was a Japanese

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

player, manager, and referee. He played for Japan national team. He also managed Japan national team.

Club career

Takenokoshi was born in Usuki on February 15, 1906. He played for Tokyo Imperial University LB was consisted of his alma mater

Tokyo Imperial University The University of Tokyo (, abbreviated as in Japanese and UTokyo in English) is a public university, public research university in Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan. Founded in 1877 as the nation's first modern university by the merger of several Edo peri ...

players and graduates. He also played for Tokyo OB Club and won 1933 Emperor's Cup with Shiro Teshima and

Teiichi Matsumaru was a Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team. Club career Matsumaru was born in Bunkyo, Tokyo on February 28, 1909. He played for Keio BRB was consisted of his alma mater Keio University players and graduates. At Keio BRB ...

National team career

In May 1925, when Takenokoshi was a

student, he was selected Japan national team for 1925 Far Eastern Championship Games in

Manila Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the Capital of the Philippines, capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City, with a population of 1,846,513 people in 2020. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on ...

. At this competition, on May 20, he debuted against

Republic of China Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...

. He also played at

1927 Events January * January 1 – The British Broadcasting ''Company'' becomes the BBC, British Broadcasting ''Corporation'', when its Royal Charter of incorporation takes effect. John Reith, 1st Baron Reith, John Reith becomes the first ...

Shanghai Shanghai, Shanghainese: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: is a direct-administered municipality and the most populous urban area in China. The city is located on the Chinese shoreline on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the ...

and 1930 Far Eastern Championship Games in

Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...

. At 1927 Far Eastern Championship Games, on August 29, he scored a goal against

Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

and Japan won this match. This is Japan national team first victory in

International A Match Association football (more commonly known as football or soccer) was first codified in 1863 in England, although games that involved the kicking of a ball were evident considerably earlier.

. At 1930 Far Eastern Championship Games, he led Japan to the champions as captain. He played 5 games and scored 1 goal for Japan until 1930.Japan National Football Team Database
/ref>

Coaching career

In 1934, Takenokoshi was named manager for Japan national team for the 1934 Far Eastern Championship Games in

. In 1936, he served as assistant coach under manager Shigeyoshi Suzuki for

1936 Summer Olympics The 1936 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XI Olympiad () and officially branded as Berlin 1936, were an international multi-sport event held from 1 to 16 August 1936 in Berlin, then capital of Nazi Germany. Berlin won the bid to ...

Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...

. Japan completed a come-from-behind victory against powerhouse

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...

. This was the first Olympic football victory for Japan and later became known in Japan as "The Miracle of Berlin." ( ベルリンの奇跡) In 2016, this team was selected Japan Football Hall of Fame. He also managed Japan from 1938 to 1940. After

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, in 1951, Takenokoshi became a manager for Japan as

Hirokazu Ninomiya was a Japanese football player and manager. He played for Japan national team. He also managed Japan national team. Club career Ninomiya was born in Hyogo Prefecture on 22 November 1917. He played for Keio BRB was consisted of his alma mater ...

's successor. He managed at

1954 Asian Games The 1954 Asian Games (), officially known as the Second Asian Games – Manila 1954, were a multi-sport event held in Manila, Philippines, from May 1 to 9, 1954. A total of 970 athletes from 19 Asian National Olympic Committees (NOCs) competed in ...

and

1956 Summer Olympics The 1956 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XVI Olympiad and officially branded as Melbourne 1956, were an international multi-sport event held in Melbourne, Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia, from 22 November to 8 December ...

. After 1956 Summer Olympics, he resigned. In 1958, he became a manager for Japan as Taizo Kawamoto successor again. However, in December 1959, at 1960 Summer Olympics qualification, following Japan's failure to qualify for

1960 Summer Olympics The 1960 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad () and commonly known as Rome 1960 (), were an international multi-sport event held from 25 August to 11 September 1960 in Rome, Italy. Rome had previously been awar ...

, he stepped down as manager. On October 6, 1980, Takenokoshi died of

stroke Stroke is a medical condition in which poor cerebral circulation, blood flow to a part of the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: brain ischemia, ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and intracranial hemorrhage, hemor ...

in Bunkyo,

at the age of 74. In 2005, he was selected Japan Football Hall of Fame.

National team statistics

Honours

* Japan Football Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2005

References

External links

*
Japan National Football Team Database
at

Japan Football Association The Japan Football Association (JFA, ) is the Sport governing body, governing body responsible for the administration of Association football, football, futsal, beach soccer and Esports, efootball in Japan. It is responsible for the Japan national ...

Japan Football Hall of Fame
(Japan team at 1936 Olympics) at

Profile at Archive.footballjapan.jp
{{DEFAULTSORT:Takenokoshi, Shigemaru 1906 births 1980 deaths University of Tokyo alumni Association football people from Ōita Prefecture Japanese men's footballers Japan men's international footballers Japanese football managers Japan national football team managers Japanese football referees Football referees at the 1956 Summer Olympics Men's association football midfielders Presidents of the Japan Futsal Federation 20th-century Japanese sportsmen