Masashi Nakayama
Masashi Nakayama (中山 雅史, Nakayama Masashi, born 23 September 1967) is a Japanese footballer who played as a forward. Born in Shizuoka, Gon 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. He retired in December 2012 at age 45 after playing 3 seasons for Consadole Sapporo, then he came back almost three years later with Azul Claro Numazu in Japan Football League, the club has been promoted to the J3 League since 2017.
![]() Masashi Nakayama's autograph | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Full name | Masashi Nakayama | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Date of birth | 23 September 1967 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Fujieda, Shizuoka, Japan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing position(s) | Forward | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Club information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | Azul Claro Numazu | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Number | 39 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1983–1985 | Fujieda Higashi High School | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1986–1989 | University of Tsukuba | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1990–2009 | Júbilo Iwata | 419 | (207) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2010–2012 | Consadole Sapporo | 13 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2015– | Azul Claro Numazu | 0 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Total | 432 | (207) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
National team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1990–2003 | Japan | 53 | (21) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Honours
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* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 31 December 2018 |
Career
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 lineup 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 Japanese national team.
At the 1998 World Cup finals in France, Nakayama scored the only goal of the tournament and the first goal for Japan in the history of the World Cup against Jamaica on 26 June 1998.[1] He has scored 21 goals in 53 appearances for the Japanese national team.[2]
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. This striker becomes a record-holder with other hat-tricks, that he did it in four successive games of J1 League, 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
Affectionately known as "Gon Nakayama" is a fan favorite among many casual Japanese football fans for his outspoken and humorous nature. Now in the twilight of his career, injuries and age have taken a toll on Nakayama's skills but he still remains a favorite of the Jubilo faithful, as evidenced by the fact that he draws the loudest cheers by far from the home crowd at Yamaha Stadium when his name is announced during warm-ups or when he comes on as a substitute.
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 scores of 157 goals.[1] In September 2015, he began to train with Azul Claro Numazu and then he signed a contract with the Japan Football League team Azul Claro.[3] Despite the fact he didn't play any minute of JFL with Azul Claro, his contract was renewed for 2017 season, a first for a professional football club.[4]
Career statistics
Club
Club performance | League | Cup | League Cup | Continental | Total | |||||||
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Season | Club | League | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
Japan | League | Emperor's Cup | J.League Cup | AFC | Total | |||||||
1990/91 | Yamaha Motors | JSL Division 1 | 13 | 4 | 2 | 1 | - | 15 | 5 | |||
1991/92 | 18 | 15 | 1 | 0 | - | 19 | 15 | |||||
1992 | Football League | 16 | 13 | - | - | 16 | 13 | |||||
1993 | 18 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 19 | 18 | |||
1994 | Júbilo Iwata | J1 League | 12 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 12 | 3 | |
1995 | 45 | 18 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 45 | 18 | ||||
1996 | 27 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 7 | - | 40 | 16 | |||
1997 | 27 | 18 | 4 | 2 | 11 | 6 | - | 42 | 26 | |||
1998 | 27 | 36 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | - | 30 | 40 | |||
1999 | 23 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | 25 | 9 | |||
2000 | 29 | 20 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 1 | - | 36 | 23 | |||
2001 | 30 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 4 | - | 39 | 20 | |||
2002 | 29 | 16 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 3 | - | 39 | 21 | |||
2003 | 12 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 1 | - | 19 | 4 | |||
2004 | 19 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 32 | 5 | ||
2005 | 29 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 34 | 6 | ||
2006 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | - | 17 | 2 | |||
2007 | 15 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 | - | 22 | 2 | |||
2008 | 16 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | - | 21 | 3 | |||
2009 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | 3 | 0 | |||
2010 | Consadole Sapporo | J2 League | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 13 | 0 | ||
2011 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | ||||
2012 | J1 League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 1 | 0 | ||
2015 | Azul Claro Numazu | Football League | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | 0 | 0 | |||
2016 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | 0 | 0 | |||||
2017 | J3 League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | |||
2018 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | ||||
2019 | - | - | ||||||||||
Total | 432 | 207 | 34 | 12 | 68 | 27 | 5 | 1 | 539 | 247 |
International
Japan national team | ||
---|---|---|
Year | Apps | Goals |
1990 | 1 | 0 |
1991 | 0 | 0 |
1992 | 6 | 3 |
1993 | 8 | 4 |
1994 | 0 | 0 |
1995 | 4 | 1 |
1996 | 0 | 0 |
1997 | 2 | 2 |
1998 | 10 | 4 |
1999 | 1 | 0 |
2000 | 7 | 6 |
2001 | 8 | 1 |
2002 | 3 | 0 |
2003 | 3 | 0 |
Total | 53 | 21 |
International goals
# | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | 29 August 1992 | Beijing, China PR | ![]() | 2–2 | Draw | Dynasty Cup 1992 |
2. | 1 November 1992 | Hiroshima, Japan | ![]() | 1–1 | Draw | 1992 AFC Asian Cup Group Stage |
3. | 6 November 1992 | Hiroshima, Japan | ![]() | 3–2 | Won | 1992 AFC Asian Cup Semi-finals |
4. | 5 May 1993 | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | ![]() | 5–0 | Won | 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification |
5. | 18 October 1993 | Doha, Qatar | ![]() | 1–2 | Lost | 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification |
6. | 21 October 1993 | Doha, Qatar | ![]() | 3–0 | Won | 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification |
7. | 28 October 1993 | Doha, Qatar | ![]() | 2–2 | Draw | 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification |
8. | 28 May 1995 | Tokyo, Japan | ![]() | 3–0 | Won | Friendly |
9. | 8 November 1997 | Tokyo, Japan | ![]() | 5–1 | Won | 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification |
10. | 16 November 1997 | Johor Bahru, Malaysia | ![]() | 3–2 | Won | 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification AFC Play-off |
11. | 1 March 1998 | Yokohama, Japan | ![]() | 2–1 | Won | Dynasty Cup 1998 |
12. | 1 April 1998 | Korea Republic | ![]() | 1–2 | Lost | Friendly |
13. | 26 June 1998 | Lyon, France | ![]() | 1–2 | Lost | 1998 FIFA World Cup Group Stage |
14. | 28 October 1998 | Osaka, Japan | ![]() | 1–0 | Won | Friendly |
15. | 13 February 2000 | Macau | ![]() | 3–0 | Won | 2000 AFC Asian Cup qualification |
16. | 16 February 2000 | Macau | ![]() | 9–0 | Won | 2000 AFC Asian Cup qualification |
17. | 16 February 2000 | Macau | ![]() | 9–0 | Won | 2000 AFC Asian Cup qualification |
18. | 16 February 2000 | Macau | ![]() | 9–0 | Won | 2000 AFC Asian Cup qualification |
19. | 20 February 2000 | Macau | ![]() | 3–0 | Won | 2000 AFC Asian Cup qualification |
20. | 20 February 2000 | Macau | ![]() | 3–0 | Won | 2000 AFC Asian Cup qualification |
21. | 15 August 2001 | Fukuroi, Japan | ![]() | 3–0 | Won | AFC/OFC Cup Challenge |
International tournaments
Honours
Individual
- J.League Most Valuable Player: 1998
- J.League Top Scorer: 1998, 2000
- J.League Best XI: 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002
- J.League 20th Anniversary Team
- Japanese Footballer of the Year: 1998
- AFC Player of the Month: April 1998[7]
- Selected to AFC All Star Team: 1999
Trivia
- Nakayama is currently the all-time top goal scorer in J1 League with 157 goals. He holds the record for top scorer in a single season, scoring 36 goals in 1998.
- Nakayama once portrayed himself on television, performing voice work for a guest role on the anime Hungry Heart: Wild Striker.
- Nakayama 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.
- He married actress Tomoko Ikuta in 1996, and together they had a daughter. Ikuta did the voice-over for lead actress Lee Young-ae in the Japanese version of the popular South Korean TV series Dae Jang Geum.
- Nakayama Will Be a Special Guest Appearance in The HappinessCharge PreCure! as Himself This episode corresponds with the opening of the World Cup.
References
- Japan icon Nakayama calls time on career FIFA.com 4 December 2012
- Japan National Football Team Database
- 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.
- 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.
- 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)
- 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)
- "Nakayama's unstoppable". Asian Football Confederation. 19 February 1999.
External links
- Masashi Nakayama – FIFA competition record
- Masashi Nakayama at National-Football-Teams.com
- Japan National Football Team Database
- Masashi Nakayama at J.League (in Japanese)