Yahiro Kazama facts for kids

Yahiro Kazama (born October 16, 1961) is a famous Japanese soccer player and coach. He used to play as a Midfielder for the Japanese national team. He made history by being the first Japanese player to score a goal in the J1 League, which is Japan's top soccer league. Today, he is the manager of Nankatsu SC. His two sons, Koki Kazama and Koya Kazama, are also professional soccer players.

Yahiro Kazama's Playing Career

Early Days and Moving to Germany

Yahiro Kazama was born in Shizuoka, Japan, on October 16, 1961. After finishing his studies at the University of Tsukuba, he decided to move to Germany in 1984. There, he played for several soccer clubs, including Remscheid and Eintracht Braunschweig. This was a big step for a Japanese player at that time.

Returning to Japan and Making History

In 1989, Kazama came back to Japan. He joined a club called Mazda, which later became Sanfrecce Hiroshima. His team was promoted to the top division in 1991. In 1992, a new and exciting league called the J1 League was created in Japan. In the very first season of this new league, Kazama played in the opening match. He scored a goal, making him the first Japanese player ever to score in the J1 League! He played for Sanfrecce Hiroshima until the end of the 1995 season. After that, he went back to play for Remscheid in Germany for a short time before retiring from playing in 1998.

Playing for the Japanese National Team

Yahiro Kazama also represented his country on the international stage. In August 1979, when he was still a high school student, he was chosen to play for the Japan U-20 national team. He played in three games at the 1979 World Youth Championship.

Later, in December 1980, while he was a university student, he was selected for the main Japan national team. He made his first appearance for the national team on December 22, 1980, in a game against Singapore. He also played in important tournaments like the 1982 Asian Games and the qualifying matches for the 1984 Summer Olympics. Overall, he played 19 games for Japan until 1983. After he moved to Germany in 1984, he was no longer selected to play for the national team.

Yahiro Kazama's Coaching Career

Starting as a Coach

After he stopped playing soccer, Yahiro Kazama decided to become a coach. In 1998, he started coaching the team at Toin University of Yokohama. He stayed there until 2003. Then, in 2008, he became the coach for his old university team, University of Tsukuba, where he coached until April 2012.

Leading Kawasaki Frontale

On April 23, 2012, Kawasaki Frontale, a big club in Japan, announced that Kazama would be their new manager. He took over after the previous manager was let go. Kazama did a great job with the team. He led Kawasaki Frontale to finish in 3rd place twice in the J1 League, in 2013 and 2016. His team also reached the finals of the 2016 Emperor's Cup, a major cup competition in Japan, finishing as runners-up. He left the club at the end of the 2016 season.

Coaching Nagoya Grampus

On January 4, 2017, Kazama moved to Nagoya Grampus, a club that had just been relegated to the J2 League (the second division). He helped the team finish 3rd in the 2017 season, which meant they were promoted back to the J1 League for 2018! In the 2018 season, even though the team had some tough times, they managed to stay in J1, finishing in 15th place. However, after a challenging 2019 season, it was announced on September 23, 2019, that Kazama would be leaving Nagoya Grampus.

Back to Nankatsu SC

On November 7, 2023, it was announced that Yahiro Kazama would become the official manager of Nankatsu SC, a club in the Kantō Soccer League, starting from the 2024 season. He continues to manage the team today.

See also

In Spanish: Yahiro Kazama para niños