Kozo Arai facts for kids
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Kozo Arai | |||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | October 24, 1950 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Etajima, Hiroshima, Japan | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | |||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Midfielder | |||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||
| 1966–1968 | Hiroshima Kogyo High School | |||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | |||||||||||||
| 1969–1978 | Furukawa Electric | 124 | (17) | |||||||||||||
| Total | 124 | (17) | ||||||||||||||
| National team | ||||||||||||||||
| 1970–1977 | Japan | 47 | (4) | |||||||||||||
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Honours
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Kozo Arai (born October 24, 1950) is a former professional Japanese footballer. He played as a Midfielder and was known for his skills on the field. He also proudly represented the Japan national team.
Contents
Playing for Furukawa Electric
Kozo Arai was born in Etajima, Japan, on October 24, 1950. After finishing high school, he joined the football club Furukawa Electric in 1969. He played for this club for many years.
Winning Championships
Arai had a very successful time with Furukawa Electric. In 1976, his team won two big titles: the Japan Soccer League and the Emperor's Cup. The next year, in 1977, they also won the 1977 JSL Cup.
A Star Player
Kozo Arai played 124 games for Furukawa Electric in the league and scored 17 goals. He was recognized as one of the best players in the league. He was chosen for the "Best Eleven" team four times during his career. This means he was considered one of the top 11 players in the league in 1971, 1973, 1974, and 1976. He retired from playing club football in 1978.
Playing for Japan
Kozo Arai also had a great career playing for his country. In December 1970, he was chosen to join the Japan national team for the 1970 Asian Games.
International Debut
He made his first appearance for Japan on December 10, 1970, in a match against the Malaysia team. This was a big moment for him!
Major Tournaments
Arai continued to play for Japan in several important competitions. He played in the 1974 Asian Games. He also took part in qualifying matches for the 1972 Summer Olympics and the 1976 Summer Olympics. Additionally, he played in the qualifying rounds for the 1974 FIFA World Cup.
He played a total of 47 games for the Japan national team and scored 4 goals before he stopped playing internationally in 1977.
Awards and Recognition
Kozo Arai received several awards for his excellent performance in football:
- Japan Soccer League Best Eleven: 1971, 1973, 1974, 1976
- Japan Soccer League Fighting Spirit: 1971
See also
In Spanish: Kozo Arai para niños
