Yoshikazu Nagai

Yoshikazu Nagai (永井 良和, Nagai Yoshikazu, born April 16, 1952) is a former Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team. His son Shunta Nagai is also a former footballer.

Yoshikazu Nagai
永井 良和
Personal information
Full name Yoshikazu Nagai
Date of birth (1952-04-16) April 16, 1952
Place of birth Saitama, Saitama, Japan
Height 1.69 m (5 ft 6 12 in)
Playing position(s) Forward
Youth career
1968–1970 Saitama Urawa Minami High School
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1971–1988 Furukawa Electric 272 (63)
Total 272 (63)
National team
1971–1980 Japan 69 (9)
Teams managed
1989–1990 Japan U-20
1992–1993 JEF United Ichihara
1996 Fukushima FC
1998–2000 Albirex Niigata
2001 Yokohama FC
2006–2007 Urawa Reds Ladies
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

Nagai was born in Saitama on April 16, 1952. After graduating from high school, he joined Furukawa Electric in 1971. The club won the league champions in 1976 and 1985–86. The club also won 1976 Emperor's Cup, 1977, 1982 and 1986 JSL Cup. He retired in 1988. He played 272 games and scored 63 goals in the league. It is the record for most appearances in Japan Soccer League Division 1. In 1976, he was selected Japanese Footballer of the Year awards. He was selected Best Eleven 5 times.

National team career

On August 13, 1971, when Nagai was 19 years old, he debuted for Japan national team against Iceland. He also played at 1972 Summer Olympics qualification in 1971. Although, he did not play for Japan in 1972, he was selected Japan for 1974 World Cup qualification in 1973. He also played at 1974, 1978 Asian Games. In 1980, he was selected Japan for 1980 Summer Olympics qualification, Japan's failure to qualify for 1980 Summer Olympics. This qualification was his last game for Japan. He played 69 games and scored 9 goals for Japan until 1980.[1]

Coaching career

After retirement, Nagai became a coach for Furukawa Electric (later JEF United Ichihara) in 1988. In 1989, he became a manager for Japan U-20 national team. In 1992, he returned to JEF United Ichihara and managed until 1993. In 1996, he signed with Japan Football League (JFL) club Fukushima FC and managed in 1 season. In 1998, he signed with JFL club Albirex Niigata. The club joined new league J2 League in 1999. In 2001, he moved to Yokohama FC. In 2006, he signed with his local wemen's league club Urawa Reds Ladies.

In 2012, Nagai was selected Japan Football Hall of Fame.

Club statistics

[2]

Club performance League
Season Club League AppsGoals
Japan League
1971Furukawa ElectricJSL Division 1102
1972100
1973182
1974185
1975187
1976185
19771814
1978181
1979186
1980173
1981156
1982101
1983121
1984145
1985/86223
1986/87140
1987/88222
Total 27263

National team statistics

[1]

Japan national team
YearAppsGoals
197141
197200
197350
197441
1975111
1976172
197750
1978121
197993
198020
Total699

Managerial statistics

[3]

Team From To Record
GWDLWin %
JEF United Ichihara 1993 1993 36 14 0 22 038.89
Albirex Niigata 1999 2000 76 35 7 34 046.05
Yokohama FC 2001 2001 31 11 1 19 035.48
Total 143 60 8 75 041.96

Personal honors

  • Japanese Footballer of the Year - 1976

References

  1. Japan National Football Team Database
  2. "Yoshikazu Nagai". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmerman.
  3. J.League Data Site(in Japanese)
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