Tadahiro Akiba facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Tadahiro Akiba | ||
| Date of birth | October 13, 1975 | ||
| Place of birth | Chiba, Chiba, Japan | ||
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1991–1993 | Ichiritsu Funabashi High School | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1994–1996 | JEF United Ichihara | 54 | (2) |
| 1997 | Avispa Fukuoka | 0 | (0) |
| 1998 | Cerezo Osaka | 5 | (0) |
| 1999–2004 | Albirex Niigata | 204 | (2) |
| 2005–2006 | Tokushima Vortis | 62 | (2) |
| 2006–2008 | Thespa Kusatsu | 79 | (0) |
| 2009–2010 | SC Sagamihara | ||
| Total | 404 | (6) | |
| International career | |||
| 1995 | Japan U-20 | 4 | (0) |
| 1996 | Japan U-23 | 1 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2009–2010 | SC Sagamihara | ||
| 2013–2014 | Thespakusatsu Gunma | ||
| 2020–2022 | Mito HollyHock | ||
| 2023– | Shimizu S-Pulse | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Tadahiro Akiba (秋葉 忠宏, Akiba Tadahiro, born October 13, 1975) is a well-known Japanese football coach and a former professional player. He is currently the manager of the J2 League club Shimizu S-Pulse.
Contents
Playing Career: A Midfielder's Journey
Tadahiro Akiba was born in Chiba, Japan, on October 13, 1975. After finishing high school, he began his professional football career in 1994. He joined his hometown club, JEF United Ichihara.
Early Club Days and Challenges
In 1995, Akiba played many games as a defensive midfielder for JEF United Ichihara. However, injuries in 1996 reduced his playing time. He then moved to Avispa Fukuoka in 1997 and Cerezo Osaka in 1998. During these years, he found it hard to get much playing time in matches.
Finding Success at Albirex Niigata
In 1999, Akiba joined J2 League club Albirex Niigata. This move was a turning point for him. He became a regular player for the team. His strong performance helped the club get promoted to the top-tier J1 League at the end of the 2003 season. Even though his playing time decreased in 2004, he had already made a big impact.
Later Club Adventures
Akiba moved to Tokushima Vortis in 2005, where he played many matches. In September 2006, he joined Thespa Kusatsu and continued to play until 2008. His final club as a player was SC Sagamihara, which he joined in 2009. He played there until 2010, also taking on the role of a playing manager. He officially retired from playing football at the end of the 2010 season.
National Team: Representing Japan
Tadahiro Akiba also had the honor of playing for Japan's national youth teams.
Youth World Championship
In April 1995, Akiba was chosen to play for the Japan U-20 national team. He participated in the 1995 FIFA World Youth Championship. He played every minute of all four matches as a central defender.
The "Miracle of Miami"
In July 1996, he was selected for the Japan U-23 national team for the 1996 Summer Olympics. He played one match as a substitute defensive midfielder. Japan won two matches in the tournament but did not advance past the first round. A famous moment from this tournament was when Japan surprisingly defeated Brazil in their first game. This victory is famously known as the "Miracle of Miami" (マイアミの奇跡) in Japan.
Coaching Career: Leading Teams
After retiring as a player, Tadahiro Akiba transitioned into coaching, sharing his experience with new generations of footballers.
Starting as a Playing Manager
His coaching journey began in 2009 when he was still a player for SC Sagamihara. He took on the role of a playing manager, meaning he both played and managed the team. After retiring from playing in 2010, he also stepped down as manager of SC Sagamihara.
Assistant and Head Coach Roles
In 2011, Akiba joined Mito HollyHock as an assistant coach. He then moved to Thespakusatsu Gunma in 2013, where he became the head manager. He stayed with the team until the end of the 2014 season.
Return to Mito HollyHock
On December 2, 2019, Akiba returned to Mito HollyHock, this time as their manager. He led the club for two years, leaving in 2022.
Managing Shimizu S-Pulse
In April 2023, Tadahiro Akiba was appointed as the manager of the J2 League club Shimizu S-Pulse. He continues to lead the team as of July 2025.
Personal Life
Tadahiro Akiba has a cousin, Nobuhide Akiba, who is also a professional footballer.
External links
- Tadahiro Akiba – FIFA competition recordLua error in Module:WikidataCheck at line 22: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
- Player statistics at J.League Lua error in Module:EditAtWikidata at line 29: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).Lua error in Module:WikidataCheck at line 22: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
- Manager statistics at J.League Lua error in Module:EditAtWikidata at line 29: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).Lua error in Module:WikidataCheck at line 22: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
See also
In Spanish: Tadahiro Akiba para niños
