

    2024 Away Kit

  • Kawasaki frontale 2014 ACL HOME FP

    2014 ACL Home Kit

  • Kawasaki frontale 2014 kawasaki city 90th Anniversary FP

    2014 Kawasaki City 90th Anniversary Kit

  • Kawasaki frontale 2015 Kawasaki Todotoki Stadium Anniversary FP

    2015 New Main Stand Completion Kit

  • Kawasaki Frontale 2016 CUP FP

    2016 Cup Competition Kit

  • Kawasaki frontale 2016 Space Brothers FP

    2016 Space Brothers Collaboration Kit

  • Frontale17c

    2017 ACL 1st Kit

  • Frontale17f

    2017 ACL 2nd Kit

  • Kawasaki frontale 2017 SUMMER FP

    2017 SUMMER Kit

  • Frontale18afch

    2018 ACL 1st Kit

  • Frontale18afca

    2018 ACL 2nd Kit

  • Kawasaki frontale 2018 SP HOME FP2

    2018 Limited Kit

  • Kawasaki frontale 2019 ACL HOME FP

    2019 ACL 1st Kit

  • Kawasaki frontale 2019 ACL AWAY FP

    2019 ACL 2nd Kit

  • Frontale19t

    2019 Kawasaki City 95th Anniversary Kit

  • Kawasaki frontale 2020 SP HOME FP

    2020 Limited Kit

  • Kawasaki frontale 2021 ACL HOME FP

    2021 ACL 1st Kit

  • Kawasaki frontale 2021 ACL AWAY FP

    2021 ACL 2nd Kit

  • Kawasaki frontale 2021 SP HOME FP

    2021 Limited Kit

  • Kawasaki frontale 2022 ACL HOME FP

    2022 ACL 1st Kit

  • Kawasaki frontale 2022 ACL AWAY FP

    2022 ACL 2nd Kit

  • Kawasaki frontale 2022 SP HOME FP

    2022 Limited Kit

  • Kawasaki frontale 2023 ACL HOME FP

    2023/24 ACL 1st Kit

  • Kawasaki frontale 2023 ACL AWAY FP

    2023/24 ACL 2nd Kit

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Kawasaki Frontale para niños

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