JapaneseFootballerNational teamGoalkeeper

Gyoji Matsumoto

Gyoji Matsumoto was a Japanese football player, national team goalkeeper, and coach known for leading Urawa Minami High School to a treble and inspiring a manga character.

1. Life and Career

Gyoji Matsumoto's life and career were deeply intertwined with the development of football in Japan, spanning his time as a player, a highly successful high school coach, and a football administrator.

1.1. Early Life and Education

Gyoji Matsumoto was born on August 13, 1934, in Urawa City, Saitama Prefecture, which is now part of Saitama City. For his education, he attended Saitama Prefectural Urawa High School before continuing his studies at Saitama University. Upon graduating from university, he embarked on a career as a public servant, taking up a position as a high school teacher for the Saitama Prefectural Board of Education.

1.2. Playing Career

Matsumoto dedicated his early career to playing football, primarily as a goalkeeper.

1.2.1. Club Career

During his club career, Gyoji Matsumoto played for Saitama Kyoin (Saitama Teachers, now known as Saitama Soccer Club) and later for Urawa Club. His primary position throughout his playing days was goalkeeper.

1.2.2. International Career

Matsumoto earned a call-up to the Japan national football team. His debut for the national team occurred on December 28, 1958, in an international friendly match against the Malaya in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The match resulted in a 2-6 defeat for Japan, which was then coached by Shigemaru Takenokoshi. This match marked his sole international A-match appearance for Japan.

1.2.3. Statistics

His playing statistics for the Japan national team are as follows:

Japan national team
YearAppsGoals
195810
Total10

1.3. Coaching Career

After concluding his playing career, Gyoji Matsumoto transitioned into coaching, where he achieved significant success and became known for his distinctive style.

1.3.1. High School Coaching

In 1963, Gyoji Matsumoto was appointed as the coach of Saitama Municipal Urawa Minami High School (浦和市立南高等学校) upon its establishment. Under his leadership, the school's football team rose to national prominence. In 1969, Urawa Minami High School made history by becoming the first high school team to achieve the "treble," winning all three major national high school football titles in the same year: the All Japan High School Soccer Tournament, the Inter-High School Championships, and the National Sports Festival of Japan.

Matsumoto was renowned for his demanding and rigorous coaching methodology, which earned him the nickname "Onimatsu" (鬼松Demon MatsumotoJapanese or Ogre Matsumoto). He was considered one of the top coaches in high school football, often mentioned alongside other legendary figures like Minoru Nagaike of Shizuoka Prefectural Fujieda Higashi High School and Sadao Furunuma of Teikyo Junior and Senior High School. His reputation was such that it was widely believed that Urawa Minami High School's strength was due to its exceptional coach rather than its inherent status as a prestigious school.

1.3.2. Other Coaching Roles

Beyond his celebrated tenure at Urawa Minami High School, Matsumoto also contributed his coaching expertise to other educational institutions. He coached at Saitama University Affiliated Junior High School. Furthermore, his influence extended to the national level, as he served as a coach for the Japan Youth National Team.

1.4. Later Life and Administrative Roles

Following his active coaching career, Gyoji Matsumoto continued to contribute to Japanese football through various administrative positions. He held the esteemed role of President of the Saitama Football Association, overseeing the development and promotion of football within Saitama Prefecture. Additionally, he served as President of the Saitama Futsal Federation, demonstrating his commitment to various forms of the sport.

2. Assessment and Legacy

Gyoji Matsumoto's contributions to Japanese football are widely recognized, particularly his profound impact on the sport's development at the youth and high school levels. His legacy is marked by his coaching prowess and the influential figures he mentored. Among his notable proteges were Kozo Tashima, who later became the President of the Japan Football Association; Yoshikazu Nagai, who went on to coach the Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies team; Kiyoshi Okuma, who served as a coach for the Japan national team; and Hideo Morita, a coach at Nippon Sport Science University. Beyond his direct coaching, Matsumoto's public profile was further elevated when he became the inspiration for the character Tenpei Matsuki in the popular Japanese manga series Akakichi no Eleven (赤き血のイレブン, "Eleven of the Red Blood"), a fictionalized account of high school football. This cultural representation solidified his iconic status in the history of Japanese football.

3. Death

Gyoji Matsumoto died on September 2, 2019, at the age of 85. He passed away in Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture, due to heart disease.