Masao Uchino

1.1. Birth and background

Uchino was born on April 21, 1934, in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. He was a forward, playing primarily as an inside right. His height was 64 in ^{(163 cm)}.

1.2. Education

He attended Kanagawa Prefectural Odawara High School, graduating in 1953. Following high school, he enrolled at Chuo University, where he was an active member of the university's football club.

1.3. Death

Masao Uchino passed away around April 2013. While the exact date is not universally specified across sources, some indicate his death occurred by April 26, 2013, with one source suggesting April 30, 2013.

2.1. Club career

After graduating from Chuo University, Masao Uchino joined Furukawa Electric, a leading club in Japanese football at the time. He played a crucial role in the team's success, helping them win the Emperor's Cup multiple times, specifically in 1960, 1961, and 1964. The 1960 victory was particularly notable as it marked the first time an industrial team won the Emperor's Cup. In 1965, Furukawa Electric became a founding member of the new Japan Soccer League (JSL). Uchino played 47 games and scored 19 goals in the JSL before his retirement in 1969.

2.2. National team career

Masao Uchino's international career with the Japan national team began on January 2, 1955, when he debuted against Burma while still a student at Chuo University.

He played a significant role in the 1956 Summer Olympics qualification campaign. In June 1956, during the first match against South Korea, Uchino scored a crucial opening goal. Although Japan lost the second match to South Korea, they ultimately secured qualification for the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne through a drawing of lots. Uchino was selected for the 1956 Olympic squad and participated in the tournament, including the match against Australia.

His national team career also included participation in the 1958 and 1962 Asian Games. He was also involved in the 1959 Rome Olympics qualifiers and the 1962 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. In total, Uchino played 18 international A-matches and scored 3 goals for Japan between 1955 and 1962.

3.1. Managerial roles

Uchino had two distinct tenures as manager for Furukawa Electric. His first managerial role came in 1966, when he served as a playing manager, succeeding Ryuzo Hiraki and leading the club for one season.

He returned to manage Furukawa Electric in 1979, taking over from Mitsuo Kamata. During his second spell as manager, he achieved a notable success by guiding the club to victory in the 1982 JSL Cup. He continued in this role until the end of the 1983 season, when he resigned.

His managerial record with Furukawa Electric in the Japan Soccer League is detailed below:

4.1. Club statistics

Masao Uchino played for Furukawa Electric in the Japan Soccer League (JSL) from 1965 until his retirement in 1969. Over his JSL career, he made 47 appearances and scored 19 goals.

His league goal-scoring record by season is as follows:

4.2. National team statistics

Masao Uchino represented the Japan national team from 1955 to 1962, earning 18 caps and scoring 3 goals.

His yearly appearances and goals for the national team are:

The detailed list of his international A-matches is as follows:

His goals for the national team were scored in the following matches: