1. Overview
Osamu Maeda (前田 治Maeda OsamuJapanese), born on September 5, 1965, in Fukuoka, Japan, is a former Japanese football player who primarily played as a striker. Throughout his career, he was a prominent figure for Yokohama Flügels and the Japan national football team. After retiring as a player, Maeda transitioned into a successful career in football coaching and media, serving as a coach for youth teams and later as a football commentator and columnist.
2. Early Life and Education
Osamu Maeda was born on September 5, 1965, in Fukuoka, Japan. His early education included attending Chofu Wakaba Elementary School and Fukuoka Umabayashi Junior High School. He further pursued his football development during his high school and university years.
2.1. Youth and Amateur Career
Maeda attended Teikyo High School, a renowned football powerhouse in Japan. In 1983, during the final match of the National High School Football Championship against Shimizu Higashi High School, Maeda scored the decisive volley goal that led Teikyo to their fourth championship title, showcasing his early talent as a striker.
Following high school, Maeda enrolled in Tokai University in 1984. During his time there, he played a pivotal role in the university's football team. He helped Tokai University achieve promotion from the Kanto University League Division 2 to Division 1 within two years. In 1986, he led the team to win the Kanto University League Division 1. Demonstrating his consistent scoring prowess, he secured the title of top scorer for four consecutive years, a record that spanned both Division 2 and Division 1. His impressive performance at the university level led to his selection for the Japan national team in 1987 while still a student. He also represented Japan in youth and Universiade national teams during this period.
3. Playing Career
Osamu Maeda's professional football career spanned from 1988 to 1996, primarily with Yokohama Flügels (and its predecessor, All Nippon Airways Club), where he became a key attacking player. He also earned 14 caps for the Japan national team, scoring 6 goals.
3.1. Club Career
Maeda's professional club journey began in 1988 when he joined All Nippon Airways (ANA) Club, which was then competing in the Japan Soccer League (JSL) Division 1. In his debut season (1988-89), ANA finished second in the league, and Maeda's exceptional performance earned him the prestigious JSL Rookie of the Year award. He quickly became recognized for his playing style, characterized by speedy breakthroughs and excellent positioning as a striker.
The club later rebranded as Yokohama Flügels with the establishment of the J.League. Despite experiencing a period of stagnation due to injuries, Maeda made a significant impact in the newly formed league. In 1993, during the J.League Suntory Series (the first stage of the season), he scored in four consecutive matches, starting from the opening game against Shimizu S-Pulse at Mitsuzawa Park Stadium. His contributions that season led to his participation in the 1993 J.League All-Star Soccer match. Despite some time away due to injuries, he still managed to score 10 league goals in 1993.
Maeda also played a crucial role in Yokohama Flügels' triumph in the 1993 Emperor's Cup. He displayed remarkable form by scoring in four consecutive matches, from the first round up to the semifinals against Sanfrecce Hiroshima, where he netted the opening goal. In the final match against Kashima Antlers, although he didn't score himself, he earned a crucial penalty kick that led to the team's opening goal, contributing significantly to their championship victory. Yokohama Flügels also achieved success on the Asian stage, winning the 1994-95 Asian Cup Winners' Cup and the 1995 Asian Super Cup. In 1996, his playing opportunities saw a significant decline, which led to his decision to retire from professional football at the end of that year.
3.2. International Career
Osamu Maeda's international career with the Japan national team spanned from 1987 to 1989. His first appearance for the Japan national team was on January 8, 1987, in a match against Shanghai (China) in Shanghai.
He made his international A-match debut for Japan on January 27, 1988, against the United Arab Emirates in Dubai. He quickly established himself as a regular player and was part of the squad that participated in the 1990 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Maeda scored his first goal for the Japan national team (which was also his first international A-match goal) on February 2, 1988, in a friendly match against the Oman national football team in Muscat. Notably, this goal was also the last goal scored by the Japan national team during the Shōwa period. On January 20, 1989, in a friendly match against the Iran national football team in Tehran, Maeda scored two goals. One of these goals marked a historical moment as it was the first goal scored by the Japan national team in the Heisei period. In total, he earned 14 caps and scored 6 goals for Japan in international A-matches between 1988 and 1989.
4. Post-playing Career
After retiring from professional football in 1996, Osamu Maeda transitioned into coaching and various media activities, continuing his involvement in the sport.
4.1. Coaching Career
Maeda embarked on his coaching career in 1998, initially serving as a coach for the junior youth team of Yokohama Flügels. After the merger that formed Yokohama F. Marinos, he continued his coaching roles, managing the Yokohama F. Marinos junior youth Sugata team from 1999 to 2000. In 2003, driven by a passion for nurturing young talent, he established the non-profit organization F-Sports Academy. He currently dedicates his time to teaching children at the Maeda Osamu F Soccer School.
4.2. Media and Other Activities
Beyond his coaching endeavors, Osamu Maeda has also made a name for himself in the media as a football commentator and columnist. His connection to Chofu City, where he attended elementary school and which is now the hometown of J.League club FC Tokyo, led him to become a regular commentator for FC Tokyo's home matches, broadcast on TOKYO MX. Additionally, he contributes a column to the Tokyo Chunichi Sports newspaper, where he provides in-depth analysis of FC Tokyo's matches.
5. Statistics
This section provides a detailed overview of Osamu Maeda's playing statistics during his professional club career and his international appearances for the Japan national team, along with a list of notable records and milestones. Maeda stood at 69 in (176 cm) and weighed 163 lb (74 kg) during his playing career.
5.1. Club Statistics
| Club performance | League | Emperor's Cup | League Cup | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Club | League | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Japan | League | Emperor's Cup | J.League Cup | Total | ||||||
| 1988-89 | All Nippon Airways | JSL Division 1 | 22 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 24 | 10 | ||
| 1989-90 | 16 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 19 | 4 | ||||
| 1990-91 | 16 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 20 | 4 | ||||
| 1991-92 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | ||||
| 1992 | Yokohama Flügels | J1 League | - | 9 | 3 | 9 | 3 | |||
| 1993 | 32 | 10 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 43 | 15 | ||
| 1994 | 39 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 43 | 11 | ||
| 1995 | 29 | 8 | 2 | 0 | - | 31 | 8 | |||
| 1996 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 0 | ||
| Total | 164 | 45 | 9 | 4 | 29 | 6 | 202 | 55 | ||
Other official competitions:
- 1990 Konica Cup: 6 appearances, 3 goals
5.2. International Statistics
| Japan National Team | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | A-match Apps | A-match Goals | Other Representative Apps | Other Representative Goals | Total Representative Apps | Total Representative Goals |
| 1987 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 1988 | 5 | 1 | 14 | 4 | 19 | 5 |
| 1989 | 9 | 5 | 9 | 2 | 18 | 7 |
| Total | 14 | 6 | 26 | 6 | 40 | 12 |
5.2.1. International A-match Appearances
| No. | Date | City | Stadium | Opponent | Result | Manager | Tournament |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 1988-01-27 | position=rightDubai | UAE | △1-1 | Kenzo Yokoyama | International Friendly | |
| 2. | 1988-01-30 | Abu Dhabi | UAE | ●0-2 | International Friendly | ||
| 3. | 1988-02-02 | Muscat | OMA | △1-1 | International Friendly | ||
| 4. | 1988-06-02 | Aichi | Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletics Stadium | CHN | ●0-3 | Kirin Cup | |
| 5. | 1988-10-26 | Tokyo | National Kasumigaoka Athletics Stadium | KOR | ●0-1 | Japan-South Korea Regular Match | |
| 6. | 1989-01-20 | Tehran | IRN | △2-2 | International Friendly | ||
| 7. | 1989-05-05 | Seoul | KOR | ●0-1 | Japan-South Korea Regular Match | ||
| 8. | 1989-05-10 | Tokyo | National Nishigaoka Soccer Stadium | CHN | △2-2 | International Friendly | |
| 9. | 1989-05-13 | Okayama | Okayama Prefectural General Ground Athletics Stadium | CHN | ○2-0 | International Friendly | |
| 10. | 1989-05-22 | Hong Kong | HKG | △0-0 | World Cup Qualifier | ||
| 11. | 1989-05-28 | Indonesia | IDN | △0-0 | World Cup Qualifier | ||
| 12. | 1989-06-04 | Tokyo | National Kasumigaoka Athletics Stadium | PRK | ○2-1 | World Cup Qualifier | |
| 13. | 1989-06-11 | Tokyo | National Nishigaoka Soccer Stadium | IDN | ○5-0 | World Cup Qualifier | |
| 14. | 1989-06-18 | Aichi | Kobe Universiade Memorial Stadium | HKG | △0-0 | World Cup Qualifier |
5.2.2. International A-match Goals
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Match Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1988-02-02 | Muscat, Oman | OMA | 1-1 | Draw | International Friendly |
| 2 | 1989-01-20 | Tehran, Iran | IRN | 2-2 | Draw | International Friendly (First goal for Japan national team in Heisei era) |
| 3 | 1989-01-20 | Tehran, Iran | IRN | 2-2 | Draw | International Friendly |
| 4 | 1989-05-10 | Tokyo, Japan | CHN | 2-2 | Draw | International Friendly |
| 5 | 1989-05-13 | Okayama, Japan | CHN | 2-0 | Win | International Friendly |
| 6 | 1989-06-11 | Tokyo, Japan | IDN | 5-0 | Win | 1990 FIFA World Cup Qualifier |
5.3. Notable Records and Milestones
- JSL Rookie of the Year: 1988 (with All Nippon Airways)
- Kanto University Soccer League Top Scorer: 4 consecutive years (while at Tokai University)
- First Japan national team appearance: January 8, 1987, vs Shanghai (China)
- First international A-match debut: January 27, 1988, vs United Arab Emirates
- Last goal scored by Japan national team in Shōwa period: February 2, 1988, vs Oman
- First goal scored by Japan national team in Heisei period: January 20, 1989, vs Iran
- J.League debut and first goal: May 16, 1993, vs Shimizu S-Pulse (Mitsuzawa Park Stadium)
- Scored in 4 consecutive matches in the 1993 J.League Suntory Series.
- Scored in 4 consecutive matches in the 1993 Emperor's Cup.