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Ventforet Kofu
ヴァンフォーレ甲府
Ventforet Kofu logo.svg
Full name Ventforet Kofu Football Club
Nickname(s) Ventforet
Short name VFK
Founded 1965; 60 years ago (1965) as Kofu Club
Stadium JIT Recycle Ink Stadium, Kōfu
Stadium
capacity		 17,000
Chairman Kazuyuki Umino
Manager Yoshiyuki Shinoda
League J2 League
2022 J2 League, 18th of 22

Ventforet Kofu (ヴァンフォーレ甲府, Vanfōre Kōfu) is a Japanese professional football club from Kōfu in Yamanashi Prefecture. The team currently competes in the J2 League, Japanese second tier of professional football, hosting their home matches in the JIT Recycle Ink Stadium, located in Kōfu.

Ventforet has won a total of 1 J2 League title and 1 Emperor's Cup in their history.

Name origin

The word "Ventforet" is a compound formed from two French root words: "vent" (wind) and "forêt" (forest). The name alludes to the famous phrase Fū-rin-ka-zan (風林火山) that Takeda Shingen, a prominent Kōfu-based daimyō in the Sengoku period, emblazoned on his war banners. The phrase contains four similies: as swift as the wind; as silent as a forest; as fierce as fire; as immovable as a mountain.

History

Kofu Club (1965–1994)

The club was founded in 1965 when the old boys' club of Kofu Dai-ichi High School, the Kakujo Club, started to recruit graduates of other high schools with the intention of promotion to the Japan Soccer League and was formed as Kofu Club. Kofu Club was formed by volunteers, unlike other mainstream football clubs at that time in Japan, whose players were mostly the employees of their sponsoring companies.

Kofu Club joined the newly formed JSL Division 2 in 1972. They stayed there until the conclusion of the league in 1992 when it became a founding member of the former Japan Football League.

Ventforet Kofu (1995–present)

The club was renamed Ventforet Kofu in 1995 and joined J.League Division 2 in 1999 when it was formed. The club survived a difficult period between 1999 and 2001, when it suffered from financial troubles as well as miserable results on the pitch, including a streak of twenty-five consecutive losses. Ventforet finished bottom for three seasons in succession and was dubbed as "Excess baggage of J2".

Ventforet improved in 2002, and in 2005 finished third, gaining promotion to the Japanese first division by winning the promotion/relegation play-offs against Kashiwa Reysol. However, the team was relegated with a week remaining in the 2007 season.

At the end of 2010 season, the team was promoted a second time. Despite having striker Mike Havenaar contend for the Top Scorer award in division one the following year, the club was relegated again at the end of 2011. However, it returned after only one year's absence as champions of division two, Ventforet's first championship in its thirty-six-year history. Ventforet remained in J.League 1 until 2017, consistently staying as a top tier J.League 2 team after relegation

Emperor's Cup win (2022)

Ventforet participated in the 2022 Emperor's Cup, earning a direct second round entry alongside all J1 and J2 League teams. Following a 5–1 win over Okayama-based International Pacific University, they then only faced J1 League opponents the rest of the tournament. They would beat Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo and Sagan Tosu away from home by 2–1 and 3–1 respectively to advance to the quarter finals, in a stage which they had been on 4 times without ever getting past it. In another match away from home, now against Avispa Fukuoka, the game would be tied up 1–1 and head into extra time, with Yoshiki Torikai scoring in the 97th minute to bring Kofu to their first Emperor's Cup Semi-final, where they would beat Kashima Antlers thanks to Jumma Miyazaki's goal in the 37th minute to reach their first Emperor's Cup Final.

In the final, Kofu were up against Sanfrecce Hiroshima, a J1 team who hadn't won an Emperor's Cup since 1969 (including amateur era). Kazushi Mitsuhira scored in the 26th minute to give Kofu the lead, before Sanfrecce midfielder Takumu Kawamura tied the match in the 84th minute. After a scoreless extra time, the final was decided in a penalty shootout. After Sanfrecce missed their fourth penalty, 42-year-old Hideomi Yamamoto scored Kofu's fifth and final penalty to win the Emperor's Cup champions for the first time. Their win marked the first time that a J2 League team had won the Emperor's Cup since FC Tokyo in 2011, the fourth J2 champion overall, and the first occasion in which the winner was not the second division champions. Thus, they will play the AFC Champions League while playing in their domestic second-tier league.

AFC Champions League debut (2023)

On 20 September 2023, Ventforet played their first AFC Champions League official match against Australian side Melbourne City for the competition's group stage. Playing away at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium with few of their usual starting players, the match ended in a 0–0 draw, earning them their first point and clean sheet in this competition. On 4 October 2023, Ventforet picked up their first Champions League win against Thai champions Buriram United. Motoki Hasegawa scored in stoppage time as Ventforet won 1–0 at home, On 12 December 2023, Ventforet clinched their spots in the Round of 16 after a 2–3 away win against Buriram United. This marks the first time a team qualified for the knockout phase of the AFC Champions League though not playing in their nation's top division. Ventforet than faced against Korean giants, Ulsan Hyundai in the Round of 16, however, they were knocked out from the tournament after suffering a 5–1 on aggregate defeat.

2023–24 AFC Champions League - Group H

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers

League and cup record

Champions Runners-up Third place Promoted Relegated
League J.League
Cup		 Emperor's
Cup		 AFC Champions League
Year Division Tier Pos. P W D L F A GD Pts Attendance/G
1992 former JFL
Div. 2		 3 5th 18 9 1 8 26 29 -3 28 Not eligible Not eligible
1993 9th 18 6 - 12 15 37 -22 -
1994 former
JFL		 2 14th 30 9 - 21 36 74 -38 - 2nd round
1995 9th 30 14 - 16 54 54 0 43
1996 11th 30 11 - 19 50 56 -6 33 2nd round
1997 6th 30 19 - 11 59 41 18 52 3rd round
1998 4th 30 22 - 8 74 40 34 59 4th round
1999 J2 2 10th 36 5 4 27 32 85 -53 18 1,469 1st round 2nd round
2000 11th 40 5 3 32 31 84 -53 18 1,850 1st round 4th round
2001 12th 44 8 2 34 38 98 -60 25 3,130 1st round 3rd round
2002 7th 44 16 10 18 51 55 -4 58 4,914 Not eligible 3rd round
2003 5th 44 19 12 13 58 46 12 69 5,796 3rd round
2004 7th 44 15 13 16 51 46 5 58 6,370 4th round
2005 3rd 44 19 12 13 78 64 14 69 6,931 4th round
2006 J1 1 15th 34 12 6 15 42 64 -22 42 12,211 Group Stage Quarter Finals
2007 17th 34 7 6 21 33 65 -32 27 13,734 Quarter Finals 5th round
2008 J2 2 7th 42 15 14 13 56 47 9 59 10,354 Not eligible 4th round
2009 4th 51 28 13 10 76 46 30 97 11,059 4th round
2010 2nd 36 19 13 4 71 40 31 70 12,431 3rd round
2011 J1 1 16th 34 9 19 6 42 63 -21 33 12,106 1st round 3rd round
2012 J2 2 1st 42 24 4 14 63 35 28 86 10,407 2nd round
2013 J1 1 15th 34 8 13 13 30 41 -11 37 12,614 Group Stage Quarter Finals
2014 13th 34 9 11 14 27 31 -4 41 12,171 Group Stage Round of 16
2015 13th 34 10 17 7 26 43 -17 37 11,612 Group Stage 4th round
2016 14th 34 7 17 10 32 58 -26 31 10,833 Group Stage 2nd round
2017 16th 34 7 16 11 23 39 -16 32 10,829 Group Stage 2nd round
2018 J2 2 9th 42 16 15 11 56 46 10 59 7,384 Quarter Finals Quarter Finals
2019 5th 42 20 11 11 64 40 24 71 8,273 Not eligible Quarter Finals
2020 † 4th 42 16 17 9 50 41 9 65 2,485 Did not qualify
2021 † 3rd 42 23 11 8 65 38 27 80 4,325 2nd round
2022 18th 42 11 15 16 47 54 -7 48 4,930 Winner
2023 8th 42 18 10 14 60 50 10 64 7,485 Round of 16 Round of 16
2024 14th 38 12 9 17 54 57 -3 45 8,274 Quarter final 2nd round
2025 TBA 38 TBD TBD
Key
* Pos. = Position in league; P = Games played; W = Games won; D = Games drawn; L = Games lost; F = Goal scored; A = Goals conceded; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points gained
  • † 2020 & 2021 seasons attendances reduced by COVID-19 worldwide pandemic
  • Attendance/G = Average home league attendance
  • Source: J.League Data Site

Honours

Ventforet Kofu honours
Honour No. Years
Kantō Soccer League 2 1969, 1970
J2 League 1 2012
Emperor's Cup 1 2022

League history

  • Kanto League: 1967–71 (as Kofu Club)
  • Division 2 (JSL Div. 2): 1972–91 (as Kofu Club)
  • Division 3 (former JFL Div. 2): 1992–93 (as Kofu Club)
  • Division 2 (former JFL): 1994–98 (Kofu Club until 1994, Ventforet Kofu since 1995)
  • Division 2 (J.League Div. 2): 1999–05
  • Division 1 (J.League Div. 1): 2006–07
  • Division 2 (J.League Div. 2): 2008–10
  • Division 1 (J.League Div. 1): 2011
  • Division 2 (J.League Div. 2): 2012
  • Division 1 (J.League Div. 1): 2013–2017
  • Division 2 (J.League Div. 2): 2018–

Current squad

No. Position Player
1 Japan GK Kohei Kawata
3 South Korea DF Taiga Son
4 Japan DF Hideomi Yamamoto
6 Japan MF Iwana Kobayashi (vice-captain)
7 Japan MF Sho Araki (vice-captain)
8 Japan MF Kosuke Taketomi
9 Japan FW Kazushi Mitsuhira
10 Japan MF Yoshiki Torikai
11 Brazil FW Macula
13 Japan FW Yukito Murakami
14 Japan MF Riku Nakayama
15 Japan FW Riku Iijima
16 Japan MF Koya Hayashida
18 Japan MF Naoto Misawa
19 Japan FW Jumma Miyazaki
21 Brazil MF Renato Augusto
23 Japan DF Masahiro Sekiguchi (captain)
No. Position Player
24 Japan DF Takahiro Iida (on loan from Kyoto Sanga)
26 Japan MF Kazuhiro Sato
29 Japan DF Kaito Kamiya
30 Japan FW Kotatsu Kumakura DSP
31 Japan GK Kakeru Miyashita Type 2
32 South Korea GK Koh Bong-jo (on loan from Sagan Tosu)
33 Japan GK Kodai Yamauchi
34 Japan MF Takuto Kimura (on loan from Yokohama F. Marinos)
35 Japan DF Taiju Ichinose DSP
40 Brazil DF Eduardo Mancha
41 Japan MF Miki Inoue
44 Japan FW Yamato Naito
51 Brazil MF Adaílton
88 Japan GK Tsubasa Shibuya
99 Nigeria FW Peter Utaka

Out on loan

No. Position Player
20 Japan MF Hikaru Endo (at Tegevajaro Miyazaki)
22 Japan DF Riku Nozawa (at FC Gifu)
No. Position Player
28 Japan FW Hayata Mizuno (at Iwate Grulla Morioka)

Club officials

Position Name
Manager Japan Yoshiyuki Shinoda
Assistant managers Japan Shinji Otsuka
Japan Katsutomo Oshiba
Japan Yuji Yokoyama
Goalkeeper coach Japan Yuji Nakagawa
Physical coach Brazil José Fernando
Analysis coach Japan Yoshiki Hara
Japan Kanta Yonekura
Chief trainer Japan Hiroaki Maeda
Trainer Japan Masaya Tanaka
Japan Taku Hirai
Physiotherapist Japan Taiki Saito
Athletic trainer Japan Shigeru Asahina
Competent Japan Yoshiki Tsuruta
Side affairs Japan Tetsuro Ajisawa
Interpreter Japan Bruno Iwasaki

Managerial history

Manager Nationality Tenure
Start Finish
Susumu Katsumata  Japan 1 January 1994 31 January 1995
Yūji Tsukada  Japan 1 February 1995 31 January 1999
Susumu Katsumata  Japan 1 February 1999 31 January 2000
Yūji Tsukada  Japan 1 February 2000 31 January 2001
Luis dos Reis  Brazil 1 February 2001 31 January 2002
Takeshi Ōki  Japan 1 February 2002 31 January 2003
Hideki Matsunaga  Japan 1 February 2003 31 January 2005
Takeshi Ōki  Japan 1 February 2005 31 January 2008
Takayoshi Amma  Japan 1 February 2008 31 January 2010
Kazuo Uchida  Japan 1 February 2010 31 January 2011
Toshiya Miura  Japan 1 February 2011 7 August 2011
Satoru Sakuma  Japan 8 August 2011 31 December 2011
Hiroshi Jōfuku  Japan 1 February 2012 31 January 2015
Yasuhiro Higuchi  Japan 1 February 2015 13 May 2015
Satoru Sakuma  Japan 13 May 2015 31 December 2016
Tatsuma Yoshida  Japan 1 February 2017 30 April 2018
Nobuhiro Ueno  Japan 1 May 2018 31 January 2019
Akira Itō  Japan 1 February 2019 31 January 2022
Tatsuma Yoshida  Japan 1 February 2022 31 January 2023
Yoshiyuki Shinoda  Japan 1 February 2023 Current

Kit evolution

Home kits - 1st
1999 - 2000
2001 - 2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007 - 2008
2009 - 2010
2011-2012
2013 - 2014
2015 - 2016
2017 - 2018
2019 - 2020
2021
2022
2023
2024 -
Away kits - 2nd
1999 - 2000
2001 - 2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007 - 2008
2009 - 2010
2011 - 2012
2013 - 2014
2015 - 2016
2017 - 2018
2019 - 2020
2021
2022
2023
2024 -
Third kits
2015 Summer
2016 Summer
2017 Summer
2018 Summer
2019 Summer
2020
Summer
2021
Summer
2022
Limited
Special for Champions League
Home
Special for Champions League
Away
2024
SUMMER
Vivid × Vital

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Ventforet Kofu para niños

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