Cerezo Osaka

Cerezo Osaka (セレッソ大阪, Seresso Ōsaka) is a Japanese professional football club based in Osaka. The club currently plays in the J1 League, which is the top tier of football in the country. The club's name Cerezo (Spanish for cherry blossom) is also the flower of the city of Osaka.[1] The official hometowns of the club are Osaka and Sakai. They form a local rivalry with Suita-based Gamba Osaka.

Cerezo Osaka
セレッソ大阪
Full nameCerezo Osaka
Nickname(s)Sakura (cherry blossoms)
Founded1957 (1957) as Yanmar Diesel SC
StadiumYodoko Sakura Stadium
Capacity24,481
OwnerYanmar
ChairmanHiroaki Morishima
Head coachAkio Kogiku
LeagueJ1 League
2023J1 League, 9th of 18
WebsiteClub website

Cerezo have won four Emperor's Cups, one J.League Cup, and one Japanese Super Cup in their history.

History

Beginning of the club (1957–1992)

The club, originally called Yanmar Diesel, started in 1957 as the company team of Yanmar and was an original founder ("Original Eight"[lower-alpha 1]) of the now-disbanded Japan Soccer League (JSL) in 1965. With four Japanese league titles to its credit, it was a mainstay of the JSL Division 1 until 1990 when it was first relegated, and joined the former Japan Football League (JFL) in 1992.

Privatised and registered under a new name (1993–present)

In 1993, the club incorporated as Osaka Football Club Co., Ltd. and adopted the name Cerezo Osaka after a public contest.[2] In 1994, they won the Japan Football League championship and was promoted to the J1 League in 1995. This also coincided with a run to the finals of the Emperor's Cup, which they lost to Bellmare Hiratsuka.

Cerezo has been relegated from J1 to J2 on three occasions, but are currently playing in the J1 league. The club had an impressive third-place finish in the 2017 season.

Taste of silverware

On 4 November 2017, Cerezo won the 2017 J.League Cup, the first major title in their club history, defeating Kawasaki Frontale 2–0.

On 1 January 2018, Cerezo won the 2017 Emperor's Cup, securing their second major title. The final match was against Yokohama F. Marinos, where Cerezo won 2–1 in extra time with Kota Mizunuma scoring the winner.

On 10 February 2018, Cerezo won the 2018 Japanese Super Cup winning 3–2 against Kawasaki Frontale.

In May 2018, the club changed its incorporated name from Osaka Football Club Co., Ltd. to Cerezo Osaka Co., Ltd.

In 2022, the club got close to winning the J.League Cup for their second title, but blew a 1–0 lead to Sanfrecce Hiroshima in injury time after Hiroshima player Pieros Sotiriou scored two goals in the 96th and 101st minutes of the match to give the opponent the J.League Cup.

On 1 February 2023, Cerezo signed former Borussia Dortmund and Manchester United player, Shinji Kagawa on a two-years contract.

Stadiums

The hometowns of the club are Osaka and Sakai. The club plays at the Yodoko Sakura Stadium, with some bigger matches played at the Yanmar Stadium Nagai.[3]

The club practices at Minami Tsumori Sakura Sports Park, Maishima Sports Island, and Amagasaki Yanmar Diesel Ground.

Mascots

The club's mascots are a wolf named Lobby (from Spanish lobo, meaning wolf) and Madame Lobina, Lobby's mother.[4] On February 22, 2020, host and TV personality Roland was appointed Cerezo's "Official CereMan".[5]

Rivalries

Cerezo's biggest rival is fellow Osaka club Gamba Osaka. The matches played between Cerezo and Gamba are referred to as the Osaka derby.

Kits and colours

Cerezo's club colour is pink, like the cherry blossoms that the club's name is based on. Combination colours have been navy blue and black. This year, the uniform colour is pink (home) and white (away) for the outfield players and black (home), pink (away) and green for the goalkeepers.

During the Yanmar Diesel days in the late 1970s to mid-1980s, the uniform was all-red reminiscent of Deportivo Toluca.

Colours, sponsors and kit makers
Season(s)Main Shirt SponsorCollarbone Sponsor(s)Additional Sponsor(s)Kit Manufacturer
2018Yanmar--Nippon HamSinghaKinchoNakabayashi-Puma
2019Sharp
2020- /
Danish
2021Yodogawa Steel Works-
2022Yodogawa Steel WorksNikkon Holdings- /
Capcom
2023Capcom-
2024

Kit evolution

League and cup record
Champions Runners-up Third place Promoted Relegated
LeagueJ.League
Cup		Emperor's
Cup		ACL
SeasonDiv.TeamsPos.PW(OTW/PKW)DL(OTL/PKL)FAGDPtsAttendance/G
1995 J1148th5225(0/0)-11(0/2)4344-14112,097–2nd round–
1996 1613th3010-203856-18308,229Group stageRound of 16
1997 1711th3213(1/2)-10(5/1)5356-3439,153Group stageRound of 16
1998 189th3414(1/0)-17(1/1)5679-23449,864Group stage3rd round
1999 166th3015(4/0)-10(1/0)6445195310,2162nd roundRound of 16
2000 165th3014(3/0)-11(2/0)544954813,5482nd roundQuarter-finals
2001 1616th305(3/0)218(0/0)4170-292111,8571st roundRunners-up
2002 J2122nd4425127935340877,952Not eligibleRound of 16
2003 J1169th30124145556-14013,854Group stageRunners-up
2004 1615th3068164264-222614,323Group stage4th round
2005 185th3416117484085917,648Quarter-finalsSemi-finals
2006 1817th3469194470-262713,026Quarter-finals4th round
2007 J2135th4824816725517806,627Not eligible4th round
2008 154th42216158160216910,5544th round
2009 182nd513111910053471049,9122nd round
2010 J1183rd34171075131206115,026Group stageRound of 16
2011 1812th341110136753144314,145Quarter finalSemi-finalsQuarter-finals
2012 1814th34119144753-64216,815Quarter-finalsQuarter-finals–
2013 184th34161175332215918,819Quarter-finalsRound of 16
2014 1817th34710173648-123121,627Quarter-finalsQuarter-finalsRound of 16
2015 J2224th421813115740176712,232Not eligible1st round–
2016 224th42239106246167812,5093rd round
2017 J1183rd3419696443226320,970WinnerWinner
2018 187th34131110393815018,542Quarter finalRound of 16Group stage
2019 185th34185113929145921,518Play-offsRound of 16–
2020 † 184th341861046379607,014Quarter finalDid not qualify
2021 † 2012th38139164751-4485,351Runners upSemi-finalsRound of 16
2022 185th3413129464065111,427Runners upQuarter-finals–
2023 189th3415415393454917,074Group stageRound of 16
2024 20TBA38
Key
  • Pos. = Position in league; P = Games played; W = Games won; D = Games drawn; L = Games lost; F = Goals scored; A = Goals conceded; GD = Goals difference; Pts = Points gained
  • Attendance/G = Average league home attendance
  • † 2020 & 2021 seasons attendances reduced due to COVID-19 worldwide pandemic
  • Source: J.League Data Site

Honours

As both Yanmar Diesel (1957–1993) and Cerezo Osaka (1993–present)

Cerezo Osaka honours
HonourNo.Years
Emperor's Cup 4 1968, 1970, 1974, 2017
Japan Soccer League (First tier) 4 1971, 1974, 1975, 1980
Japan Soccer League Cup 3 1973 (shared), 1983, 1984
Queen's Cup 1 1976
All Japan Senior Football Championship 1 1976
Japan Football League (Second tier) 1 1994
J.League Cup 1 2017
Japanese Super Cup 1 2018

League history

Current squad
As of 1 May 2024.[6][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 Yang Han-been
2 DF Japan JPN Seiya Maikuma (vice-captain)
3 DF Japan JPN Ryosuke Shindo (vice-captain)
4 MF Japan JPN Yuichi Hirano
5 MF Japan JPN Hinata Kida
6 DF Japan JPN Kyohei Noborizato
7 MF Japan JPN Satoki Uejo
8 MF Japan JPN Shinji Kagawa
9 FW Brazil BRA Léo Ceará (vice-captain)
10 MF Japan JPN Shunta Tanaka
11 MF Belgium BEL Jordy Croux
13 MF Japan JPN Hiroshi Kiyotake
14 DF Japan JPN Kakeru Funaki
16 DF Japan JPN Hayato Okuda
17 MF Japan JPN Reiya Sakata
19 MF Japan JPN Hirotaka Tameda
No. Pos. Nation Player
21 GK South Korea KOR Kim Jin-hyeon
23 DF Japan JPN Tatsuya Yamashita (captain)
24 DF Japan JPN Koji Toriumi
25 MF Japan JPN Hiroaki Okuno
27 MF Brazil BRA Capixaba
28 DF Indonesia IDN Justin Hubner (on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers)
31 GK Japan JPN Keisuke Shimizu
33 DF Japan JPN Ryuya Nishio (vice-captain)
34 FW Japan JPN Hiroto Yamada
35 FW Japan JPN Ryo Watanabe
38 FW Japan JPN Sota Kitano
45 GK Japan JPN Ken Isibor Type 2
47 FW Japan JPN Kengo Furuyama DSP
48 MF Japan JPN Masaya Shibayama
55 MF Brazil BRA Vitor Bueno
77 MF Brazil BRA Lucas Fernandes

Out on loan
As of 1 May 2024.[6]

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
32 FW Japan JPN Shinnosuke Kinoshita (at Gainare Tottori)
— MF Japan JPN Jun Nishikawa (at Iwaki FC)
— MF Japan JPN Kosei Okazawa (at FC Ryukyu)
— MF Japan JPN Motohiko Nakajima (at Vegalta Sendai)
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF Japan JPN Nagi Matsumoto (at Montedio Yamagata)
— MF Japan JPN Nelson Ishiwatari (at Ehime FC)
— MF Japan JPN Rui Osako (at Iwaki FC)

Club officials
PositionStaff
Head coachJapan Akio Kogiku
Assistant head coachJapan Daisuke Takahashi
First team coachBrazil Bruno Quadros
Japan Kota Fujimoto
Analytical coachJapan Yamato Saino
Goalkeeping coachJapan Nobuhiro Takeda
Physical coachJapan Sho Watanabe
Japan Atsuhiro Furuta
Performance coachJapan Yusuke Fukuhara
PhysiotherapistJapan Atsushi Kitaura
Japan Akihiro Sasaki
TrainerJapan Koji Hanaki
Japan Haruki Wada
InterpreterJapan Jackson Yozen Tonaki
Japan Kento Koike
Japan Takanori Shirasawa
Chief managerJapan Atsushi Imanishi
ManagerJapan Shoki Kokawa
South Korea Lee Sung-in
KitmanJapan Tomoharu Nagahisa

Manager history

[8]

ManagerNationalityTenure
FromTo
Paulo Emilio Brazil1 January 199431 December 1995
Hiroshi Sowa Japan1 January 199631 December 1996
Levir Culpi Brazil1 February 199731 December 1997
Yasutaro Matsuki Japan1 January 199831 December 1999
René Desaeyere Belgium1 February 199931 January 2000
Hiroshi Soejima Japan1 February 200019 August 2001
João Carlos Brazil20 August 20014 November 2001
Akihiro Nishimura Japan5 November 20016 October 2003
Yuji Tsukada Japan7 October 20031 January 2004
Petar Nadoveza Croatia2 January 20041 February 2004
Fuad Muzurović Bosnia and Herzegovina1 February 200422 March 2004
Albert Pobor Croatia23 March 200428 June 2004
Shinji Kobayashi Japan1 July 200417 April 2006
Yuji Tsukada Japan18 April 200631 December 2006
Satoshi Tsunami Japan1 January 20077 May 2007
Levir Culpi Brazil8 May 200731 December 2011
Sérgio Soares Brazil1 January 201226 August 2012
Levir Culpi Brazil27 August 201211 December 2013
Ranko Popović Serbia1 January 20149 June 2014
Marco Pezzaiuoli Germany16 June 20148 September 2014
Yuji Okuma Japan8 September 201416 December 2014
Paulo Autuori Brazil1 January 201517 November 2015
Kiyoshi Okuma Japan17 November 201531 January 2017
Yoon Jong-hwan South Korea1 February 201731 December 2018
Miguel Ángel Lotina Spain1 February 201931 January 2021
Levir Culpi Brazil1 February 202126 August 2021
Akio Kogiku Japan26 August 2021present

Continental record
As of 24 June 2021
SeasonCompetitionRoundClubHomeAwayAggregate
2011 AFC Champions League Group G Indonesia Arema FC Malang 2–1 4–0 2nd
China Shandong Luneng Taishan 4–0 0–2
South Korea Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 1–0 0–1
Round of 16 Japan Gamba Osaka 1–0
Quarter-finals South Korea Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 4–3 1–6 5–9
2014 Group F South Korea Pohang Steelers 0–2 1–1 2nd
China Shandong Taishan 1–3 2–1
Thailand Buriram United 4–0 2–2
Round of 16 China Guangzhou 1–5 1–0 2–5
2018 Group G South Korea Jeju United 2–1 1–0 3rd
China Guangzhou 0–0 1–3
Thailand Buriram United 2–2 0–2
2021 Play-off round Australia Melbourne City Cancelled
Group J China Guangzhou 5–0[lower-alpha 2] 2–0[lower-alpha 2] 1st
Hong Kong Kitchee 2–1[lower-alpha 2] 0–0[lower-alpha 2]
Thailand Port 1–1[lower-alpha 2] 3–0[lower-alpha 2]
Round of 16 South Korea Pohang Steelers 0–1
  1. The original clubs of the Japan Soccer League in 1965 were Mitsubishi Motors, Furukawa Electric, Hitachi, Yanmar, Toyo Kogyo, Yahata Steel, Toyota Industries and Nagoya Mutual Bank.
  2. Played at a neutral venue.

In the popular Captain Tsubasa manga, a character named Teppei Kisugi becomes a professional football player and joins Cerezo Osaka.

Notes

    References
    1. "Club Guide Profile". Archived from the original on 2020-04-27. Retrieved 2015-01-30.
    2. "Cerezo Osaka Profile". Cerezo Osaka official website. Archived from the original on 12 March 2009. Retrieved 12 January 2008.
    3. Stadium Information, Link to stadiums.
    4. セレッソ大阪とは (in Japanese). Cerezo Osaka. Archived from the original on February 8, 2014. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
    5. "ローランド、セレッソ大阪「公認セレ男」に就任！！". 20 February 2020. Archived from the original on 2021-03-02. Retrieved 2021-02-23.
    6. "トップチーム選手" (in Japanese). Cerezo Osaka. Archived from the original on 7 May 2022. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
    7. "2024シーズン キャプテン、副キャプテンについて". www.cerezo.jp (in Japanese). Cerezo Osaka. 20 February 2024. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
    8. "Club history". セレッソ大阪 沿革. Archived from the original on 4 March 2018. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
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