1996 J.League
The 1996 J.League season was the fourth season since the establishment of the J.League. The season began on March 16, 1996, and ended on November 9, 1996.
Season | 1997 |
---|---|
Champions | Kashima Antlers 1st J. League title |
Asian Club Championship | Kashima Antlers |
Matches played | 240 |
Goals scored | 778 (3.24 per match) |
Top goalscorer | Kazuyoshi Miura (23 goals) |
Highest attendance | 50,974 - Reds vs. P-Sanga (May 15) |
Lowest attendance | 4,491 - Sanfrecce vs. Avispa (November 6) |
Average attendance | 13,353 |
← 1995 1997 → |
Clubs
The following sixteen clubs participated in J.League during the 1996 season. Of these clubs, Kyoto Purple Sanga, and Avispa Fukuoka were newly promoted from Japan Football League (former).
- Kashima Antlers
- Urawa Red Diamonds
- JEF United Ichihara
- Kashiwa Reysol
- Verdy Kawasaki
- Yokohama Marinos
- Yokohama Flügels
- Bellmare Hiratsuka
- Shimizu S-Pulse
- Júblio Iwata
- Nagoya Grampus Eight
- Kyoto Purple Sanga
- Gamba Osaka
- Cerezo Osaka
- Sanfrecce Hiroshima
- Avispa Fukuoka
Format
In the 1996 season, the league abolished the split-season format and followed a single-season format; sixteen clubs played in double round-robin format, a total of 30 games per club. The games went to golden-goal extra time and penalties if needed after regulation. A club received 3 points for any win, 1 point for PK loss, and 0 pts for regulation or extra time loss. The clubs were ranked by points, and tie breakers are in the following order:
- Goal differential
- Goals scored
- Head-to-head results
- Extra match or a coin toss
The club that finished at the top of the table was declared season champion.
- Changes in competition format
- Number of competing clubs increased from 14 to 16
- Followed single-season format instead of split-season format
- Suntory Final Series was held this year, instead of Suntory Championship
- Number of games per club reduced to 30 from 52 games per season
Final standings
Pos | Team | Pld | W | PKL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 30 | 21 | 3 | 6 | 61 | 34 | +27 | 66 | 1996 J.League Champions Qualifies to 1996 Suntory Cup*, 1997/98 ACC, and 1997 Super Cup | |
2 | 30 | 21 | 0 | 9 | 63 | 39 | +24 | 63 | Qualifies to 1996 Suntory Cup* | |
3 | 30 | 21 | 0 | 9 | 58 | 44 | +14 | 63 | ||
4 | 30 | 20 | 2 | 8 | 53 | 38 | +15 | 62 | ||
5 | 30 | 20 | 0 | 10 | 67 | 52 | +15 | 60 | ||
6 | 30 | 19 | 2 | 9 | 51 | 31 | +20 | 59 | ||
7 | 30 | 19 | 0 | 11 | 68 | 42 | +26 | 57 | ||
8 | 30 | 14 | 0 | 16 | 39 | 40 | −1 | 42 | ||
9 | 30 | 13 | 1 | 16 | 45 | 47 | −2 | 40 | ||
10 | 30 | 12 | 1 | 17 | 50 | 60 | −10 | 37 | ||
11 | 30 | 12 | 0 | 18 | 47 | 58 | −11 | 36 | ||
12 | 30 | 11 | 0 | 19 | 38 | 59 | −21 | 33 | ||
13 | 30 | 10 | 0 | 20 | 38 | 56 | −18 | 30 | ||
14 | 30 | 10 | 0 | 20 | 36 | 60 | −24 | 30 | ||
15 | 30 | 9 | 2 | 19 | 42 | 64 | −22 | 29 | ||
16 | 30 | 8 | 0 | 22 | 22 | 54 | −32 | 24 |
Rules for classification: Win = 3 pts; P.K. loss = 1 pt; Regulation, E.T. loss = 0 pts
Golden Boots ranking
Rank | Scorer | Club | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Verdy Kawasaki | 23 | |
2 | Kashiwa Reysol | 21 | |
3 | Yokohama Flügels | 20 | |
4 | Júbilo Iwata | 15 | |
5 | Verdy Kawasaki | 13 | |
6 | Kashima Antlers | 12 | |
JEF United Ichihara | 12 | ||
8 | Gamba Osaka | 11 | |
Nagoya Grampus Eight | 11 | ||
Sanfrecce Hiroshima | 11 | ||
Nagoya Grampus Eight | 11 | ||
Bellmare Hiratsuka | 11 | ||
Kashima Antlers | 11 | ||
Urawa Red Diamonds | 11 |
Awards
Individual awards
Award | Recipient | Club | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Most Valuable Player | Kashima Antlers | ||
Rookie of the Year | Shimizu S-Pulse | ||
Manager of the Year | Kashiwa Reysol | ||
Top Scorer | Verdy Kawasaki | 23 goals. |
Best Eleven
Pos | Footballer | Club | Nationality |
---|---|---|---|
GK | Seigo Narazaki | Yokohama Flügels | |
DF | Naoki Soma | Kashima Antlers | |
DF | Masami Ihara | Yokohama Marinos | |
DF | Guido Buchwald | Urawa Red Diamonds | |
MF | Jorginho | Kashima Antlers | |
MF | Masakiyo Maezono | Yokohama Flügels | |
MF | Motohiro Yamaguchi | Yokohama Flügels | |
MF | Hiroshi Nanami | Júbilo Iwata | |
FW | Kazuyoshi Miura | Verdy Kawasaki | |
FW | Dragan Stojković | Nagoya Grampus Eight | |
FW | Masayuki Okano | Urawa Red Diamonds |
See also
- J-League Jikkyō Winning Eleven 97 (PlayStation video game based on the 1996 season)