Masakuni Yamamoto facts for kids

Masakuni Yamamoto (山本 昌邦, Yamamoto Masakuni, born April 4, 1958) is a former Japanese football player and manager. He was a talented defender who played for the Japan national team. After his playing career, he became a successful coach, leading various Japanese national youth teams and club teams.

Playing Career: Club Success

Masakuni Yamamoto was born in Numazu, Japan, on April 4, 1958. After finishing his studies at Kokushikan University, he joined the football club Yamaha Motors in 1981.

In his first season, the team faced a tough challenge and was moved down to Division 2. But they didn't give up! In 1982, Yamaha Motors fought hard and won the championship in Division 2. This victory allowed them to move back up to Division 1.

That same year, the club also achieved a big win by taking home the 1982 Emperor's Cup. This is a very important football tournament in Japan. Yamamoto played for Yamaha Motors until he retired in 1987. During his time with the club, he played in 109 league games and scored 3 goals.

Playing Career: National Team

Yamamoto's talent was noticed early on. In December 1980, while he was still a student at Kokushikan University, he was chosen to play for the Japan national football team. This was for the qualifying matches for the 1982 World Cup.

He made his first appearance for Japan on December 26, 1980, in a match against China. He played a total of 4 games for the Japanese national team in 1981.

Coaching Career: Leading Teams

After he stopped playing, Masakuni Yamamoto began his coaching journey. He started coaching at Yamaha Motors (which later became Júbilo Iwata) in 1987.

He then became the manager for the Japan U-20 national team. He led this team in the 1997 World Youth Championship, a big tournament for young players from around the world.

In 1997, he returned to Júbilo Iwata. In October 1998, he joined the coaching staff for the main Japan national football team under manager Philippe Troussier.

After the 2002 FIFA World Cup, in August 2002, Yamamoto took on a new role. He became the manager for the Japan U-23 national team. He guided this team in the 2004 Summer Olympics football tournament.

In November 2004, he went back to Júbilo Iwata, this time as their manager. He continued in this role until June 2006.

Club Statistics

Here's a look at Masakuni Yamamoto's playing record for his club:

National Team Statistics

This table shows how many games Masakuni Yamamoto played for the Japan national team:

Managerial Statistics

Here's a summary of Masakuni Yamamoto's record as a manager for Júbilo Iwata:

See also

In Spanish: Masakuni Yamamoto para niños