Yoshikazu Nagai

Yoshikazu Nagai
永井 良和

Personal information
Full name	Yoshikazu Nagai
Date of birth	(1952-04-16) April 16, 1952
Place of birth	Saitama, Saitama, Japan
Height	1.69 m (5 ft 6+1⁄2 in)
Position(s)	Forward
Youth career
1968–1970	Urawa Minami High School
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1971–1988	Furukawa Electric	272	(63)
Total		272	(63)
International career
1971–1980	Japan	69	(9)
Managerial career
1989–1990	Japan U-20
1992–1993	JEF United Ichihara
1996	Fukushima FC
1998–2000	Albirex Niigata
2001	Yokohama FC
2006–2007	Urawa Reds Ladies
Medal record Furukawa Electric Winner Japan Soccer League 1976 Winner Japan Soccer League 1985/86 Winner JSL Cup 1977 Winner JSL Cup 1982 Winner JSL Cup 1986 Runner-up JSL Cup 1979 Winner Emperor's Cup 1976 Runner-up Emperor's Cup 1984
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Yoshikazu Nagai (永井 良和, Nagai Yoshikazu, born April 16, 1952) is a former Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team. His son Shunta Nagai is also a former footballer.

Club career

Nagai was born in Saitama on April 16, 1952. After graduating from high school, he joined Furukawa Electric in 1971. The club won the league champions in 1976 and 1985–86. The club also won 1976 Emperor's Cup, 1977, 1982 and 1986 JSL Cup. He retired in 1988. He played 272 games and scored 63 goals in the league. It is the record for most appearances in Japan Soccer League Division 1. In 1976, he was selected Japanese Footballer of the Year awards. He was selected Best Eleven 5 times.

National team career

On August 13, 1971, when Nagai was 19 years old, he debuted for Japan national team against Iceland. He also played at 1972 Summer Olympics qualification in 1971. Although, he did not play for Japan in 1972, he was selected Japan for 1974 World Cup qualification in 1973. He also played at 1974, 1978 Asian Games. In 1980, he was selected Japan for 1980 Summer Olympics qualification, Japan's failure to qualify for 1980 Summer Olympics. This qualification was his last game for Japan. He played 69 games and scored 9 goals for Japan until 1980.

Coaching career

After retirement, Nagai became a coach for Furukawa Electric (later JEF United Ichihara) in 1988. In 1989, he became a manager for Japan U-20 national team. In 1992, he returned to JEF United Ichihara and managed until 1993. In 1996, he signed with Japan Football League (JFL) club Fukushima FC and managed in 1 season. In 1998, he signed with JFL club Albirex Niigata. The club joined new league J2 League in 1999. In 2001, he moved to Yokohama FC. In 2006, he signed with his local women's league club Urawa Reds Ladies.

In 2012, Nagai was selected Japan Football Hall of Fame.

Club statistics

Club performance			League
Season	Club	League	Apps	Goals
Japan			League
1971	Furukawa Electric	JSL Division 1	10	2
1972			10	0
1973			18	2
1974			18	5
1975			18	7
1976			18	5
1977			18	14
1978			18	1
1979			18	6
1980			17	3
1981			15	6
1982			10	1
1983			12	1
1984			14	5
1985/86			22	3
1986/87			14	0
1987/88			22	2
Total			272	63

National team statistics

Japan national team
Year	Apps	Goals
1971	4	1
1972	0	0
1973	5	0
1974	4	1
1975	11	1
1976	17	2
1977	5	0
1978	12	1
1979	9	3
1980	2	0
Total	69	9

Managerial statistics

Team	From	To	Record
			G	W	D	L	Win %
JEF United Ichihara	1993	1993	36	14	0	22	038.89
Albirex Niigata	1999	2000	76	35	7	34	046.05
Yokohama FC	2001	2001	31	11	1	19	035.48
Total			143	60	8	75	041.96

Personal honors

• Japanese Footballer of the Year - 1976
• Japan Football Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2012

External links

• Yoshikazu Nagai at National-Football-Teams.com
• Japan National Football Team Database
• Yoshikazu Nagai manager profile at J.League (archive) (in Japanese)
• Japan Football Hall of Fame at Japan Football Association