Masashi Nakayama

Masashi Nakayama (中山 雅史, Nakayama Masashi, born 23 September 1967), nicknamed "Gon" during his playing career, is a Japanese professional football manager and former player. He is currently the manager of J3 League club Azul Claro Numazu.

Masashi Nakayama
中山 雅史
Nakayama in 2014
Personal information
Date of birth (1967-09-23) 23 September 1967 (age 56)
Place of birthFujieda, Japan
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)Forward
Team information
Current team
Azul Claro Numazu (manager)
Youth career
1983–1985Fujieda Higashi High School
College career
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1986–1989University of Tsukuba
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1990–2009Júbilo Iwata419(207)
2010–2012Consadole Sapporo13(0)
2015–2020Azul Claro Numazu0(0)
Total722(399)
International career
1990–2003Japan53(21)
Managerial career
2021–2022Júbilo Iwata (assistant manager)
2023–Azul Claro Numazu
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Japan
AFC Asian Cup
Winner1992 Japan
FIFA Confederations Cup
Runner-up2001 Korea-Japan
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career edit

Born in Shizuoka, Nakayama attended Fujieda Higashi High School and University of Tsukuba before he joined Yamaha Motors (currently; Júbilo Iwata) of the Japan Soccer League, a precursor to the J1 League, which consisted of company sponsored teams. Playing as a forward, Nakayama made his J1 League debut on 11 March 1994. From then until 2009, he was an ever-present part of the Júbilo Iwata line-up as they were consistently one of the top teams in the J1 League since its inception. With a strike-rate of more than a goal every two games throughout his career, Nakayama was the inspirational and talismanic leader for both Júbilo Iwata and the Japan national team. He holds a record by scoring four hat-tricks in four successive J1 League games, from 15 to 29 April in 1998. He scored 16 times in these games.[1] The record is recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records. He also holds the record for top scorer in a single season, scoring 36 goals in 1998.

On 4 December 2012, he announced his retirement at the age of 45, citing injuries to his both knees, after being J1 League's all-time leading scorer with 157 goals.[1] At the time of his retirement, he had played three seasons for Consadole Sapporo. In September 2015, he began to train with Azul Claro Numazu, later signing for the team as a player.[2] Two years later, having still not made his début for Azul Claro in league or cup competition, his contract was renewed for 2017 season, a first for a professional football club.[3]

International career edit

At the 1998 FIFA World Cup, Nakayama scored the only goal of the tournament and the first goal for the Japan national team in the history of the World Cup against Jamaica on 26 June 1998.[1] He has scored 21 goals in 53 appearances for the Japan national team.[4]

Nakayama also holds the world record fastest hat-trick at international level. He managed three goals in an 2000 Asian Cup qualification match against Brunei on 16 February 2000 in only three minutes and three seconds,[1] beating the previous record of Englishman Willie Hall set in 1938 (against Northern Ireland) by 27 seconds.

Managerial career edit

On 13 January 2020, Nakayama announced his retirement as a player at the age of 53. Having been the U-18 coach for Azul Claro Numazu for the prior two years, Nakayama revealed he was appointed the assistant manager of J2 League club Júbilo Iwata.[5] On 13 November 2022, Nakayama returned to J3 League club Azul Claro, where he was appointed manager.[6]

Personal life edit

Masashi Nakayama's autograph

Nakayama married actress Tomoko Ikuta in 1996, and together they have a daughter. Ikuta did the voice-over for lead actress Lee Young-ae in the Japanese version of the popular South Korean TV series Jewel in the Palace.

Nakayama portrayed himself on television, performing voice work for a guest role on the anime Hungry Heart: Wild Striker. He also portrayed himself in episode 19 of HappinessCharge PreCure!. This episode corresponded with the opening of the World Cup. He appeared on the front cover of the Japanese releases of Konami's Winning Eleven video game series (World Soccer: Winning Eleven 6 and World Soccer: Winning Eleven 6 - Final Evolution) in 2002 and 2003.

Career statistics edit

Club edit

As of the end 2020 season after retirement as player[7][8]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueEmperor's CupJ.League CupAFCTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Júbilo Iwata[a]1990–91JSL Division 113421155
1991–921815101915
1992Football League16131613
1993181810001918
1994J1 League1230000123
19954518004518
1996279001374016
19972718421164226
1998273634003040
19992361211259
2000292032413623
2001301610843920
2002291632733921
20031235021194
2004193415041325
2005296202010346
20061311031172
20071512051222
20081612131213
200910101030
Consadole Sapporo2010J2 League12010130
2011000000
2012J1 League10000010
Azul Claro Numazu2015Football League0000
20160000
2017J3 League000000
2018000000
2019
2020
Career total4322073412682751539247

International edit

Appearances and goals by national team and year[4]
National teamYearAppsGoals
Japan199010
199100
199263
199384
199400
199541
199600
199722
1998104
199910
200076
200181
200230
200330
Total5321
Scores and results list Japan's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Nakayama goal.
List of international goals scored by Masashi Nakayama
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
129 August 1992Beijing, China  South Korea1–12–21992 Dynasty Cup
21 November 1992Hiroshima, Japan  North Korea1–11–11992 AFC Asian Cup
36 November 1992  China3–23–2
45 May 1993Dubai, United Arab Emirates  Sri Lanka6–06–01994 FIFA World Cup qualification
518 October 1993Doha, Qatar  Iran1–21–2
621 October 1993  North Korea2–03–0
728 October 1993  Iraq2–12–2
828 May 1995Tokyo, Japan  Ecuador1–03–01995 Kirin Cup
98 November 1997  Kazakhstan3–05–11998 FIFA World Cup qualification
1016 November 1997Johor Bahru, Malaysia  Iran1–03–2
111 March 1998Yokohama, Japan  South Korea1–02–11998 Dynasty Cup
121 April 1998Seoul, South Korea  South Korea1–11–2Friendly
1326 June 1998Lyon, France  Jamaica1–21–21998 FIFA World Cup
1428 October 1998Osaka, Japan  Egypt1–01–0Friendly
1513 February 2000Macau  Singapore2–03–02000 AFC Asian Cup qualification
1616 February 2000  Brunei1–09–0
172–0
183–0
1920 February 2000  Macau1–03–0
203–0
2115 August 2001Fukuroi, Japan  Australia3–03–02001 AFC–OFC Challenge Cup

Managerial statistics edit

Update; as of 16 April 2023[9]

TeamFromToRecord
GWDLWin %
Azul Claro Numazu13 November 2022present7232028.57
Total7232028.57

Honours edit

Júbilo Iwata
Japan

Individual

Notes edit

  1. ^ "Yamaha Motors" until 1994

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d Japan icon Nakayama calls time on careerFIFA.com 4 December 2012 Archived 23 January 2013 at archive.today
  2. ^ 中山雅史選手アスルクラロ沼津加入のお知らせ (in Japanese). Azul Claro. 14 September 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2017.
  3. ^ 2017シーズン 中山 雅史選手 契約更新のお知らせ (in Japanese). Azul Claro. 25 December 2016. Retrieved 16 May 2017.
  4. ^ a b Japan National Football Team Database
  5. ^ "中山 雅史選手、退団のお知らせ - アスルクラロ沼津 アスルクラロスルガ株式会社". アスルクラロ沼津 アスルクラロスルガ株式会社 (in Japanese). 13 January 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  6. ^ "中山 雅史氏 新監督就任のお知らせ" (Press release). アスルクラロ沼津. 13 November 2022. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  7. ^ Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing inc./日本スポーツ企画出版社, "J1&J2&J3選手名鑑ハンディ版 2018 (NSK MOOK)", 7 February 2018, Japan, ISBN 978-4905411529 (p. 251 out of 289)
  8. ^ Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing inc./日本スポーツ企画出版社, "2017 J1&J2&J3選手名鑑 (NSK MOOK)", 8 February 2017, Japan, ISBN 978-4905411420 (p. 273 out of 289)
  9. ^ Masashi Nakayama manager profile at J.League (archive) (in Japanese)
  10. ^ "Nakayama's unstoppable". Asian Football Confederation. 19 February 1999. Archived from the original on 19 February 1999.

External links edit