Masashi Watanabe

{{short description|Japanese footballer and manager}} {{Infobox football biography |name=Masashi Watanabe<br/>渡辺正 |image= |image_size= |caption= |fullname=Masashi Watanabe |birth_date={{Birth date|1936|1|11}} |birth_place=Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Empire of Japan |death_date={{Death date and age|1995|12|7|1936|1|11}} |death_place=Chiba, Chiba, Japan |height=1.70 m |position=Forward |currentclub= |clubnumber= |youthyears1=1951|youthclubs1=Sotoku High School |youthyears2=1951–1953|youthclubs2=Motomachi High School |collegeyears1=1958–1961|college1=Rikkyo University |years1=1954–1958|clubs1=Yawata Steel|caps1=|goals1= |years2=1962–1971|clubs2=Nippon Steel|caps2=79|goals2=19 |totalcaps=79|totalgoals=19 |nationalyears1=1958–1969|nationalteam1=Japan|nationalcaps1=39|nationalgoals1=12 |manageryears1=1969–1975|managerclubs1=Nippon Steel |manageryears2=1980|managerclubs2=Japan |medaltemplates= {{Medal|Team|Nippon Steel}} {{Medal|RU|Japan Soccer League|1965}} {{Medal|RU|Japan Soccer League|1966}} {{Medal|W|Emperor's Cup|1964}} {{Medal|RU|Emperor's Cup|1956}} {{Medal|RU|Emperor's Cup|1968}} {{Medal|RU|Emperor's Cup|1965}} {{Medal|Country|{{Fb|JPN}}}} {{Medal|Olympic}} {{Medal|B|1968 Mexico City|Team}} {{Medal|Competition|Asian Games}} {{Medal|B|1966 Bangkok|Team}} }} {{Nihongo|'''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.

==Club career== Watanabe 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== On 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.<ref name="JNFTD">{{Cite web |url=http://www.jfootball-db.com/en/players/watanabe_masashi.html |title=Japan National Football Team Database |access-date=2018-05-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180828035555/http://www.jfootball-db.com/en/players/watanabe_masashi.html |archive-date=2018-08-28 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Coaching career== In 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== <ref name="JNFTD"/> {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" ! colspan=3 | 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== * Japan Soccer League Best Eleven: 1968 * Japan Football Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2006<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.jfa.jp/eng/about_jfa/hall_of_fame/member/WATANABE_Masashi.html|title= WATANABE Masashi|access-date= April 8, 2024|work= Japan Football Association}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{FIFA player|59829}} * {{NFT|20844}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20180828035555/http://www.jfootball-db.com/en/players/watanabe_masashi.html Japan National Football Team Database] * [http://www.jfa.jp/eng/about_jfa/hall_of_fame/member/WATANABE_Masashi.html Japan Football Hall of Fame] at Japan Football Association *[http://www.jfa.jp/eng/about_jfa/hall_of_fame/member/team02.html Japan Football Hall of Fame] (Japan team at 1968 Olympics) at Japan Football Association * {{Olympics.com profile|masashi-watanabe}} * {{SR/Olympics profile|wa/masashi-watanabe-1}}

{{1968 Japan Soccer League Team of the Year}} {{Japan football squad 1964 Summer Olympics}} {{Japan football squad 1968 Summer Olympics}} {{Japan national football team managers}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Watanabe, Masashi}} Category:1936 births Category:1995 deaths Category:Rikkyo University alumni Category:Japanese men's footballers Category:Japan men's international footballers Category:Japan Soccer League players Category:Nippon Steel Yawata SC players Category:Japanese football managers Category:Japan national football team managers Category:Player-coaches Category:Olympic footballers for Japan Category:Olympic medalists in football Category:Olympic bronze medalists for Japan Category:Medalists at the 1968 Summer Olympics Category:Footballers at the 1964 Summer Olympics Category:Footballers at the 1968 Summer Olympics Category:Asian Games bronze medalists for Japan Category:Footballers at the 1962 Asian Games Category:Footballers at the 1966 Asian Games Category:Men's association football forwards Category:Medalists at the 1966 Asian Games Category:Football people from Hiroshima Category:20th-century Japanese sportsmen Category:Asian Games bronze medalists in football