Masashi Watanabe (渡辺 正, Watanabe Masashi, January 11, 1936 – December 7, 1995) was a Japanese football player and manager. He played for Japan national team. He also managed Japan national team.
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Masashi Watanabe | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | January 11, 1936 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Empire of Japan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of death | December 7, 1995 (aged 59) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of death | Chiba, Chiba, Japan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1951 | Sotoku High School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1951–1953 | Motomachi High School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1958–1961 | Rikkyo University | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1954–1958 | Yawata Steel | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1962–1971 | Nippon Steel | 79 | (19) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 79 | (19) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1958–1969 | Japan | 39 | (12) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1969–1975 | Nippon Steel | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1980 | Japan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Club career
editWatanabe was born in Hiroshima on January 11, 1936. After graduating from high school, he joined Yawata Steel (later Nippon Steel) in 1954. In 1958, he left Yawata Steel and entered Rikkyo University. After graduating from Rikkyo University, he joined Yawata Steel again in 1962. In 1965, Yawata Steel joined new league Japan Soccer League. He retired in 1971. He played 79 games and scored 19 goals in the league. He was selected Best Eleven in 1968.
National team career
editOn December 25, 1958, when Watanabe was a Rikkyo University student, he debuted for Japan national team against Hong Kong. He played at 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo and 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. At 1968 Summer Olympics, he played 5 games and scored 2 goals against Brazil and France. Japan also won Bronze Medal. In 2018, this team was selected Japan Football Hall of Fame. He also played at 1962 and 1966 Asian Games. He played 39 games and scored 19 goals for Japan until 1969.[1]
Coaching career
editIn 1969, when Watanabe played for Yawata Steel (later Nippon Steel), he became a playing manager. He managed the club until 1975. In 1979, he became an assistant coach for Japan national team under manager Yukio Shimomura. At 1980 Asian Olympic Qualifying Tournaments in April 1980, following Japan's failure to qualify for 1980 Summer Olympics, Shimomura resigned a manager. In May, Watanabe was promoted to manager as Shimomura successor. However, just before 1982 World Cup qualification in December, he suffered a subarachnoid hemorrhage and replaced to Saburo Kawabuchi.
On December 7, 1995, Watanabe died of heart failure in Chiba at the age of 59. In 2006, he was selected Japan Football Hall of Fame.
National team statistics
edit| Japan national team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Apps | Goals |
| 1958 | 2 | 1 |
| 1959 | 8 | 4 |
| 1960 | 1 | 0 |
| 1961 | 6 | 1 |
| 1962 | 3 | 0 |
| 1963 | 5 | 3 |
| 1964 | 1 | 0 |
| 1965 | 3 | 0 |
| 1966 | 2 | 1 |
| 1967 | 3 | 1 |
| 1968 | 2 | 0 |
| 1969 | 3 | 1 |
| Total | 39 | 12 |
Awards and honors
edit- Japan Soccer League Best Eleven: 1968
- Japan Football Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2006[2]
References
edit- ^ a b "Japan National Football Team Database". Archived from the original on 2018-08-28. Retrieved 2018-05-27.
- ^ "WATANABE Masashi". Japan Football Association. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
External links
edit- Masashi Watanabe – FIFA competition record (archived)
- Masashi Watanabe at National-Football-Teams.com
- Japan National Football Team Database
- Japan Football Hall of Fame at Japan Football Association
- Japan Football Hall of Fame (Japan team at 1968 Olympics) at Japan Football Association
- Masashi Watanabe at Olympics.com
- Masashi Watanabe at Olympics at Sports-Reference.com (archived)
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