Sanfrecce Hiroshima

The team was a former company team of Toyo Kogyo Soccer Club (東洋工業サッカー部) in 1938 and played in the semi-professional Japan Soccer League. They dominated the JSL's early years, winning the title 4 times in a row – a feat that was later equaled by Yomiuri SC/Verdy Kawasaki. The name change was made at Mazda SC (マツダSC) in 1981. When JSL disbanded and became the J.League in 1992, it dropped the company name and became "Sanfrecce Hiroshima". Alongside JEF United Ichihara Chiba and Urawa Red Diamonds they co-founded both leagues.

During the 1969 season they participated in the Asian Club Cup, forerunner to today's AFC Champions League; at the time, the tournament was done in a single locale (in that year it was Bangkok, Thailand), and they ended up in third place, the first participation of a Japanese club in the continental tournament. This also cost them the league title to Mitsubishi/Urawa, and although they won another title in 1970, since then the club has been out of the running for the title, with exceptional seasons such as 1994 when they won runner-up.

The Toyo Industries team that became the first JSL champions also completed the first double by taking the Emperor's Cup. They were also the first of three "Invincibles", undefeated champion teams in Japan (the others were Mitsubishi Motors in 1969 and Yamaha Motors in 1987–88), although only Toyo completed a double.

Matsumoto, Ogi, and Yasuyuki Kuwahara went on to win the 1968 Olympic bronze medal for the national team.

former logo

In 2002, Sanfrecce became the first former stage winner (first stage, 1994) to be relegated to the lower division, J2. But it only spent a year there, finishing second the very next season to regain promotion back to J1. The club finished 16th in the 2007 season and were relegated to J.League Division 2 after they were beaten by Kyoto Sanga in the promotion/relegation play-off. In 2008 they nevertheless won the J2 title at the first attempt, having 84 points (a difference of 25 points with the runner-up teams) with six matches left.

By virtue of earning fourth place in the 2009 season and Gamba Osaka retaining the Emperor's Cup, Sanfrecce qualified for the Asian Champions League, where they were knocked out in the group phase.

On 24 November 2012, Sanfrecce defeated Cerezo Osaka 4–1 to seal their first ever J.League Division 1 title.[5][6]

On 7 December 2013, Sanfrecce defeated Kashima Antlers 2–0, securing their second J.League Division 1 title following a thrilling finish to the season which saw first-place Yokohama F. Marinos losing their final league game, handing Sanfrecce the title. With their second consecutive title win, Sanfrecce became the second team to successfully defend their crown since Kashima in 2009.

As of 23 February 2020[7]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player 1 GK Takuto Hayashi 2 DF Yuki Nogami 3 DF Akira Ibayashi 5 MF Hiroya Matsumoto 6 MF Toshihiro Aoyama 7 MF Gakuto Notsuda 8 MF Hayao Kawabe 9 FW Douglas Vieira 10 MF Tsukasa Morishima 13 GK Takuya Masuda 14 MF Ezequiel 15 DF Kazuki Kushibiki 16 MF Kohei Shimizu 17 MF Taishi Matsumoto

No. Position Player 18 MF Yoshifumi Kashiwa (vice-captain) 19 DF Sho Sasaki 20 FW Ryo Nagai 21 GK Ryotaro Hironaga 23 DF Hayato Araki 24 MF Shunki Higashi 25 MF Yusuke Chajima 26 MF Kodai Dohi 27 FW Shun Ayukawa 29 MF Yuya Asano 30 MF Kosei Shibasaki 38 GK Keisuke Osako 39 FW Leandro Pereira (on loan from Matsumoto Yamaga) 44 MF Rhayner (on loan from Tombense)