Masahiro Fukasawa facts for kids

Masahiro Fukasawa (深澤 仁博, Fukasawa Masahiro, born July 12, 1977) is a former professional Japanese football player. He played as a midfielder and had an exciting career playing for teams in many different countries around the world.

Football Journey

Masahiro Fukasawa started his football journey at Shizuoka Gakuen High School in Japan. He was a key player for his school's soccer team. In 1995, he helped lead them to win the national championship. After finishing high school, he became a professional football player.

Playing in Japan

Fukasawa began his professional career with Yokohama F. Marinos in 1996. This team plays in the J1 League, which is Japan's top football league. He later joined Albirex Niigata, where he played many games in the J2 League.

Adventures Abroad

Masahiro Fukasawa was a player who loved to experience football in different countries.

• In 1996, he spent a year playing in Argentina with River Plate.
• In 1999, he played for six months in Spain with CD Tenerife.
• In 2005, he moved to Canada and joined Montreal Impact. He quickly became a star, earning the "Newcomer of the Year" award in his first season.

Playing in Southeast Asia

Fukasawa continued his international career in Southeast Asia.

• In 2007, he moved to Thailand to play for Bangkok University FC. He made history there as the first Japanese player to play for a non-Japanese club in the AFC Champions League. This is a big tournament for top clubs in Asia.
• In 2008, he joined Singapore Armed Forces FC (SAFFC) in Singapore. He was named SAFFC's "Player of the Year" in 2008. He was a very important player for the team, helping them win championships.
• He later returned to Bangkok United in Thailand in 2010.
• In 2013, he moved to Cambodia to play for Nagaworld FC in the Cambodian League. He even became the team captain!
• He then joined Angkor Tiger FC (formerly Cambodian Tiger FC) in 2016, where he also served as captain.

Fukasawa is known for being one of the few Japanese players to have played in four out of the six football confederations around the world. This shows how widely he traveled for his sport!

Playing Style

Masahiro Fukasawa might have been small in size, but he was very fast with and without the ball.

• When he first started in Japan's J.League, he played as a skillful "shadow striker." This means he played just behind the main attackers.
• While playing for Montreal, he changed his role to an attacking midfielder. He was very good at one-on-one situations against defenders.
• In Singapore and later in Cambodia, his excellent ball skills meant he often played in the middle of the field as a "holding midfielder." This role involves protecting the defense and helping to start attacks.

Achievements and Awards

Masahiro Fukasawa won several important titles and awards during his career.

Team Success

• J2 League:
  • Albirex Niigata: 2003 (Champions)
• S.League:
  • Singapore Armed Forces: 2008, 2009 (Champions)
• Singapore Cup:
  • Singapore Armed Forces: 2008 (Winners)

Individual Awards

• Montreal Impact's Newcomer of the Year: 2005
• SAFFC's Player of the Year: 2008

See also

In Spanish: Masahiro Fukazawa para niños