Kazuya Maekawa facts for kids
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Kazuya Maekawa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | March 22, 1968 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Hirado, Nagasaki, Japan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.89 m (6 ft 2+1⁄2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Goalkeeper | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1983–1985 | Hirado High School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1986–1999 | Sanfrecce Hiroshima | 210 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2001 | Oita Trinita | 75 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 285 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1992–1996 | Japan | 17 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Honours
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Kazuya Maekawa (born March 22, 1968) is a former Japanese football player. He was a talented goalkeeper who played for the Japan national team. His son, Daiya Maekawa, is also a professional footballer.
Contents
Playing for Clubs
Kazuya Maekawa started his football journey at Hirado High School. After finishing school in 1986, he joined a team called Mazda. This team was part of the Japan Soccer League, which was the top football league in Japan at the time.
Becoming a Professional Player
In 1993, Japan started its first fully professional football league, called the J1 League. The Mazda team changed its name to Sanfrecce Hiroshima, and Maekawa continued to play for them. He was the main goalkeeper for Sanfrecce Hiroshima for many years, starting in 1989.
In April 1990, Kazuya Maekawa even had a special tryout with a famous English club, Manchester United. This was a big opportunity for him!
Later Career and Retirement
Even though he was a great player, Maekawa sometimes had injuries. In 1998, he had an operation on his shoulder. While he was recovering, another goalkeeper, Takashi Shimoda, took his place and played very well.
In 2000, Maekawa moved to a team in the J2 League (Japan's second division) called Oita Trinita. He played there for two seasons before he stopped playing professional football after the 2001 season.
Playing for Japan
Kazuya Maekawa played for the Japan national team 17 times between 1992 and 1996. His first game for Japan was on June 7, 1992, in a friendly match against Wales.
Winning the Asian Cup
One of his biggest achievements was being part of the Japan team that won the 1992 AFC Asian Cup. This is a very important tournament for national teams in Asia. Maekawa played two crucial games in this tournament. He stepped in after Japan's main goalkeeper, Shigetatsu Matsunaga, received a red card in the semi-final match against China.
Life After Playing
After he retired from playing football, Kazuya Maekawa stayed with Oita Trinita. He worked in different roles, helping with things like marketing and developing the club, until 2005.
Today, he works as a coach at the Sanfrecce Tsuneishi Soccer School. This school is connected to his old club, Sanfrecce Hiroshima, where he helps young players learn and improve their football skills.
Honors
International Achievements
Japan National Team
- AFC Asian Cup (1): 1992 (Champions)
See also
In Spanish: Kazuya Maekawa para niños
