Tsuyoshi Kitazawa is a former Japanese football player who has made significant contributions to the sport both on and off the field.
He began his professional career with Honda FC, where he was the league's joint top scorer in the 1990–91 season.
Kitazawa played for Tokyo Verdy from 1991 to 2002, helping the team secure multiple championships during his tenure.
Biography
Early Life
Tsuyoshi Kitazawa was born in Japan and began his football journey at a young age. He joined the Yomiuri Club Junior Youth after a successful one-week trial while still in junior high school. Following his graduation, he attended Shutoku High School, where he honed his skills playing for the school football club.
Club Career
Kitazawa's professional career kicked off in 1987 when he joined Honda FC, competing in the Japan Soccer League. He quickly made a name for himself, becoming the league's joint top scorer in the 1990–91 season. In 1991, he transferred to Yomiuri Club, which later became known as Tokyo Verdy. During his time with Verdy, Kitazawa was a key player in the team's success, contributing to their consecutive J.League championships in 1993 and 1994, as well as three consecutive J.League Cup titles from 1992 to 1994. He remained with the club until his retirement in 2002.
International Career
On the international stage, Kitazawa represented the Japan men's national football team from 1991 to 1999, earning 58 caps and scoring three goals. He made his debut in a friendly match against Thailand and was part of the squad that won the 1992 Asian Cup. Kitazawa's international career also included a memorable moment when he scored his first goal in the semifinals against China. Despite being shortlisted for the 1998 World Cup, he was ultimately dropped from the final squad.
Post-Retirement
After retiring from professional football, Kitazawa transitioned into a career in media, where he now works as a football commentator, sharing his insights and experiences from his playing days with fans and viewers.
Collected from open sources (3) · facts link to sources · AI-processed
Gallery
Career & Clubs
When Kitazawa was a junior high school student, he joined Yomiuri Club Junior Youth after a one-week trial. After graduating from junior high school, he chose to attend Shutoku High School, where he played for the school football club. After graduating, he joined Japan Soccer League side Honda in 1987. He was the league's joint top scorer in the 1990–91 season. He transferred to Yomiuri Club (later Verdy Kawasaki, now Tokyo Verdy) in 1991. He became a key member of Verdy's successful early-1990s side, playing alongside Kazuyoshi Miura, Ruy Ramos, Nobuhiro Takeda, Tetsuji Hashiratani and, from 1993, Bismarck. Verdy won consecutive J.League championships in 1993 and 1994, as well as three consecutive J.League Cup titles from 1992 to 1994. Kitazawa remained with Verdy until retiring in 2002.
Kitazawa was capped 58 times and scored 3 goals for the Japan national team between 1991 and 1999. He made his international debut on 2 June 1991 in a friendly against Thailand in Yamagata Park Stadium, under national coach Kenzo Yokoyama. He was a member of the Japan team that won the 1992 Asian Cup. He scored his first international goal on 6 November 1992 in the semifinal against China at Hiroshima Stadium. He took part in Japan's unsuccessful campaign to qualify for the 1994 World Cup. He was a member of the Asian final qualification stage, which was held centrally in Qatar and featured two games. He was on the bench when the Iraqis' injury-time equaliser dashed Japan's qualification hopes in the last qualifier, in the match that Japanese fans now remember as the Agony of Doha. Kitazawa was short-listed for the 1998 World Cup, but national coach Takeshi Okada dropped him along with Kazuyoshi Miura and Daisuke Ichikawa at the final training camp in Nyon, Switzerland.
Kitazawa represented Japan national futsal team in the 1989 FIFA Futsal World Championship finals hosted by the Netherlands.
Club
International
Scores and results list Japan's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Kitazawa goal.
- Club
- Honda FC (1987–1991)
- Club
- Tokyo Verdy (1991–2002)
- Club
- Japan men's national football team (1991–1999)
- National team
- Japan
Clubs
- Honda FC1987–1991
- Japan men's national football team1991–1999
- Tokyo Verdy1991–2002
Played together with
- Adaílson Pereira CoelhoTokyo Verdy · 2014–2014
- Adebayo AdigunTokyo Verdy · 2010–2011
- Akira IbayashiTokyo Verdy · 2012
- Akira TakabeTokyo Verdy · 2003–2003
- Akiyoshi OhashiHonda FC
- Alan PinheiroTokyo Verdy · 2015–2015
- Alan PinheiroTokyo Verdy · 2016
Alcindo SartoriTokyo Verdy · 1995–1995- Alcindo SartoriTokyo Verdy · 1997–1997
- Alex HenriqueTokyo Verdy · 2012–2012
Alexandre LopesTokyo Verdy · 2002–2003
Anaílson Brito NoletoTokyo Verdy · 2006–2006
Archive
Passport
Identifiers & aliases
Tsuyoshi Kitazawa is a Japanese former football player who played for the Japan national team. He currently works on television as a football commentator.
Opinions of fans — not verified facts.
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