Zhao Dayu facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 17 January 1961 | ||
| Place of birth | Guangzhou, Guangdong, China | ||
| Date of death | 18 March 2015 (aged 54) | ||
| Place of death | Guangzhou, Guangdong, China | ||
| Height | 1.62 m | ||
| Playing position | Forward | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1978–1986 | Guangzhou | ||
| 1988–1990 | Mitsubishi Motors F.C. | ||
| National team | |||
| 1982–1986 | China | 29 | (19) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 1988 | Mitsubishi Motors F.C. Youth | ||
| 1999 | Guangzhou Apollo | ||
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| Zhao Dayu | |||||||||||||||
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| Simplified Chinese | 赵达裕 | ||||||||||||||
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Zhao Dayu (simplified Chinese: 赵达裕; traditional Chinese: 趙達裕; pinyin: Zhào Dáyù) was a famous Chinese football player, coach, and businessman. He was born on January 17, 1961, and passed away on March 18, 2015. He was also known by his Japanese name, Tatsuyu Matsuki, after he became a Japanese citizen.
Zhao Dayu played as a striker for his entire club career with Guangzhou F.C.. Fans nicknamed him "Dwarf Tiger" because he was a bit shorter than other players but still very strong. He also played for the Chinese national team and took part in the 1984 Asian Cup. Sadly, he had to stop playing football early in 1986 due to a serious injury. After his playing career, he moved to Japan and became a youth coach for Mitsubishi Motors F.C. in 1988. Later, he returned to China and focused on helping young football players through his own school, Guangzhou Yida. He also started a company called Ucan that made sports clothes.
Contents
Zhao Dayu's Football Journey
Zhao Dayu started his football training at special sports schools in Guangzhou. He was very skilled and soon joined Guangzhou F.C.. He helped his team win the 1981 division title, which moved them up to the top league.
Playing for China's National Team
Because of his great skills, Zhao Dayu was chosen to play for the Chinese national team. He became well-known when he scored the winning goal against Argentina in the 1984 Nehru Cup, which was a friendly tournament. He also played a big part in the 1984 Asian Cup, helping China reach second place in the competition. This was a major highlight of his career.
Early Retirement and Coaching Career
In 1986, Zhao Dayu had to retire from playing football. He had a serious injury to his left leg that he couldn't fully recover from. Two years later, in 1988, he moved to Japan with his family. There, he became a coach for the youth team of Mitsubishi Motors F.C.. During his time in Japan, he became a Japanese citizen and changed his name to Tatsuyu Matsuki.
He returned to China in 1998 and briefly coached Guangzhou F.C.'s main team in 1999. However, he found his true passion in helping young players. He started his own football school called Guangzhou Yida in his hometown of Guangzhou. He also owned a sportswear company named Ucan, which even sponsored a football club.
Zhao Dayu passed away on March 18, 2015, at the age of 54, after battling liver cancer.
Career Numbers
International Games Played
Here's a look at Zhao Dayu's games and goals for the Chinese national team:
| Competition | Year | Apps | Goal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Wall Cup | 1982–1984 | 5 | 1 |
| Friendly | 1984–1986 | 9 | 4 |
| Asian Cup Qualifier | 1984 | 4 | 6 |
| Asian Cup | 1984 | 6 | 2 |
| World Cup Qualifier | 1985 | 5 | 6 |
| Total | 29 | 19 |
