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Hidetoshi Nakata, OSSI is a Japanese former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. Considered one of the best talents to come from an Asian Football Confederation (AFC) country in the early late 1990s and early 2000s, Nakata became the first ever AFC player to be nominated for the Ballon d'Or.
Football is among the most popular sports in Japan, together with baseball, tennis, golf, sumo, and combat sports. Its nationwide organization, the Japan Football Association, administers the professional football leagues, including J.League, which is considered by many the most successful football league in Asia. Japan is also the country with the most comprehensively developed football in Asia in both men and women as well as in both futsal and beach soccer.
Yokohama F. Marinos, stylised as Yokohama F·Marinos, is a Japanese professional football club based in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, part of the Greater Tokyo Area. The club competes in the J1 League, which is the top tier of football in the country.
The Urawa Red Diamonds, colloquially Urawa Reds, also known as Mitsubishi Urawa Football Club from April 1992 to January 1996, are a professional football club in the city of Saitama, part of the Greater Tokyo Area in Japan. The club plays in the J1 League, the top tier of football in the country. Its name comes from the former city of Urawa, now part of Saitama. It is one of the most successful clubs in the country, having won three AFC Champions League titles, and varied domestic titles, including a joint-record eight overall Emperor's Cup titles. It participated three times at the FIFA Club World Cup.
Tokyo Verdy is a Japanese professional football club based in Inagi, Tokyo. The club currently competes in the J1 League, following promotion from the J2 League in 2023.
Júbilo Iwata is a Japanese professional football team based in Iwata, located in Shizuoka Prefecture. The club competes in J1 League following promotion from J2 League in 2023.
The Nicaragua national football team represents Nicaragua in men's international football and is controlled by the Nicaraguan Football Federation. Nicaragua achieved their first qualification into a major international competition in 2009, as they qualified for the 2009 Gold Cup as the last entrant from Central America, after a 2–0 victory against Guatemala in the fifth place match in the 2009 Nations Cup. However, the team has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup.
Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi, also known as Yoshi Kawaguchi, is a retired Japanese footballer who played as a goalkeeper.
Fernando José Torres Sanz is a Spanish football manager and former player who played as a striker. He is the current manager of Atlético Madrid B. Due to his consistent goalscoring as a young player, Torres came to be nicknamed El Niño, which stuck with him throughout his career. In his prime, he was known for his pace, prolific goalscoring, and heading.
Kashima Antlers are a professional football club based in Kashima, Ibaraki, Japan. They currently play in the J1 League, the top tier of Japanese professional football leagues. The club has financial backing from Mercari, a Japanese e-commerce company.
Ōita Trinita is a Japanese football club located in Ōita, Capital of Ōita Prefecture. They currently play in J2 League, Japanese second tier of professional football.
Sagan Tosu is a Japanese professional football club based in Tosu, Saga Prefecture. The club set to play in the J2 League from 2025 after relegation from J1 in 2024, which is the second tier of Japanese football.
Hitoshi Sogahata is a Japanese former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper for Kashima Antlers and the Japan national team.
Hiroshi Nanami is a Japanese former professional footballer, and currently works as an assistant coach of the Japan national team.
Atsushi Yanagisawa is a Japanese former professional footballer who played as a forward. He played for Japan national team.
Mario Haas is an Austrian former professional footballer who played as a forward. Apart from two short foreign engagements in France and Japan, he played most of his career with SK Sturm Graz. Haas also made 43 appearances for the Austria national football team, including at the 1998 World Cup in France.
Mitsuo Ogasawara is a Japanese former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He played for Japan national team.
Naoki Soma is a Japanese football manager and former player. He played for the Japan national team He is the current manager of Omiya Ardija.
Daisuke Sakata is a former Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team.
The 1996 season was Shimizu S-Pulse's fifth season in existence and their fourth season in the J1 League. The club also competed in the Emperor's Cup, the J.League Cup, and the Suntory Cup. The team finished the season tenth in the league and won the J.League Cup.
