Takaji Mori facts for kids
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Takaji Mori | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | November 24, 1943 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Fukuyama, Hiroshima, Empire of Japan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of death | July 17, 2011 (aged 67) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of death | Meguro, Tokyo, Japan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Defender, Midfielder | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1959–1961 | Shudo High School | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1962–1966 | Waseda University | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1967–1977 | Mitsubishi Motors | 146 | (28) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 146 | (28) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1966–1976 | Japan | 56 | (2) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Teams managed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1981–1985 | Japan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1992–1993 | Urawa Reds | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998 | Avispa Fukuoka | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Honours
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Takaji Mori (森 孝慈, Mori Takaji, November 24, 1943 – July 17, 2011) was a famous Japanese football player and manager. He was known for his skills as a defender and Midfielder. Mori played for the Japan national team and later managed them. He helped Japan win a bronze medal at the 1968 Summer Olympics.
Contents
Playing for Clubs: Takaji Mori's Club Career
Takaji Mori was born in Fukuyama on November 24, 1943. He started his football journey at Waseda University. While playing for his university team, he helped them win the Emperor's Cup twice, in 1963 and 1966.
After finishing university, Mori joined a professional club called Mitsubishi Motors in 1967. This club is now known as Urawa Reds. With Mitsubishi Motors, Mori achieved great success. His team won the Japan Soccer League championship in 1969 and again in 1973. They also won the Emperor's Cup in 1971 and 1973.
Mori played 146 games in the league and scored 28 goals during his career. He was recognized as one of the best players, being chosen for the "Best Eleven" team five times. He retired from playing football in 1977.
Playing for Japan: Takaji Mori's National Team Career
Takaji Mori's talent was noticed early. In October 1964, while still a student at Waseda University, he was chosen for the Japan national team. He was part of the squad for the 1964 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo, but he did not play in any matches.
His first game for Japan was on December 16, 1966, against Singapore at the 1966 Asian Games. A big moment came in 1968 when he was selected for the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. Mori played in every single match at these Olympics, helping Japan win a bronze medal. This was a huge achievement for Japanese football! In 2018, this historic team was honored and selected for the Japan Football Hall of Fame.
Mori also played at the 1970 Asian Games. He played a total of 56 games for Japan and scored 2 goals before he stopped playing for the national team in 1976.
Becoming a Coach: Takaji Mori's Managerial Career
After retiring as a player, Takaji Mori continued his involvement in football. In November 1980, he became a coach for the Japan national team. He worked under the new manager, Saburo Kawabuchi.
In April 1981, Mori was promoted and became the manager of the Japan national team himself. He led the team in important tournaments like the 1982 Asian Games and the qualifying matches for the 1984 Summer Olympics.
Mori also managed Japan during the 1986 World Cup qualification in 1985. Japan played well, beating teams like Singapore, North Korea, and Hong Kong. This led them to the final round of the East Asian zone, where they played against South Korea. Unfortunately, Japan lost this match and did not qualify for the World Cup. After leading the team at the 1986 Asian Games in Seoul, Mori resigned as national team manager.
Later, in 1992, Mori became the manager for his old club, Urawa Reds. However, the team struggled and finished last in the first season of the J1 League. Mori then resigned from this role. In 1998, he managed another club, Avispa Fukuoka, for one season.
Awards and Legacy
Takaji Mori was a highly respected figure in Japanese football. In 2006, he was honored by being selected for the Japan Football Hall of Fame.
Sadly, Takaji Mori passed away on July 17, 2011, at the age of 67. He died from renal pelvis cancer in Meguro, Tokyo. It was a remarkable coincidence that on the very same day he died, the Japan women's national team won the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup. This was the first time a Japanese team, men's or women's, had won a football World Cup.
See also
In Spanish: Takaji Mori para niños
