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Shimizu S-Pulse
清水エスパルス
Shimizu S-Pulse logo.svg
Full name Shimizu S-Pulse
Nickname(s) S-Pa
Founded 1991; 34 years ago (1991)
Ground IAI Stadium Nihondaira
Shimizu, Shizuoka
Ground Capacity 19,594
Chairman Shigeo Hidaritomo
Manager Tadahiro Akiba
League J1 League
2024 J2 League, 1st of 20 (promoted)

Shimizu S-Pulse (清水エスパルス, Shimizu Esuparusu) is a professional football team from Japan. They are based in Shimizu, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture. S-Pulse will play in the J1 League for the 2025 season. They earned promotion from the J2 League (Japan's second professional league) in the 2024 season. The club started in 1991 as one of the first ten teams in the J.League. Back then, all their players came from Shizuoka Prefecture, which was quite special.

Even though S-Pulse is younger than many other J1 teams, they have made a big mark on Japanese football. Since football became professional in Japan in 1992, they have been very strong in cup competitions. They have reached ten cup finals: five times in the Emperor's Cup and five times in the League Cup. Only Kashima Antlers, Japan's most successful team, has been in more finals. S-Pulse has won both of these cups once. They also won the Japanese Super Cup twice and the Asian Cup Winners' Cup once. Their most recent cup final was in the 2012 J.League Cup, where they lost to Kashima.

Despite their success in cups, S-Pulse has not yet won the J.League Division 1 title. Their closest chance was in 1999. They won the second part of the league but lost the final title match in a penalty shootout. The score was tied after both games against their local rivals, Júbilo Iwata. Kenta Hasegawa, a former S-Pulse and national team player, became the club's manager in 2005. He was the longest-serving manager until 2010. After he left, Afshin Ghotbi took over for more than three years. The club often moved between J1 and J2 leagues, being promoted and relegated.

Club History

Shizuoka: A Football Hotspot

Shizuoka Prefecture is known as a "football kingdom" in Japan. It has a long history of strong high school teams and has produced many players for the Japan national football team. The local police even have a football as their mascot! There was already a team from Yamaha Motor Corporation in the west of the prefecture, which later became Júbilo Iwata. But people believed there was room for another team. When the professional league started in the early 1990s, the idea came up to create a team just for local football talent.

How the Club Started

Shimizu S-Pulse began in early 1991 as Shimizu FC. It was supported by local businesses and people. This made them special among the first J.League clubs, as all the others were former company teams that turned professional. Two months later, the club officially changed its name to Shimizu S-Pulse. The "S" stands for Shizuoka, Shimizu, Supporter, and Soccer. "Pulse" means the spirit of everyone who supports the team.

On February 4, 1991, the J.League approved S-Pulse to join the new professional league. The club played its first game against Gamba Osaka on July 4, 1992. This date is now celebrated as the club's birthday. Their first official match was in the 1992 League Cup against Nagoya Grampus on September 5, which they lost 3–2. Their first home game was at Nihondaira Stadium on September 9 against Yokohama Marinos, which S-Pulse won 2–1.

Professional Football Journey

After joining the J.League, S-Pulse played in the first J.League Cup in 1992 and reached the final. However, they lost to Verdy Kawasaki. In 1993, S-Pulse was one of the ten founding members of the new J.League and finished third. They almost won the J.League Cup again, but lost to Verdy Kawasaki in the final. Finally, in 1996, the team won the trophy by beating Verdy 5–4 in a penalty shootout.

In 1999, S-Pulse played in the Japanese Super Cup for the first time. They lost that match 2–1. After playing well in the league, S-Pulse faced their local rivals Júbilo Iwata for the title. The score was tied 3–3 after both games, but S-Pulse lost 4–2 in a penalty shootout. The new millennium brought more success. S-Pulse won the Asian Cup Winners' Cup in 2000 and the Emperor's Cup in 2001. They also won the Japanese Super Cup in 2001 and 2002, meaning they won four cups in three years!

S-Pulse supporters away at FC Tokyo September 2007
S-Pulse fans travel to FC Tokyo in September 2007.

In 2005, S-Pulse reached the Emperor's Cup final without letting in any goals. But they lost the final 2–1 to Urawa Red Diamonds. After almost being relegated, manager Kenta Hasegawa helped the team improve. In 2006 and 2007, S-Pulse finished 4th in the league, and 5th in 2008. However, they didn't win any trophies for five years, their longest dry spell. In 2008, they almost won the League Cup but lost to Oita Trinita.

In 2011, S-Pulse signed Freddie Ljungberg, a famous player from Sweden and Arsenal F.C. Many people in Japan thought this was a huge signing. However, Ljungberg left after about five and a half months and then retired. In the following seasons, S-Pulse had some tough luck.

S-Pulse played four more seasons in J1 until they were relegated in 2015. They started well but then dropped to the bottom three. Fans were very disappointed. After 23 seasons in the top league, they were relegated to J2 for the first time after losing 1–0 at home to Vegalta Sendai on October 17, 2015.

S-Pulse quickly returned to the top league. They secured promotion to the J1 League on the last day of the 2016 J2 League season.

After six years in the J1 League, where they often finished in the lower half of the table, S-Pulse was relegated back to the J2 League in 2022. They finished 17th, just above their rivals Júbilo Iwata.

On October 27, 2024, S-Pulse secured promotion back to the J1 League. They beat Tochigi SC 1–0 with a goal from Jelani Reshaun Sumiyoshi in the 50th minute. This brought them back to the top league after two years away.

Supporters

Like other J.League teams, S-Pulse has many colorful and loud supporters. They follow the team all over the country. A supporter band plays music at games to cheer on the team. The band plays Brazilian-style rhythms and samba sounds. At home games, the loudest S-Pulse fans gather in "The Kop," a stand behind the west goal at Nihondaira Stadium. This is where the organized fan groups are. These groups include fan clubs for specific players and often wear special uniforms. They help organize big displays and support the band.

The club's official fan club has branches across the country. S-Pulse supporters are officially called the team's "twelfth player."

Club Ownership

Suzuyo & Co., Ltd., a large local logistics company, is currently the main owner of S-Pulse. However, S-Pulse started as a "citizen club," meaning it was supported by local people and businesses. In the past, the club sometimes struggled financially. S-Lap Communications, a company funded by Shimizu citizens and Shizuoka Television, originally ran the club. After a difficult period in the late 1990s, Shizuoka Television stopped its support. In 1998, local companies, led by Suzuyo, reorganized the club's ownership. It is now run by a company called S-Pulse, Inc.

S-Pulse in Culture

Even with its fairly short history, S-Pulse has influenced popular culture. Kenta Hasegawa, a former player and current manager, sometimes appears in the popular manga and anime series Chibi Maruko-chan. In the show, there's a boy named Kenta who loves football and is a classmate of the main character. The manga's author, Momoko Sakura, created this character after Hasegawa, as they went to the same primary school. You can even find special S-Pulse Chibi Maruko products. Also, two characters from the popular Captain Tsubasa manga join S-Pulse when they become professional footballers.

Stadiums

Main articles: IAI Stadium Nihondaira, Shizuoka "Ecopa" Stadium, Kusanagi Athletic Stadium

Nihondaira Stadium Shimizu Looking Towards Mt. Fuji
Mount Fuji seen from Nihondaira Stadium.

S-Pulse's main home stadium is the Nihondaira Sports Stadium in Shimizu. It can hold 19,594 people. Over the years, S-Pulse has played home games at other stadiums too. In their early years, some "home" games were even played outside Shizuoka Prefecture, like at the National Stadium in Tokyo. Kusanagi Athletic Stadium was also used often, especially when Nihondaira was being expanded or had its pitch replaced.

The main reason for moving games is that Nihondaira Stadium has a limited capacity. Because of this, big games, like those against rival Júbilo Iwata, are often played at Shizuoka "Ecopa" Stadium. This stadium was built in 2001 for the 2002 World Cup and can hold 51,349 people. Even though Ecopa is in Shizuoka Prefecture, it's over an hour away from Shimizu. This means S-Pulse loses some of its home advantage in derby games. In 2007, all home games were played at Nihondaira for the first time since 1999, and this continued in 2008. However, between 2009 and 2015, Ecopa was used for at least one home league game each year. S-Pulse has not used Ecopa since 2015, playing all home league games at Nihondaira.

Shimizu S-Pulse IAI Stadium NIhondaira Kop
The home end at IAI Stadium Nihondaira before a game in 2013.

Stadium Naming Rights

In October 2008, it was announced that the naming rights for Nihondaira Stadium would be sold. In November 2008, a deal was made to rename the stadium Outsourcing Stadium Nihondaira for four years, starting in 2009.

A new five-year sponsorship deal with IAI Corporation, a company that makes industrial robots, began on March 1, 2013. The stadium was renamed IAI Stadium Nihondaira, often shortened to I Sta by the club and fans. This sponsorship deal was extended for another five years in 2018.

Future Plans

In 2008, after filling Nihondaira Stadium to over 81% capacity for league games, the club said they wanted the stadium to be expanded.

In 2020, the club again expressed its hope to build a new, larger home. Different locations have been suggested for a new stadium, including near Higashi-Shizuoka Station and Shimizu Station.

Training Ground

S-Pulse's main training facilities are called Miho Ground. They are located near the famous Miho no Matsubara. Sometimes, training sessions are open to the public for fans to get autographs. The club offices have also been at Miho Ground since the club started.

Rivalries

S-Pulse has a strong rivalry with Júbilo Iwata, another team from Shizuoka Prefecture. This rivalry began when the J.League was formed. S-Pulse was chosen to join the first J.League season, while Júbilo had to earn their way up from a lower league. This has been a point of disagreement between long-time fans.

Shizuoka has long been known as a football homeland in Japan. The two teams often compete to sign the best young players from local high schools and universities. For example, Naohiro Takahara and Takahiro Yamanishi, who went to Shimizu Higashi High School, later signed with Júbilo. Júbilo won three J.League championships between 1997 and 2002.

Besides off-field factors, S-Pulse and Júbilo are always battling for supremacy on the field. In the early days of the J.League, S-Pulse had more success and support. But then, Júbilo became stronger for many years around the turn of the century. More recently, S-Pulse has again become the top club in the area. They have finished above Júbilo in the league every season since 2006 and often have better cup runs. In 2008, S-Pulse also had more fans attend their games than their rivals for the first time since 1995.

Other football clubs in Shizuoka include Fujieda MYFC, Azul Claro Numazu, and Honda FC. Currently, only Fujieda plays at the same level as S-Pulse in the J2 League. This limits rivalries with Azul Claro, who play in J3 League, and Honda FC, who play in the Japan Football League, a level below the J.League. Honda FC has always performed well but has chosen not to become a professional J.League team.

Team Colors, Crest, and Mascot

Colors, Sponsors, and Manufacturers

Since the team started, they have always used the same colors for their home shirts: orange shirts, shorts, and socks. These colors were chosen to represent the famous local product of Shizuoka Prefecture: the mikan (a type of orange citrus fruit). The current bright orange color, called S-Pulse Orange by the club, has slowly become brighter over the years. When the J.League began, S-Pulse was the only top-division club to wear orange. Now, other teams like Albirex Niigata and Omiya Ardija also wear orange. There is currently no third kit. Goalkeeper kit colors have changed more often. The first-choice goalkeeper kit is all black, and the second choice is all green.

Puma has been the kit manufacturer since 1997. Before that, Mizuno Corporation also made their kits. Shirt sponsors have been quite consistent over the team's history. The current main shirt sponsor is the local Suzuyo Group. Other sponsors include confectionery company Glico and Japan Airlines.

Season(s) Main Shirt Sponsor Additional Sponsor(s) Kit Manufacturer
1992–1996 Japan Airlines Glico Honen Mizuno/Puma
1997–2001 Puma
2002–2003 Ajinomoto
2003–2005 Suzuyo
2005–2006 Star The 3rd Planet
2006–2007 Suzuyo Japan Airlines
2007–2008 CRS
2008– San-Ai

Kit Evolution

1992 Home
1993-1996 Home
1997-1998 Home
1999-2001 Home
2002-2004 Home
2005-2006 Home
2007 Home
2008 Home
2009 Home
2010 Home
2011 Home
2012 Home
2013 Home
2014 Home
2015 Home
2016 Home
2017 Home
2018 Home
2019 Home
2020 Home
2021 Home
2022 Home
2023 Home
2024 Home
2025 Home
1992 Away
1993 Away
1994-1996 Away
1997-1998 Away
1999-2001 Away
2002-2004 Away
2005-2006 Away
2007 Away
2008 Away
2009 Away
2010 Away
2011 Away
2012 Away
2013 Away
2014 Away
2015 Away
2016 Away
2017 Away
2018 Away
2019 Away
2020 Away
2021 Away
2022 Away
2023 Away
2024 Away
2025 Away
1992-1996 Cup 1st
1992-1996 Cup 2nd
2016 Super De S Series
2017 Super De S Series
2018 Limited
2019
120th anniversary of the opening of Shimizu port
2020 Limited
2021 Limited
2022 3rd
2022 30th Anniversary
2023 3rd
2023 Limited
2024 Limited

Club Crest

From the club's start until 1996, S-Pulse used an older version of its team crest. The current crest was revealed for the 1997 season. It was designed around a globe to show the club's goal of being a world-class professional team. The top of the badge looks like Mount Fuji to symbolize that the team represents Shizuoka, where Mount Fuji is located. The blue color, along with the team's orange, represents Shimizu's history as a port town and its closeness to Suruga Bay.

Palchan family
Club mascot Palchan and his siblings performing at the 2007 All Star game.

Team Mascot

S-Pulse's mascot is named Palchan. He has big, wing-like ears and entertains fans with dance routines before home games. He often performs with his two younger siblings. Guy Gilchrist, a professional cartoonist, designed Palchan. His name comes from the English word "pal" and the "pul" from S-Pulse. The ending "chan" is a friendly title used in Japan. Palchan wears team number zero, and his merchandise is very popular. S-Pulse also has a cheerleading team called Orange Wave. They perform before games and at other S-Pulse events.

Club Brand and Shops

S-Pulse Dream Plaza April 13th 2008
S-Pulse Dream Plaza is located where a former train station used to be.

There are eight official S-Pulse club shops in and around Shizuoka City. Six of these are called S-Pulse Dream House. They sell club merchandise and match tickets. You can find them in Shizuoka, Shimizu, Fujieda, Suntō, and at the Parche shopping center in Shizuoka Station. The Shimizu Dream House also has a screen to show away games. The newest Dream House opened in March 2008 in Fuji City. There are two more S-Pulse shops in Yaizu and at S-Pulse Dream Plaza.

S-Pulse Dream Plaza is a shopping and entertainment complex in Shimizu. It has restaurants, a ferris wheel, a cinema, and a football museum. The S-Pulse Dream Ferry service runs daily from nearby Shimizu Port to Izu. The team also has futsal courts called S-Pulse Dream Fields in Fujieda, Fuji, Sunto, and Shimizu.

Dream Plaza is in a redeveloped part of Shimizu Port, near S-Pulse Street. This street leads into the city from the port and has statues, monuments, and artworks about the city's strong connection to football. These include foot and hand prints of famous former players and several S-Pulse-related statues. The Shimizu Branch of the S-Pulse Dream House is also on S-Pulse Street.

The S-Pulse brand also extends to motorcycle racing. The S-Pulse Dream Racing Team uses the football team's name, logo, and mascot. This team competes in the All Japan Road Race ST600 class.

League and Cup Results

Champions Runners-up Third place Promoted Relegated
Season Div. Teams Pos. Attendance/G J.League Cup Emperor's Cup Asia
1992 Runners-up Quarter final
1993 J1 10 3rd 18,462 Runners-up Semi-finals
1994 12 4th 19,726 1st round 1st round
1995 14 9th 19,747 1st round
1996 16 10th 12,962 Winner Quarter-finals
1997 17 5th 9,888 Group stage Quarter-finals
1998 18 3rd 12,298 Semi-final Runners-up
1999 16 2nd 12,883 Quarter-finals Quarter-finals
2000 16 8th 12,422 Quarter-finals Runners-up CWC Winner
2001 16 4th 15,973 2nd round Winner CWC 3rd place
2002 16 8th 14,963 Semi-finals Quarter-finals CWC Quarter-finals
2003 16 11th 16,284 Semi-finals Semi-finals CL Group stage
2004 16 14th 13,568 Quarter-finals 4th round - -
2005 18 15th 12,752 Quarter-finals Runners-up
2006 18 4th 14,302 Group stage Quarter-finals
2007 18 4th 15,952 Group stage Quarter-finals
2008 18 5th 16,599 Runners-up Quarter-finals
2009 18 7th 17,935 Semi-finals Semi-finals
2010 18 6th 18,001 Semi-finals Runners-up
2011 18 10th 15,801 Semi-finals Quarter-finals
2012 18 9th 15,121 Runners-up 4th round
2013 18 9th 14,137 Group stage 4th round
2014 18 15th 14,210 Group stage Semi-finals
2015 18 17th 14,083 Group stage 2nd round
2016 J2 22 2nd 11,274 Not eligible Round of 16
2017 J1 18 14th 15,116 Group stage Round of 16
2018 18 8th 14,671 Group stage 3rd round
2019 18 12th 15,043 Group stage Semi-finals
2020 18 16th 5,235 Group stage Did not qualify
2021 20 14th 7,454 Play-off stage 4th round
2022 18 17th 15,256 Group stage 3rd round
2023 J2 22 4th 14,393 Group stage 2nd round
2024 20 1st 17,750 2nd round 3rd round
2025 J1 20 TBD 2nd round TBD
Key
*Pos. = Position in league
  • Attendance/G = Average home league attendance
  • 2020 & 2021 season's attendances reduced by COVID-19 worldwide pandemic
  • Source: J.League Data Site

League History

  • Division 1 (J1 League) : 1993–2015
  • Division 2 (J2 League) : 2016
  • Division 1 (J1 League) : 2017–2022
  • Division 2 (J2 League) : 2023–2024
  • Division 1 (J1 League) : 2025–

Club Achievements

S-Pulse Dream House Shizuoka
The Shizuoka branch of the S-Pulse Dream House shops.
Shimizu S-Pulse Honours
Honour Number of Wins Years Won
J2 League 1 2024
Emperor's Cup 1 2001
J.League Cup 1 1996
Japanese Super Cup 2 2001, 2002
Asian Cup Winners' Cup 1 1999–2000

Players

Current Squad

No. Position Player
1 Japan GK Yuya Oki (vice-captain)
3 Japan DF Yuji Takahashi
4 Japan DF Sodai Hasukawa
5 Japan DF Kengo Kitazume
6 Japan MF Kota Miyamoto (vice-captain)
7 Brazil MF Capixaba
8 Japan MF Kazuki Kozuka
11 Japan MF Hikaru Nakahara (on loan from Sagan Tosu)
14 Japan DF Reon Yamahara (vice-captain)
15 Japan FW Kanta Chiba
16 Japan GK Togo Umeda
17 Japan MF Masaki Yumiba
18 Japan FW Sena Saito
19 Japan MF Kai Matsuzaki
20 Japan GK Ryoya Abe
21 Japan MF Shinya Yajima
22 Japan DF Takumu Kenmotsu
23 Japan FW Koya Kitagawa (captain)
25 Brazil DF Mateus Brunetti
27 Japan FW Riku Gunji
No. Position Player
28 Japan DF Yutaka Yoshida
29 Bulgaria FW Ahmed Ahmedov
30 Japan GK Tomotaro Sasaki
33 Japan MF Takashi Inui
36 Japan MF Zento Uno
37 Japan MF Rinsei Ohata DSP
39 Japan DF Haruto Hidaka DSP
41 Japan DF Kento Haneda
42 Japan MF Yuji Doi Type 2
43 Japan MF Ryota Hariu Type 2
44 Japan DF Keigo Iwanaga Type 2
45 Japan DF Takeru Iwao Type 2
47 Japan MF Yudai Shimamoto
55 Japan MF Motoki Nishihara
66 United States DF Jelani Reshaun Sumiyoshi (vice-captain)
70 Japan DF Sen Takagi
71 Japan GK Yui Inokoshi
98 Brazil MF Matheus Bueno
99 Brazil FW Douglas Tanque

Players on Loan

No. Position Player
49 Japan MF Sean Kotake (at Thespa Gunma)
Japan DF Shuta Kikuchi (at FC Ryukyu)
Japan DF Taketo Ochiai (at Aries Tokyo FC)
Japan MF Nagi Kawatani (at Nara Club)
No. Position Player
Japan FW Aoi Ando (at Okinawa SV)
Japan FW Takumi Kato (at SC Sagamihara)
Japan FW Riyo Kawamoto (at Blaublitz Akita)
Ghana FW Abdul-Aziz Yakubu (at China Qingdao West Coast)

Famous Players

Players who have been named Player of the Year or Young Player of the Year in the J.League:

Japan
AFC/OFC/CAF
CONMEBOL
UEFA

World Cup Players

World Cup 1994

World Cup 1998

World Cup 2002

World Cup 2006

World Cup 2010

Club Officials

For the 2024 season.

Role Name
Manager Japan Tadahiro Akiba
Assistant manager Japan Mitsumasa Yoda
First-team coach Japan Daisuke Ichikawa
Japan Ichizo Nakata
Goalkeeper coach Japan Masaaki Furukawa
Conditioning coach Japan Ryo Nitta
Analyst Japan Tomofumi Kuriyama
Chief doctor Japan Mitsuhito Doi
Chief trainer Japan Takayuki Nakayama
Physiologist Brazil Felipe Olive
Physiotherapist Japan Keisuke Ishihara
Trainer Japan Ryuichiro Maezawa
Japan Tomotaka Kato
Athletic trainer Japan Ryohei Shimura
Interpreter
(English / Portuguese)
Japan Daigo Terasaki
Japan Kota Kurosu
Interpreter (Korean) South Korea Kang In-yeop
Interpreter (Portuguese) Brazil Luiz Uehara
Chief secretary Japan Satoru Matsunaga
Secretary Japan Takahiro Nishiyama
Japan Kazuma Ishihara

Managers

Manager Nationality Tenure
Émerson Leão  Brazil Jan 1, 1992 – Dec 31, 1994
Rivellino  Brazil Jan 1, 1994 – Dec 31, 1994
Masakatsu Miyamoto  Japan 1995–96
Osvaldo Ardiles  Argentina Jan 1, 1996 – Dec 31, 1998
Steve Perryman  England 1999–2000
Zdravko Zemunović  Yugoslavia Dec 15, 2000 – Dec 31, 2002
Takeshi Oki  Japan 2002–03
Koji Gyotoku  Japan 2003
Antoninho  Brazil 2003–04
Nobuhiro Ishizaki  Japan June 26, 2004;– Nov 28, 2004
Kenta Hasegawa  Japan Jan 1, 2005 – Dec 31, 2010
Afshin Ghotbi  Iran
 United States
Feb 1, 2011 – July 30, 2014
Katsumi Oenoki  Japan July 30, 2014 – Aug 1,2015
Kazuaki Tasaka  Japan Aug 1,2015 – Dec 31, 2015
Shinji Kobayashi  Japan Jan 1, 2016 – Dec 31, 2017
Jan Jönsson  Sweden Jan 1, 2018 – June 11, 2019
Yoshiyuki Shinoda  Japan May 14, 2019 – December 13, 2019
Peter Cklamovski  Australia December 14, 2019 – November 2020
Miguel Ángel Lotina  Spain February 1, 2021 – November 3rd 2021
Hiroaki Hiraoka  Japan November 4, 2021 – May 30, 2022
Yoshiyuki Shinoda (caretaker)  Japan May 31, 2022 – June 6, 2022
Zé Ricardo  Brazil June 7, 2022 – April 3, 2023
Tadahiro Akiba  Japan April 3, 2023 –
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