Kazushi Kimura facts for kids
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Kazushi Kimura | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | July 19, 1958 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Japan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1974–1976 | Hiroshima Kogyo High School | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1977–1980 | Meiji University | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1981–1994 | Yokohama Marinos | 233 | (51) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 233 | (51) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1979–1986 | Japan | 54 | (26) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2011 | Yokohama F. Marinos | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Kazushi Kimura (木村 和司, Kimura Kazushi, born July 19, 1958) is a famous Japanese football player and manager. He was born in Hiroshima on July 19, 1958. Kimura played as a Midfielder and was known for his amazing skills on the field. He spent his entire club career with Nissan Motors (which later became Yokohama Marinos). He also proudly represented the Japan national team.
Contents
Playing Career: A Football Star
Kazushi Kimura started his football journey in his hometown. After finishing his studies at Meiji University, he joined the Nissan Motors team in 1981. This club later changed its name to Yokohama Marinos.
Club Success and Awards
From 1982, Kimura became a key player, wearing the number 10 jersey. He was so good that he won the Japanese Footballer of the Year award twice in a row, in 1983 and 1984. His team, Nissan Motors, also won the Emperor's Cup in 1983 and 1985.
The late 1980s were a "golden era" for the club. Between 1988 and 1990, Nissan Motors won all three major Japanese football titles: the Japan Soccer League, the JSL Cup, and the Emperor's Cup. They even won these titles two years in a row! Kimura was recognized again as the Japanese Footballer of the Year in 1989.
In the early 1990s, the team continued its winning streak. They won the JSL Cup in 1990 and the Emperor's Cup in 1991 and 1992. On the international stage, the club also won the Asian Cup Winners' Cup twice, in 1991–92 and 1992–93. Kimura was a central player during all these victories. He retired from playing in 1994, having played 251 league games and scored 51 goals. He was chosen for the "Best Eleven" team five times during his career.
Representing Japan: National Team Highlights
Kazushi Kimura first played for the Japan national team on May 31, 1979. At that time, he was still a student at Meiji University. His first game was against Indonesia.
He played in important matches like the qualification rounds for the 1980 Summer Olympics and the 1982 FIFA World Cup. From 1982 onwards, he played in almost every game for the national team. This included the 1982 and 1986 Asian Games, and qualification matches for the 1984 Summer Olympics and the 1986 FIFA World Cup.
In 1985, Kimura set a special record for the Japan national team. He scored goals in six games in a row! This showed how important he was to the team's attack. By the time he finished playing for Japan in 1986, he had played 54 games and scored 26 goals.
Coaching Career
After his successful playing career, Kimura became a manager. He took on the role of manager for his former club, Yokohama F. Marinos, in 2010. In 2011, his team started the season very well and was competing for the championship. However, they struggled towards the end of the season and finished in 5th place. Kimura left his coaching role at the end of the 2011 season.
Awards and Achievements
Kazushi Kimura earned many awards and honors during his football career.
Team Trophies
- Japan Soccer League Champions: 1988–89, 1989–90
- JSL Cup Champions: 1988, 1989, 1990
- Emperor's Cup Champions: 1983, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992
- Asian Cup Winners' Cup Champions: 1991–92, 1992–93
Individual Awards
- Japanese Football Player of the Year: 1983, 1984, 1989
- Japan Soccer League Most Valuable Player: 1989-90
- Japan Soccer League Best Eleven (5 times): 1983, 1984, 1985–86, 1988–89, 1989–90
- Japan Soccer League Assists leader: 1984
- Japan Football Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2020
See also
In Spanish: Kazushi Kimura para niños
