Teizo Takeuchi facts for kids

Teizo Takeuchi (竹内 悌三, Takeuchi Teizō, born November 6, 1908 – died April 12, 1946) was a Japanese soccer player. He played as a defender. He was also a member of the Japan national team. His daughter is the famous lighting designer Motoko Ishii.

Teizo Takeuchi's Soccer Journey

Early Life and Club Play

Teizo Takeuchi was born in Tokyo, Japan, on November 6, 1908. He loved playing soccer. He played for a team called Tokyo Imperial University LB. This team was made up of players and graduates from his university, the Tokyo Imperial University.

Playing for Japan

In May 1930, while still a student, Teizo Takeuchi was chosen to play for the Japan national team. This was for the 1930 Far Eastern Championship Games held in Tokyo. Japan won the championship!

On May 25, he played his first game for Japan against the Philippines.

The "Miracle of Berlin"

In 1936, Teizo Takeuchi was chosen to play for Japan at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany. He was the captain of the Japanese team. He played in two games there.

Japan's first game was against Sweden. Japan made an amazing comeback victory in that game. This was Japan's first-ever win in the Olympics for soccer. This historic win against a very strong team became known as the "Miracle of Berlin" in Japan.

In 2016, this special team was honored and chosen for the Japan Football Hall of Fame. Teizo Takeuchi played a total of 4 games for Japan until 1936.

Later Life and Passing

In 1944, Teizo Takeuchi joined the military during World War II. After the war ended, he was held in the Soviet Union. Sadly, he passed away on April 12, 1946, at the age of 37. He was in a camp in Siberia at the time.

In 2006, Teizo Takeuchi was also chosen for the Japan Football Hall of Fame. This honored his important contributions to Japanese soccer.

National Team Games

Here's a look at how many games Teizo Takeuchi played for the Japan national team.