Yasushi Kawakami

Yasushi Kawakami (川上 靖, Kawakami Yasushi, born 8 May 1963) is a Japanese former football player, coach and manager.

Yasushi Kawakami
Personal information
Date of birth (1963-05-08) 8 May 1963
Place of birth Okinawa, Japan
Height 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
Position(s) Midfielder, forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1982–1987 Banfield
1987–1989 All Nippon Airways
1989–1992 Chuo Bohan
1992 Shimizu S-Pulse
Managerial career
1996–2006 Argentina (women) (assistant coach)
2008 Argentina U20 (women)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career

Kawakami was born in Okinawa, Japan.[1] His family emigrated to Argentina in 1968, when he was five years old.[2] He signed with Banfield in 1982,[1] becoming the first Japanese footballer to play in the Argentine league.[3][4][5] He played eight matches and scored one goal in the Argentine second division.[1][6] A goal scored by him against All Boys on 20 July 1985 was the first goal scored by a Japanese player in the Argentine league until Naohiro Takahara scored in 2001.[7][6]

In 1987, he returned to Japan and signed with All Nippon Airways in the Japan Soccer League. From 1989, he played for Chuo Bohan and Shimizu S-Pulse. He retired from playing in 1992.

Managerial career

After retirement, Kawakami started coaching career in Argentina. He was the technical director of the Argentina women's national team from 1999 to 2012.[5][8] He also served as the assistant coach for Argentina women's national team from 1996 to 2006.[9] He helped the national team qualify for their first FIFA Women's World Cup in 2003 with manager Carlos Borrello.[10] In 2008, he became a manager for Argentina U-20 women's national team and managed the team in 2008 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.[9]

References
  1. Yasushi Kawakami at BDFA (in Spanish)
  2. Bottesi, Luciano (26 April 2022). "Yasushi Kawakami: la increíble vida del primer japonés que jugó y metió un gol en el fútbol argentino" [Yasushi Kawakami: the incredible life of the first Japanese to play and score a goal in Argentine soccer]. Clarín (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  3. "Jugadores asiáticos que han jugado en el Continente Americano" [Asian players who have played on the American Continent]. ESPN Digital (in Spanish). 16 November 2020. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  4. ""Es un orgullo haber sido el 1er japonés en el fútbol argentino"" ["It is a pride to have been the first Japanese in Argentine soccer"]. Soy de Banfield (in Spanish). 8 September 2020.
  5. "Yasushi Kawakami, el primer japonés en jugar profesionalmente en Argentina, dialogó con FM10" [Yasushi Kawakami, the first Japanese to play professionally in Argentina, spoke with FM10]. FM10 Radio Ciudad Bolivar (in Spanish). 10 January 2018. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  6. "Por primera vez, una japonesa jugará en el fútbol argentino" [For the first time, a Japanese woman will play in Argentine soccer]. Olé: Fútbol Femenino (in Spanish). 27 January 2023. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  7. "Curiosidades" [Curiosities]. Clarín (in Spanish). 24 September 2001. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  8. "Forjado en los potreros del Conurbano, un particular personaje del fútbol argentino transmite sus enseñanzas en Japón" [Forged in the pastures of the Conurbano, a particular Argentine soccer character transmits his teachings in Japan]. InfoSur (in Spanish). 18 September 2019. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  9. "2008 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup - Technical Report" (PDF). FIFA. p. 38. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 July 2009.
  10. "2003 FIFA Women's World Cup - Technical Report" (PDF). FIFA. p. 58. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 December 2011.


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