Michihiro Ozawa
Michihiro Ozawa is a former Japanese football player known for his contributions to the sport as a midfielder.
He played for Sanfrecce Hiroshima from 1955 to 1967, achieving significant success during his tenure.
Ozawa was a member of the Japan men's national football team from 1956 to 1964, participating in key international competitions.
Biography
Early Life
Michihiro Ozawa was born on December 25, 1932, in Utsunomiya, Japan. He pursued his education at the Tokyo University of Education, which laid the foundation for his future career in football.
Career
Ozawa began his professional football journey in 1955 when he joined Toyo Industries. Over the next twelve years, he made a significant impact in the sport, playing as a midfielder. His tenure at Toyo Industries was marked by remarkable success, as he helped the club secure the championship in the newly formed Japan Soccer League for three consecutive years from 1965 to 1967. In 1962, his talent was recognized when he was awarded the Japanese Footballer of the Year.
In addition to his club success, Ozawa was a key player for the Japan national team from 1956 to 1964. He made his debut on June 3, 1956, against South Korea during the qualification for the 1956 Summer Olympics. He represented Japan at the Olympics in Melbourne later that year and also participated in the 1958 and 1962 Asian Games. By 1964, he had played 36 matches for the national team and served as captain, although he was not selected for the Tokyo Olympics due to a generational shift in the team. Ozawa retired from professional football in 1967.
Legacy
In recognition of his contributions to Japanese football, Michihiro Ozawa was inducted into the Japan Football Hall of Fame in 2014, solidifying his legacy as one of the sport's notable figures in Japan.
Collected from open sources (2) · facts link to sources · AI-processed
Career & Clubs
Ozawa was born in Utsunomiya on December 25, 1932. After graduating from Tokyo University of Education, he joined Toyo Industries in 1955. In 1962, he was selected Japanese Footballer of the Year awards. In 1965, Toyo Industries joined new league Japan Soccer League. He retired in 1967. He played 42 games and the club also won the championship for 3 years in a row (1965-1967) in the league.
In June 1956, he was selected Japan national team for 1956 Summer Olympics qualification. At this qualification, on June 3, he debuted against South Korea. In November, he played at 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne. He also played at 1958 and 1962 Asian Games. In 1964, when he was 31 years old, he was the captain of Japan national team, but he was not selected as a member for 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo for generational change. He played 36 games for Japan until 1964. In 2014, Ozawa was selected Japan Football Hall of Fame.
- Club
- Sanfrecce Hiroshima (1955–1967)
- Club
- Japan men's national football team (1956–1964)
- National team
- Japan
Legacy
Clubs
- Sanfrecce Hiroshima1955–1967
- Japan men's national football team1956–1964
Played together with
- Akihiro SatoSanfrecce Hiroshima · 2005–2010
- Akinobu YokouchiSanfrecce Hiroshima · 1986–1995
- Akira KawaguchiSanfrecce Hiroshima · 1993–1994
Anderson LopesSanfrecce Hiroshima · 2016
Anderson Patric Aguiar OliveiraSanfrecce Hiroshima · 2017- Andrey Gustavo dos SantosSanfrecce Hiroshima · 1993–1995
Ante TomićSanfrecce Hiroshima · 2011–2011- Antônio Carlos SantosSanfrecce Hiroshima · 1996–1997
- Aritatsu OgiSanfrecce Hiroshima · 1965–1976
- Atsushi NagaiSanfrecce Hiroshima · 1998–1998
- Atsuyoshi FurutaSanfrecce Hiroshima · 1975–1984
Aurelio VidmarSanfrecce Hiroshima · 1998–1999
Archive
Passport
Identifiers & aliases
Michihiro Ozawa is a former Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team.
Opinions of fans — not verified facts.
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