Ken Naganuma facts for kids
Left (with Dettmar Cramer)
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Ken Naganuma | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | September 5, 1930 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Empire of Japan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of death | June 2, 2008 (aged 77) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of death | Japan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Forward | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1946–1948 | Hiroshima Normal School | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1949–1952 | Kwansei Gakuin University | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1953–1954 | Chuo University | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1955–1967 | Furukawa Electric | 19 | (8) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 19 | (8) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1954–1961 | Japan | 4 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Teams managed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1959–1961 | Furukawa Electric | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1962–1969 | Japan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1972–1976 | Japan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Honours
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Ken Naganuma (長沼 健, Naganuma Ken, September 5, 1930 – June 2, 2008) was a famous Japanese football player and coach. He was born on September 5, 1930, in Hiroshima. Ken Naganuma played as a forward for the Japan national team. Later, he became the coach for the national team and even led them to win a bronze medal at the Olympics! He also served as the president of the Japan Football Association. He passed away on June 2, 2008, at the age of 77.
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Playing for Clubs
After finishing university, Ken Naganuma joined a football club called Furukawa Electric in 1955. This team won the Emperor's Cup three times while he was playing: in 1960, 1961, and 1964. In 1961, he was even named the first-ever Japanese Footballer of the Year!
In 1965, his team, Furukawa Electric, joined a new league called the Japan Soccer League. He played 19 games and scored 8 goals in this league. Ken Naganuma stopped playing football professionally in 1967.
Playing for Japan's National Team
In March 1954, Ken Naganuma was chosen to play for the Japan national football team. He made his first appearance and scored a goal against South Korea on March 7. He also played in the 1954 Asian Games.
In 1956, he was selected for Japan's team for the 1956 Summer Olympics. However, he could not play due to his physical condition. He played a total of 4 games and scored 1 goal for Japan until 1961.
Becoming a Coach
In 1959, while still playing, Ken Naganuma became a coach for his club team, Furukawa Electric. In 1960, he led the club to win the 1960 Emperor's Cup. This was a big achievement because it was the first time a company team won the Emperor's Cup.
In 1962, when he was only 32 years old, Ken Naganuma became the manager for the Japan national football team. He worked with assistant coach Shunichiro Okano. Together, they managed Japan at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo and the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City.
Olympic Success
At the 1968 Summer Olympics, Japan's team won a bronze medal. This was a historic moment because it was the first time an Asian team had won a medal in football at the Olympics! In 2018, this amazing team was honored and chosen for the Japan Football Hall of Fame. Ken Naganuma also coached the team at the 1966 Asian Games. He left his coaching role for the national team in 1969.
Return to Coaching
In 1972, Ken Naganuma became the manager for the Japan national team again. He coached the team during the qualifications for the 1974 World Cup and the 1974 Asian Games. He resigned from coaching the national team in April 1976.
Leadership in Football
Ken Naganuma became the vice-president of the Japan Football Association (JFA) in 1987. In 1994, he became the president of the JFA. He also helped with the committee that worked to bring the 2002 FIFA World Cup to Japan. In 1998, he stepped down as president of the JFA. In 2005, he was honored again and chosen for the Japan Football Hall of Fame.
Ken Naganuma passed away on June 2, 2008, at the age of 77.
