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4 unusual facts about Japan national football team


Jon Champion

Champion was selected as a commentator for ITV at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and most notably of all his matches, he commentated on the Netherlands v Japan match in the group stages.

Pro Evolution Soccer 5

It was also the first release in the series to include fully licensed national teams - Japan and South Korea.

Ramesh Ramdhan

Ramesh Ramdhan (born July 25, 1960) is a football (soccer) referee from Trinidad and Tobago, best known for supervising one match (Japan-Croatia) during the 1998 FIFA World Cup held in France.

Tsubasa Oozora

A prodigious football player, Tsubasa dreams of one day winning the FIFA World Cup for Japan.


Ali Bahjat

In 11 September 2012 Bahjat made his debut against Japan in Saitama Stadium 2002, Saitama, Japan in the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification, which it was ended 0-1 loss.

Dario Šimić

Winning his 82nd international cap in the team's second match at the latter tournament, against Japan on 18 June 2006 in Nuremberg, he dislodged Robert Jarni (81 caps) as the Croatian national team's all-time cap leader.

Haruna Babangida

He made his debut for Nigeria on 20 August 2003, in a friendly match which Nigeria lost 0–3 to Japan in Tokyo.

Hotaru Yamaguchi

In July 2013, Yamaguchi received his first callup to the senior Japan side by Alberto Zaccheroni for the 2013 EAFF East Asian Cup, where he played in all three matches and was named tournament MVP.

Ian Griffiths

Playing under former Japan international Kazuo Imanishi, Mazda finished as Second Division (West) champions in 1988–89 and then finished third in the amalgamated Second Division in 1989–90, just two points behind promoted Toyota Motors.

Ibrahim Al-Shahrani

His most significant goal was against Qatar in Doha during the 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC) final match which eliminated Qatar and led Saudi Arabia to the top of Group A, directly qualifying to 1998 FIFA World Cup in France and leaving Iran in second place for the AFC Play-off against Japan.

Ignacio María González

González scored his first international goal in a 3–1 friendly win over Japan on 20 August 2008, at the Sapporo Dome.

Kazuyuki Toda

He played in 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship, 2000 Olympic football tournament and the 2002 FIFA World Cup for Japan.

Kunishige Kamamoto

Kunishige Kamamoto (釜本 邦茂 Kamamoto Kunishige, born April 15, 1944) is a former association football player from Japan, who won the bronze medal with the Japan national team at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, Mexico, finishing as the tournament's top scorer with seven goals.

Marko Ciurlizza

Selected for the 1997 Copa América, he did not play and debuted in the national team on June 29, 1999 at the 1999 Copa América match against Japan.

Peter Van Der Heyden

He scored Belgium's second goal in their opening match, a 2–2 draw with Japan in Saitama.

Sebastián Soria

Soria scored a goal against eventual winners Japan in the 2011 Asian Cup quarterfinals but the homeside were silenced after a late goal from Inoha put Japan in the lead to win by a 3–2 victory.

Shunzo Ono

He was never capped for Japan although he played two practice matches against Real Betis and Xerez CD in Spain in September 1993 as a member of the Japan team.

St. Marianna University School of Medicine

The school is also the first in Asia to be approved as a medical center for the FIFA world soccer association, and is the medical provider for the Japan national football team.

Yeni Ngbakoto

In the tournament, he scored his only two goals so far against the Shizuoka national team in the second group stage match and the hosts Japan in the final group stage match.

Yuki Maki

He is also brother of Japan national team and JEF United Ichihara Chiba star, Seiichiro Maki and Japan Handball League OMRON's European handball Team's Karina Maki.


see also