Saizo Saito facts for kids

Saizo Saito (斎藤 才三, Saitō Saizō) was a Japanese football player. He was born on September 24, 1908, and passed away in 2004. Saizo Saito played as a goalkeeper for the Japan national team.

Playing for Clubs

Saizo Saito was born in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. He played football for a team called Kwangaku Club. This club was made up of players who were students or graduates from Kwansei Gakuin University. While playing for Kwangaku Club, he helped his team win the Emperor's Cup in 1929. This was a big achievement for him and his teammates.

Playing for Japan

In May 1930, when Saizo Saito was still a student at Kwansei Gakuin University, he was chosen to play for the Japan national football team. He joined the team for the 1930 Far Eastern Championship Games held in Tokyo. Japan won this championship!

Saizo Saito played his first game for Japan on May 25, 1930, against the Philippines. A few days later, on May 29, he also played against the Republic of China team. In total, he played two games for Japan in 1930.

Life After Football

After finishing his studies at Kwansei Gakuin University, Saizo Saito stopped playing football professionally. He then traveled to England to study more about football at the University of Bristol.

When he returned to Japan in 1933, he started working for a newspaper company called Osaka Mainichi Shimbun. He helped manage and report on the All Japan High School Soccer Tournament until 1940. Later, he worked for Hino Motors and its related companies until 1989. He even became the president of some of these companies.

Saizo Saito passed away in 2004.

National Team Statistics

Saizo Saito played a few games for the Japan national team. Here's a quick look at his record:

See also

In Spanish: Saizo Saito para niños