Masaaki Sawanobori facts for kids
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Masaaki Sawanobori | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | January 12, 1970 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Fujinomiya, Shizuoka, Japan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1985–1987 | Tokai University Daiichi High School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1988–1991 | Tokai University | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1992–2005 | Shimizu S-Pulse | 381 | (85) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 381 | (85) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1993–2000 | Japan | 16 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Masaaki Sawanobori (澤登 正朗, Sawanobori Masaaki, born January 12, 1970) is a famous former Japanese football player. He was a talented midfielder who played for the Japanese national team. He is best known for spending his entire professional career with one club, Shimizu S-Pulse.
Contents
A Football Legend: Masaaki Sawanobori
Masaaki Sawanobori was born in Fujinomiya, Japan, on January 12, 1970. He grew up loving football. After finishing his studies at Tokai University, he joined a brand new football club. This club was called Shimizu S-Pulse.
Playing for Shimizu S-Pulse
Sawanobori joined Shimizu S-Pulse in 1992. This club was based in his home area of Shizuoka Prefecture. He quickly became a key player for the team. In 1993, he was named the J.League Rookie of the Year. This award goes to the best new player in the J.League.
In 1996, his team, Shimizu S-Pulse, won the J.League Cup. This was a big achievement for the club. In 1999, the team finished second in the J1 League. Sawanobori was recognized as the Japanese Footballer of the Year for his amazing performance.
The club also found success in Asia. They won the 1999–2000 Asian Cup Winners' Cup in 2000. In 2001, Shimizu S-Pulse won the Emperor's Cup. Sawanobori played a huge part in all these victories.
He played for Shimizu S-Pulse for his entire career, from 1992 until he retired in 2005. He played 381 games in the league and scored 85 goals. Because he stayed with one club for so long, fans lovingly called him Mr. S-Pulse.
Representing Japan
Masaaki Sawanobori also played for the Japanese national team. In April 1993, he was chosen to play in the 1994 World Cup qualifiers. He made his first appearance for Japan on April 8, playing against Thailand.
In 1994, he also played for Japan at the 1994 Asian Games. He returned to play for Japan in September 1999 after a break. His last game for Japan was in 2000, during the 2000 Asian Cup qualifiers. Overall, he played 16 games for Japan and scored 3 goals.
Awards and Achievements
Masaaki Sawanobori earned many awards during his football career.
Personal Honors
- J.League Rookie of the Year – 1993
- Japanese Footballer of the Year – 1999
- J.League Best XI – 1999 (This means he was chosen as one of the best 11 players in the league that year.)
Team Honors with Shimizu S-Pulse
- J.League Cup – 1996 (Winners)
- Asian Cup Winners Cup – 2000 (Winners)
- Emperor's Cup – 2001 (Winners)
- Japanese Super Cup – 2001, 2002 (Winners)
See also
In Spanish: Masaaki Sawanobori para niños
- List of one-club men (Players who spent their entire career at one club)
