Kawasaki Frontale
川崎フロンターレ
Full nameKawasaki Frontale
Nickname(s)Azzurro Nero (Blue-black)
Founded1955 (1955) as Fujitsu S.C.
GroundKawasaki Todoroki Stadium,
Nakahara, Kawasaki, Japan
Capacity26,232
OwnerFujitsu
ChairmanYoshihiro Warashina
ManagerToru Oniki
LeagueJ1 League
2023J1 League, 8th of 18
WebsiteClub website

Kawasaki Frontale (川崎フロンターレ, Kawasaki Furontāre) is a Japanese professional football club based in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo. The club currently compete in the J1 League, which is the top tier of football in the country. Their home stadium is Kawasaki Todoroki Stadium in Nakahara Ward, located in the central area of Kawasaki.

Frontale co-founded the Japanese second tier three times under its three names: JSL Division 2 (1972), Japan Football League Division 1 (1992) and J.League Division 2 (1999).

The club have won J1 League title four times in span of 5 years between 2017 and 2021. Kawasaki also won Emperor's Cup twice in 2020 and 2023, as well as J.League Cup in 2019.

History

Kawasaki Todoroki Stadium

Establishment and earlier years (1955-1977)

The club was founded in 1955 as Fujitsu Soccer Club. It was one of many city clubs that comprised the Japan Soccer League (JSL), including Yomiuri (later Tokyo Verdy 1969), Toshiba (later Consadole Sapporo) and NKK SC (now defunct). They first made the JSL Division 1 in 1977, only to be relegated the next season afterwards.

Professional transition and relegations (1997-2000)

Fujitsu's club became professional in 1997, and changed its name to "Frontale", which means "frontal" in Italian. The club old crest and colours are based on those of Brazilian side Grêmio, because both clubs have cooperated since 26 March 1997.[1]

The club joined the second division of the J.League in 1999 and went on to became the champion of the division. But in the next season, it sank to the bottom of J.League Division 1, and was relegated.

Frontale would not return to the top flight until 2000, when they were promoted to the rebranded J1. But, they were once again dropped to the J2 at the end of the season.

Back to the top flight and AFC Champions League debut (2004-2007)

In 2004, Frontale crowned champions of J2 and won promotion to J1 for the second time. With the former rival city clubs out of the way due to relocation or liquidation, they began building their power base in the city.

In 2006, the club achieved runners-up position in J1, their highest league position up to that time. As a result, they entered the AFC Champions League for the first time in 2007 from the group stage.

Kawasaki made important success in the competition, as they became the first Japanese club for qualifying its group stage before the eventual winners, Urawa Red Diamonds. However, they eventually lost in the quarter finals against Iranian club, Sepahan, in a penalty shoot-out, following two scoreless games.

Glorious era (2017-present)

At long last, after two other second-place finishes in 2008 and 2009, Kawasaki finally won the title in 2017, coming from behind to upstage bitter rivals Kashima Antlers after they were held to a draw at Júbilo Iwata, 16 seasons and 40 years after their first promotion to the top division.

Kawasaki started to create history on the J.League by became first team to ever won four J1 titles on a five-year span, something that previously never happened. And after came up short multiple times in 2000, 2007, 2009 and 2017, they finally won their first J.League Cup on 2019 by beating Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo on penalties. On 2020, they successfully won their third J1 League title with 83 points, staying 17 points clear off the runners-up, Gamba Osaka. They made sure of the title with four games to spare, which was a record under the 34-match league format. With a player depth not being restricted to the starting XI, Frontale managed to get the best out of the five substitutions allowed by the J. League, per FIFA recommendation, instated after the COVID-19 outbreak. A good example was a breakout season by Kaoru Mitoma, who started more matches on the bench than in the starting XI.[2]

On 2021, Frontale continue to assert their dominance and display great performances throughout the season. They won their first title of the year in their very opening match of the season, after beating Gamba Osaka by 3–2 on the 2021 Japanese Super Cup.

Such rise of standards, eye-catching performances, and increase of national team level players coming from Frontale led foreign clubs to caught attention on their players. Among the most marking departures, Frontale saw two major talents leaving the club mid-season. The first one being Kaoru Mitoma, who got included in the 2020 J.League Best XI in his first full season as a professional despite playing less than half of his matches as a starter for Frontale, being signed by Brighton & Hove Albion of the Premier League. The second one was midfielder, Ao Tanaka. The 2020 J.League Rookie of the Year which quickly earned his spot on the starting XI after turning professional, transferring to Fortuna Düsseldorf of 2. Bundesliga on loan, which later would have his deal turning permanent. They weren't the only departures leaving a mark on the team, as they followed Hidemasa Morita to Europe, as the latter went on to sign for Santa Clara of the Primeira Liga.

However, despite Frontale having their future performances being apparently threatened after these departures, the club went on to win the 2021 J1 League with a record-breaking season, which saw them: Winning the most points on a single J1 League season ever, with 92 points won on 38 matches; Achieving the least amount of losses on a J1 League season, registering only 2 losses in total (the first J1 loss only came 6 months after the season opening); Being the joint unbeaten team at home matches in a J1 League season, equalling Urawa Red Diamonds's tally on 2006; Being the first ever J1 team to win more than 80 points on consecutive seasons.[3]

Leandro Damião, with 23 gols, was Frontale's individual highlight on the 2021 season, helping him win the MVP award, after being the joint league top-scorer and one of the players with the most assists of the tournament. The latter record was accomplished by another Frontale players, Miki Yamane, which also saw several call-ups for the National Team throughout the 2021 and 2022 season, alongside other Frontale players and formers players, like the team captain Shogo Taniguchi, and midfielder Yasuto Wakizaka. They joined many other players who previously were selected for the Japan national football team while playing at Frontale.[4] Of the selected players, some players can be highlighted, like defender Yoshinobu Minowa, who was selected in 2005. After the 2006 FIFA World Cup, midfielder Kengo Nakamura and forward Kazuki Ganaha became new Japan internationals, especially Kengo Nakamura, who being a mainstay at club and country for a long time. Long-serving for the national team, goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima was also selected while at Frontale, making his debut on the 2008 East Asian Cup. Shuhei Terada, who played all of his 13-year professional career at Frontale, was also selected for the national team from 2008 to 2009.

After five consecutive seasons winning at least one major title from 2017 to 2021, Frontale tasted a season without winning any silverware for the entire 2022. Taking their previous overall season into account, the club went through an uninspired season, which saw early eliminations in all four competitions the club played that involved knockout-stage formats. On February, the club already saw their first match of the season resulting on a defeat, after losing 2–0 by Urawa Red Diamonds at the Super Cup. On April, the club was eliminated at the 2022 AFC Champions League at its group stage, finishing their group as runners-up, behind Malaysian champions Johor Darul Ta'zim. On June, at the Emperor's Cup, Frontale were unexpectedly eliminated, at the third round of the competition, after being defeated by J2 League club Tokyo Verdy by 1–0.

On the latter half of the season, Frontale continued an atypically poor run of form. On August, the club started their campaign at the J.League Cup, entering the competition late in the double-legged quarter-finals, after receiving a bye from the early stages of the competition due to their AFC Champions League qualification. The club played this quarter-finals against Cerezo Osaka, and was awarded the hosting rights of the tie's second leg. Despite not losing any of the two legs, Frontale didn't won any, either. At Cerezo, the match ended 1–1, giving a theoretical relief for Frontale ahead of the match, who only needed a 0–0 draw or a win to proceed in the competition. Frontale started the second leg winning 2–0, with Marcinho scoring two goals at the 40th and 53rd minute. Surprisingly, Frontale collapsed at the dying minutes of the match, conceding two heading goals at the 90th and 95th minute, respectively.

Following the elimination at the J.League Cup, only the J1 League title was then available for Frontale to chase. Oscillating placements throughout the campaign, the club still managed to finish five separate matchweeks at the top of the league in the first half of the season. On the second half of the season, though, never again did Frontale get past the second place. Serving as a minor consolation for their season, the club held to a hardly-fought title chase alongside Sanfrecce Hiroshima (until the closing matchweeks). On December, at the 38th round, the last round of the season, Frontale were narrow two points away from first-placed Yokohama F. Marinos. A 13-goal difference was also in Frontale's way, meaning that in the more realistic scenario, Frontale needed to win their match and expect Marinos to lose theirs. Playing the round against FC Tokyo, Frontale were early threatened with a red card, as Jung Sung-ryong was sent off a few minutes after Frontale's first goal. Despite playing the rest of the match with 10 players, Frontale still managed to win past FC Tokyo by 3–2. Playing against Vissel Kobe, Marinos won the match by 3–1, and then were handed the J1 League title. On the plus side, finishing as the league's runners-up led the club to qualify for the 2023–24 AFC Champions League, entering the competition in the group stage.

On 9 December 2023, Kawasaki won another Emperor's Cup title, beating Kashiwa Reysol 8–7 in the penalty shootout after the match ended 0-0.[5] This second national cup victory resulting their qualification for the 2024-25 AFC Champions League Elite, entering directly from the league stage. Frontale also set to face 2023 J1 League champions, Vissel Kobe, in the 2024 Japanese Super Cup on 17 February 2024 at Japan National Stadium.[6]

Colour, sponsors and manufacturers

Season(s)Main Shirt SponsorCollarbone SponsorAdditional Sponsor(s)Kit Manufacturer
2018Fujitsu- /
RENOSY		- /
Fujitsu BSC		SMBC Nikko SecuritiesFujitsu FsasFujitsu MarketingPFUPuma
2019RENOSYFujitsu BSC
2020Fujitsu Marketing /
Fujitsu Japan
2021Anker JapanFujitsu Japan- /
Matsuo Komuten
2022 Kawasaki Shinkin Bank Matsuo Corporation
2023 Ebara Food Industry PwC Consulting

Kit evolution

Records and statistics

Champions Runners-up Third place Promoted Relegated
SeasonDiv.TeamsPos.Avg. Attd.J.League CupEmperor's CupSuper CupAFC CL
1997 JFL 16 3rd Did not enter 3rd round – –
1998 16 2nd Group stage 3rd round – –
1999 J2101st5,396 1st round 4th round – –
2000 J11616th7,439 Runners-up 3rd round – –
2001 J2127th3,784 Quarter finals Semi-finals – –
2002 124th5,247 Did not qualify Quarter finals – –
2003 123rd7,258 4th round – –
2004 121st9,148 5th round – –
2005 J1188th13,658 Group stage Quarter finals – –
2006 182nd14,340 Semi-finals 5th round – –
2007 185th17,338 Runners-up Semi-finals – Quarter finals
2008 182nd17,565 Group stage 5th round – –
2009 182nd18,847 Runners-up Quarter finals – Quarter finals
2010 185th18,562 Semi-finals 4th round – Group stage
2011 1811th17,340 2nd round 4th round – –
2012 188th17,807 Group stage 4th round – –
2013 183rd16,644 Semi-finals Quarter finals – –
2014 186th16,661 Semi-finals 3rd round – Round of 16
2015 185th20,999 Group stage 4th round – –
2016 183rd22,136 Group stage Runners-up – –
2017 181st22,112 Runners-up Quarter finals – Quarter finals
2018 181st23,218 Quarter finals Quarter finals Runners-up Group stage
2019 184th23,272 Winners 4th round Winners Group stage
2020 † 181st7,862 Semi final Winners – –
2021 † 201st7,342 Quarter finals Semi-finals Winners Round of 16
2022 182nd17,939 Quarter finals 3rd round Runners-up Group stage
2023 188th19,840 Group Stage Winners – TBD

Players

Current squad

As of 13 January 2024[7]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK South Korea KOR Jung Sung-ryong
2 DF Japan JPN Kyohei Noborizato (vice-captain)
3 DF Japan JPN Takuma Ominami
4 DF Brazil BRA Jesiel (vice-captain)
5 DF Japan JPN Asahi Sasaki
7 DF Japan JPN Shintaro Kurumaya
8 MF Japan JPN Kento Tachibanada (captain)
9 FW Brazil BRA Leandro Damião
10 MF Japan JPN Ryota Oshima
11 FW Japan JPN Yu Kobayashi
14 MF Japan JPN Yasuto Wakizaka (vice-captain)
15 DF Japan JPN Shuto Tanabe
16 MF Japan JPN Tatsuki Seko
17 FW Japan JPN Daiya Tono
18 FW France FRA Bafétimbi Gomis
20 FW Japan JPN Shin Yamada
21 GK Japan JPN Shunsuke Andō
22 GK Japan JPN Yuki Hayasaka
23 FW Brazil BRA Marcinho
No. Pos. Nation Player
24 MF Japan JPN Toya Myogan
27 DF Japan JPN Yuto Matsunagane
28 MF Japan JPN Yuto Ozeki
29 DF Japan JPN Kota Takai
30 MF Japan JPN Yusuke Segawa
31 DF Japan JPN Kazuya Yamamura
32 MF Japan JPN Hinata Yamauchi DSP
33 FW Japan JPN Taisei Miyashiro
34 MF Japan JPN Kota Yui Type 2
36 FW Japan JPN Torataro Okazaki Type 2
37 MF Japan JPN Jo Ogawa Type 2
38 DF Japan JPN Eiji Ehara Type 2
39 DF Japan JPN Kaito Tsuchiya Type 2
41 MF Japan JPN Akihiro Ienaga
99 GK Japan JPN Naoto Kamifukumoto
— MF Brazil BRA Patrick Verhon
— MF Brazil BRA Zé Ricardo
— FW Brazil BRA Erison

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
25 MF Japan JPN Renji Matsui (On loan at Machida Zelvia)
26 MF Japan JPN Takatora Einaga (On loan at Mito HollyHock)
— DF Japan JPN Kaito Kamiya (On loan at Ventforet Kofu)
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF Japan JPN Koki Harada (On loan at Nagano Parceiro)
— FW Japan JPN Taiyo Igarashi (On loan at Renofa Yamaguchi)
— FW Japan JPN Ten Miyagi (On loan at Montedio Yamagata)

Kawasaki Frontale U-18

As of 28 April 2023.

The U-18 team of Kawasaki Frontale currently plays in the Prince Takamado U-18 Premier League, the top-flight league for U-18 clubs in the country. Only the registered players for the competition will be displayed.[8]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Japan JPN Tomoyasu Hamasaki
2 DF Japan JPN Eiji Ehara
3 DF Japan JPN Yuto Takahashi
4 DF Japan JPN Minato Motoki
5 DF Japan JPN Kaito Tsuchiya
6 MF Japan JPN Kota Yui
7 MF Japan JPN Kairi Shimura
8 MF Japan JPN Mitsuki Naka
9 FW Japan JPN Torataro Okazaki
10 MF Japan JPN Jo Ogawa
13 FW Japan JPN Sodo Takahashi
14 MF Japan JPN Taiki Okada
15 DF Japan JPN Akimasa Nakahara
16 GK Japan JPN Haruto Kikuchi
17 DF Japan JPN Shotaro Shibata
No. Pos. Nation Player
18 FW Japan JPN Shuto Hatta
19 GK Japan JPN Kensho Yamamoto
20 DF Japan JPN Daiki Yamanaka
21 GK Japan JPN Naoto Matsuzawa
22 DF Japan JPN Umi Kajisa
24 MF Japan JPN Shotaro Kodama
25 MF Japan JPN Mikito Yagoshi
26 MF Japan JPN Yuta Saina
27 MF Japan JPN Haruki Chiku
28 FW Japan JPN Takeshi Katori
29 FW Japan JPN Hinata Masuda
30 DF Japan JPN Shunsuke Hayashi
32 MF Japan JPN Noriharu Kan
36 MF Japan JPN Rensuke Fujii
41 FW Japan JPN Yutaro Onda

Personnel awards

World Cup players

The following players have been selected by their country in the World Cup, while playing for Kawasaki Frontale:

Olympic players

The following players have represented their country at the Summer Olympic Games whilst playing for Kawasaki Frontale:

Club officials

PositionName
Manager Japan Toru Oniki
Assistant Manager Japan Shuhei Terada
First-Team Coach Japan Mitsuhiro Toda
Japan Yu Nikaido
Japan Yuki Yoshida
Goalkeeper Coach Japan Daijiro Takakuwa
Physical Coach Japan Yosuke Shinoda
Athletic Trainer Japan Seki Tomohisa
Athletic Sweat Shirt Japan Toshiyuki Tokorozawa
Japan Hiroyuki Otahara
Doctor Japan Hiroshi Iwaso
Japan Hidetaka Goto
Japan Shinji Matsubara
Japan Eisaburo Honda
Japan Kensuke Kimura
Trainer Japan Ibuki Yamaura
Japan Naoya Kinoshima
Scouting Japan Tatsuru Mukojima
Japan Yusuke Tasaka
Hopeiro Japan Ito Hiroyuki
Interpreter Japan Kazuya Nakayama
Japan Takanori Shirasawa
South Korea Kim Myong-ho
Center Tsutomu Japan Shimizu Yasuhiro
Associate Tsutomu Japan Akito Kobayashi

Honours

As Fujitsu SC (1955–1996) and Kawasaki Frontale (1997–present)

League

Cup

Managerial history

Managers of the club since 1997

ManagerNat.Tenure
Kazuo Saito Japan1997 (resigned in halfway)
Everaldo Pierrotti Brazil1997 (till the season end)
Beto Brazil1998–99 (resigned in halfway)
Ikuo Matsumoto Japan1999 (till the season end)
Zeca Brazil2000 (resigned in halfway)
Toshiaki Imai Japan2000 (after Zeca, resigned)
Hiroshi Kobayashi Japan2000 (till the season end)
Yoshiharu Horii JapanJan 1, 2001 – June 30, 2001 (resigned in halfway)
Nobuhiro Ishizaki JapanJuly 1, 2001 – Dec 31, 2003 (after Horii)
Takashi Sekizuka JapanJan 1, 2004 – April 30, 2008 (resigned in halfway, by sickness)
Tsutomu Takahata JapanMay 1, 2008 – Dec 31, 2008 (till the season end)
Takashi Sekizuka JapanJan 1, 2009 – Dec 31, 2009 (returned)
Tsutomu Takahata JapanJan 1, 2010 – Dec 31, 2010 (returned)
Naoki Soma JapanJan 1, 2011 – April 11, 2012 (sacked in halfway)
Tatsuya Mochizuki JapanApril 12, 2012 – April 22, 2012 (interim)
Yahiro Kazama JapanApril 23, 2012 – December 31, 2016
Toru Oniki JapanFebruary 1, 2017 –

League history

  • Regional (Kanto Soccer League): 1967–71 (as Fujitsu)
  • Division 2 (JSL Div. 2): 1972–76 (as Fujitsu)
  • Division 1 (JSL Div. 1): 1977–78
  • Division 2 (JSL Div. 2): 1979–91
  • Division 2 (former JFL Div. 1): 1992–98 (as Fujitsu 1992–95; Fujitsu Kawasaki 1996; Kawasaki Frontale 1997–)
  • Division 2 (J2): 1999
  • Division 1 (J1): 2000
  • Division 2 (J2): 2001–04
  • Division 1 (J1): 2005–

Total (as of 2021): 20 seasons in the top tier, 30 seasons in the second tier and 5 seasons in the Regional Leagues.

Rivalries

Frontale's rivalry with FC Tokyo is known as the Tamagawa Clásico (using the Spanish word "Clásico" as used in derbies in Spain and Latin America). The two clubs first met in the inaugural Kanto Soccer League in 1967, but did not meet again until 1991 in the old Japan Soccer League Division 2 and were rivals for promotion to the J.League in the 1990s. They co-founded the new J2 League in 1999 and were promoted together the same year, and although Frontale were immediately relegated, they were promoted again in 2005 and have regularly met since then.

Frontale also has a Tamagawa rivalry with Tokyo Verdy 1969, which was originally also based in Kawasaki and moved to Chofu, Tokyo in 2000. The two were co-founders of the JSL Division 2 in 1972 and, although spent 20 seasons (1979 to 1999) in separate tiers, rekindled the rivalry in the late 1990s as Kawasaki fans deserted Verdy to support Frontale, seen as a more community-focused club, and since then their fortunes have reversed as Frontale is a top flight mainstay while Verdy sunk into the second tier beginning in 2005.

Other rivals include Kashima Antlers, Urawa Red Diamonds, Yokohama F. Marinos and Shonan Bellmare.

Notes

    References

    1. ↑ "川崎フロンターレ、「グレミオ」と姉妹クラブ関係を締結". pr.fujitsu.com. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
    2. ↑ "Football: J-League wraps up season of obstacles, new records". english.kyodonews.net. 20 December 2020. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
    3. ↑ "Five things to watch for in the 2022 Meiji Yasuda J1 League". jleague.co. 17 February 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
    4. ↑ "Kawasaki Frontale Season Preview: Can these J.League giants bring another title home?". jleague.co. 15 February 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
    5. ↑ "川崎Ｆが3大会ぶり2度目の優勝！柏とのPK戦にもつれ込む激闘を制す【サマリー：天皇杯 決勝】". www.jleague.jp (in Japanese). J.League. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
    6. ↑ "スーパーカップパートナー・対戦カード・開催日・キックオフ時刻・テレビ放送決定【ＦＵＪＩＦＩＬＭ ＳＵＰＥＲ ＣＵＰ ２０２４】". www.jleague.jp (in Japanese). J.League. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
    7. ↑ "選手・スタッフ SEASON 2023". frontale.co.jp (in Japanese). Kawasaki Frontale. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
    8. ↑ "2022シーズンU-18選手プロフィール". Retrieved 6 September 2022.
    Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kawasaki Frontale.
    This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.