Yukio Shimomura facts for kids

Yukio Shimomura (下村 幸男, Shimomura Yukio, born January 25, 1932) was a talented Japanese football player and later a successful manager. Born on January 25, 1932, he played as a goalkeeper for the Japan national team and even became their manager.

Playing for Clubs

Yukio Shimomura was born in Hiroshima, Japan. After finishing high school, he joined his local team, Toyo Industries, in 1950. His team did very well in the Emperor's Cup, a big football tournament in Japan. They finished second in both 1954 and 1957. The 1954 final was special because it was the first time a team from a company (a "works team") reached the Emperor's Cup final. Shimomura played for Toyo Industries until he retired as a player in 1961.

Playing for the National Team

Shimomura also had the honor of playing for the Japan national football team. His first game for Japan was on October 9, 1955, against Burma. In 1956, he was chosen to be part of the Japanese team for the 1956 Summer Olympics held in Melbourne, Australia. However, he was the reserve goalkeeper, meaning he was a backup for Yoshio Furukawa, so he did not get to play in any matches during the Olympics.

Coaching Career

After he stopped playing football, Yukio Shimomura started a new career as a coach.

Managing Toyo Industries

In 1964, Shimomura became the manager for his old club, Toyo Industries. A new league called the Japan Soccer League started in 1965, and Toyo Industries joined it. Under Shimomura's leadership, the club became incredibly successful. They won the league championship five times in a short period: in 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, and 1970. This time is often called the club's "golden era." He also led them to win the Emperor's Cup in 1965, 1967, and 1969. He left the club in 1970.

Managing Other Clubs

In 1972, Shimomura took on a new challenge, becoming the manager for Towa Real Estate. This team was promoted to Division 2 of the Japan Soccer League in 1972. He managed Towa Real Estate for three seasons, until 1974.

Managing the Japan National Team

In 1979, Yukio Shimomura was chosen to manage the Japan national football team, taking over from Hiroshi Ninomiya. He led the team during the 1980 Asian Olympic Qualifying Tournaments. However, Japan did not manage to qualify for the 1980 Summer Olympics. After this, Shimomura resigned from his role as national team manager.

National Team Statistics

Here is a quick look at Yukio Shimomura's playing record for the Japan national team:

Achievements

Yukio Shimomura's contributions to Japanese football have been recognized.

• Japan Football Hall of Fame: He was added to the Hall of Fame in 2015.

See also

In Spanish: Yukio Shimomura para niños