Sanfrecce Hiroshima ( ja, サンフレッチェ広島, translit=''Sanfuretche Hiroshima'') is a Japanese professional

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...

club based in

Hiroshima is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 1,199,391. The gross domestic product (GDP) in Greater Hiroshima, Hiroshima Urban Employment Area, was US$61.3 billion as of 2010. Kazumi Matsui h ...

. The club competes in the

J1 League The , known as the for sponsorship reasons, is the top level of the system. Founded in 1992, it is one of the most successful leagues in Asian club football. Contested by 18 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the J ...

, top flight of the

Japanese football league system The Japanese association football league system is organized in a pyramidal shape similar to football league systems in many other countries around the world. The leagues are bound by the principle of promotion and relegation; however, there are s ...

. Sanfrecce is one of the most successful clubs in Japan. The club is the joint fourth in most

titles with three, the joint first in most top-flight titles (which includes the defunct

Japan Soccer League , or JSL, was the top flight association football league in Japan between 1965 and 1992, and was the precursor to the current professional league, the J.League. JSL was the second national league of a team sport in Japan after the professional ...

), with eight, and the club with the most participations in

Emperor's Cup , commonly known as or also Japan FA Cup is a Japanese football competition. It has the longest tradition of any football match in Japan, dating back to 1921, before the formation of the J.League, Japan Football League and their predecessor, J ...

finals, with 15. Sanfrecce have won 3

title, 3

, 1 J.League Cup and 4 Japanese Super Cup. Internationally, the club has made two appearances in the

FIFA Club World Cup The FIFA Club World Cup is an international men's association football competition organised by the ''Fédération Internationale de Football Association'' ( FIFA), the sport's global governing body. The competition was first contested in 200 ...

with their most recent appearance being in the 2015 edition.

History

As Mazda team

The club was a former

company team A works team (sometimes factory team, company team) is a sports team that is financed and run by a manufacturer or other business. Sometimes, works teams contain or are entirely made up of employees of the supporting company. Association footb ...

of in 1938 and played in the semi-professional

. The club was an original founder (''"Original Eight"'') of the now-disbanded

(JSL) in 1965. They dominated the JSL's early years, winning the title 4 times in a row – a feat that was later equaled by Yomiuri SC/Verdy Kawasaki. The name change was made at in 1981. When JSL disbanded and became the

J.League The , officially is Japan's professional football league including the first division J1 League, second division J2 League and third division J3 League of the Japanese association football league system. J1 League is one of the most successfu ...

in 1992, it dropped the company name and became "Sanfrecce Hiroshima". Alongside

JEF United Ichihara Chiba , full name and also known as , is a Japanese professional football club that plays in the J2 League. On 1 February 2005, the club changed its name from ''JEF United Ichihara'' to the current name after Chiba city had joined Ichihara, Chiba as ...

and

Urawa Red Diamonds , colloquially Urawa Reds (浦和レッズ), also known as Mitsubishi Urawa Football Club from April 1992 to January 1996, is a professional football club in the city of Saitama, part of the Greater Tokyo Area in Japan. The club plays in the J ...

they co-founded both leagues (''"Original Ten"''). During the

1969 This year is notable for Apollo 11's first landing on the moon. Events January * January 4 – The Government of Spain hands over Ifni to Morocco. * January 5 **Ariana Afghan Airlines Flight 701 crashes into a house on its approach to ...

season they participated in the Asian Club Cup, forerunner to today's

AFC Champions League The AFC Champions League (abbreviated as ACL) is an annual continental club football competition organised by the Asian Football Confederation, and contested by Asia's top-division football clubs. It is the most prestigious club competition ...

; at the time, the tournament was done in a single locale (in that year it was

Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estima ...

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...

), and they ended up in third place, the first participation of a Japanese club in the continental tournament. This also cost them the league title to Mitsubishi/Urawa, and although they won another title in 1970, since then the club has been out of the running for the title, with exceptional seasons such as

1994 File:1994 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1994 Winter Olympics are held in Lillehammer, Norway; The Kaiser Permanente building after the 1994 Northridge earthquake; A model of the MS Estonia, which Sinking of the MS Estonia, sank in ...

when they won runner-up.

1960s

The Toyo Industries that became the first

JSL JSL may refer to: * JSL, Joint Station LAN, International Space Station * JSL S.A., a Brazilian logistic company * '' Japanese: The Spoken Language'', a Japanese textbook ** JSL romanization, the romanization system used in the text * Jamaican Sig ...

champions also completed the first

double A double is a look-alike or doppelgänger; one person or being that resembles another. Double, The Double or Dubble may also refer to: Film and television * Double (filmmaking), someone who substitutes for the credited actor of a character * Th ...

by taking the

. They were also the first of three " Invincibles", undefeated champion clubs in Japan (the others were

Mitsubishi The is a group of autonomous Japanese multinational companies in a variety of industries. Founded by Yatarō Iwasaki in 1870, the Mitsubishi Group historically descended from the Mitsubishi zaibatsu, a unified company which existed from 1870 ...

and

Yamaha Yamaha may refer to: * Yamaha Corporation, a Japanese company with a wide range of products and services, established in 1887. The company is the largest shareholder of Yamaha Motor Company (below). ** Yamaha Music Foundation, an organization estab ...

in 1987–88), although only Toyo completed a double. Matsumoto, Ogi, and Yasuyuki Kuwahara went on to win the 1968 Olympic bronze medal for the national team.

2000s

In 2002, Sanfrecce became the first former stage winner (first stage, 1994) to be relegated to the lower division, J2. But it only spent a year there, finishing second the very next season to regain promotion back to J1. The club finished 16th in the 2007 season and were relegated to

J.League Division 2 The or simply J2 is the second division of the and the second level of the Japanese association football league system. The top tier is represented by the J1 League. It (along with the rest of the J.League) is currently sponsored by Meiji Yas ...

after they were beaten by

Kyoto Sanga is a Japanese professional football club based in Kyoto. "Sanga" comes from the Sanskrit word ''sangha'', a term meaning "group" or "club" and often used to denote the Buddhist priesthood, associating the club with Kyoto's many Buddhist temp ...

in the promotion/relegation play-off. In 2008 they nevertheless won the J2 title at the first attempt, having 84 points (a difference of 25 points with the runner-up clubs) with six matches left. By virtue of earning fourth place in the 2009 season and Gamba Osaka retaining the

, Sanfrecce qualified for the

Asian Champions League The AFC Champions League (abbreviated as ACL) is an annual continental club football competition organised by the Asian Football Confederation, and contested by Asia's top-division football clubs. It is the most prestigious club competition ...

, where they were knocked out in the group phase. On 24 November 2012, Sanfrecce defeated

Cerezo Osaka 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. ...

4–1 to seal their first ever J.League Division 1 title. On 7 December 2013, Sanfrecce defeated

Kashima Antlers are a football club in Kashima, Ibaraki, currently playing in the J1 League, top tier of Japanese professional football leagues. The name ''Antlers'' is derived from the city name, Kashima, which literally means "deer island". The club has fi ...

2–0, securing their second J.League Division 1 title following a thrilling finish to the season which saw first-place Yokohama F. Marinos losing their final league game, handing Sanfrecce the title. With their second consecutive title win, Sanfrecce became the second club to successfully defend their crown since Kashima Antlers in 2009. 2015 proved to be a great year for Sanfrecce, finishing 1st in the 2nd half of the season, then finishing 1st overall, just 2 points above

, to qualify and represent Japan in that year's FIFA Club World Cup. They would finish 3rd, after winning, 2–1, against Chinese side Guanzhou Evergrande in the 3rd place match. In 2018, after Sanfrecce progressively trailing towards a J1 title, as it led the standings after Round 5, the club fell down to 2nd-place at the end of the season. The club saw Kawasaki Frontale win the league as Sanfrecce lost four of their last five league matches. In 2022, the club was relieved to experience another good season, under the management of newly appointed German coach

Michael Skibbe Michael Heinz Skibbe (born 4 August 1965) is a German former football player and current manager of Japanese club Sanfrecce Hiroshima. Club career In his youth, Skibbe played for SG Wattenscheid 09, then moved to the professional team of FC Sc ...

. Underrated by many because of the previous season, the club fought for the title at every competition it played until the very end. The Violas finished 3rd place at the J1 League, as runners-up to J2 club

Ventforet Kofu is a Japanese football club from Kōfu in Yamanashi Prefecture. The team currently competes in the J2 League and play their home games in JIT Recycle Ink Stadium, located in Kōfu. The word "Ventforet" is a compound formed from two French roo ...

in the Emperor's Cup final, and as J.League Cup champions. The J.League Cup was won in dramatic fashion against

, as the club managed to comeback from a 1–0 loss with two goals scored by mid-season Cypriot signing Pieros Sotiriou. Both goals came very late in the match, being scored at the 96th and 101st minute of the match, during the added time of the second half. For his efforts to make the team competitive at every competition Sanfrecce partook in, Skibbe won

J.League Manager of the Year J.League Manager of the Year is an annual award given to one manager by the J.League based on their performance during the season. In the past, the award usually went to the manager of the champions, though this has varied somewhat over the years. ...

, the club's 4th 'Manager of the Year' award. On 20 June 2024, AFC confirmed Sanfrecce will participate in the inaugural 2024–25 AFC Champions League Two group stage, marking their first appearance in a second-tier continental competition.

Affiliated clubs

* 1.FC Köln On 15 August 2021, Sanfrecce Hiroshima sign partnership with German

Bundesliga The Bundesliga (; ), sometimes referred to as the Fußball-Bundesliga () or 1. Bundesliga (), is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of the German football league system, the Bundesliga is Germany's primary footba ...

side, 1.FC Köln where both club are building up their international relations and have entered a co-operation with J.League club Sanfrecce for the coming two-and-a-half years. The partnership will centre on Sport and Management. The co-operation sees the Germany side continue its internationalisation strategy, which is an important part of the Matchplan. In the sporting sector, the co-operation includes coaching courses, training camp and intensive discussions surrounding the youth academy and scouting at both clubs have set themselves the goal that they should be amongst the best clubs in the league at academy level. As for the management side of the partnership, seminars are planned in Hiroshima and Köln, where those in charge of departments from both clubs will come together to work on a strategy going forward.

Club name

The club name is a

portmanteau A portmanteau word, or portmanteau (, ) is a blend of wordsthree, ''San'' and the Italian word ''frecce'', which means 'arrows'. This is based on the story of the feudal lord

Mōri Motonari was a prominent ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) in the western Chūgoku region of Japan during the Sengoku period of the 16th century. The Mōri clan claimed descent from Ōe no Hiromoto (大江広元), an adviser to Minamoto no Yoritomo. Motonari w ...

who told his three sons that while a single arrow might be easily snapped, three arrows held together would not be broken and urged them to work for the good of the clan and its retainers.

Former names

* 1938–70: ** 1943–46: Football was suspended during the period, due to the

Pacific War The Pacific War, sometimes called the Asia–Pacific War, was the theater of World War II that was fought in Asia, the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and Oceania. It was geographically the largest theater of the war, including the vast ...

. * 1971–80: * 1981–83: * 1984–85: * 1986–92:

Home stadium

Edion-PeaceWing-Hiroshima-from-Sorazaya-Bridge

The club's home town is

and the side plays at Edion Peace Wing Hiroshima. Previously, the side played at

EDION Stadium Hiroshima The , known under current sponsorship as , is a multi-purpose stadium in Hiroshima, Japan. It used mostly for association football matches and also for athletics. The venue is the home of J. League club Sanfrecce Hiroshima. It has a capacity of ...

and Hiroshima Prefectural Stadium. It holds training sessions at Yoshida Soccer Park in Akitakata, Hiroshima and Hiroshima 1st Ball Park until 2023. It has a capacity of 36,894. Sanfrecce moved to a new stadium in 2024, which has been named Edion Peace Wing Hiroshima. Construction started in 2021 and opened in 2024. Sanfrecce's first competitive match at the new stadium was against Urawa Red Diamonds on 23 February 2024, which attracted an attendance of 27,545

Kit and colours

Colours

The main colour of Sanfrecce Hiroshima is

purple Purple is any of a variety of colors with hue between red and blue. In the RGB color model used in computer and television screens, purples are produced by mixing red and blue light. In the RYB color model historically used by painters, pu ...

Kit evolution

Players

Current squad

Out on loan

Sanfrecce Hiroshima U-18

The main U-18 team of Sanfrecce Hiroshima 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.

Club officials

Honours

As Toyo Kogyo SC and Mazda SC (amateur era) as well as Sanfrecce Hiroshima (professional era)

Personnel awards

Domestic * J.League Player of the Year ** Hisato Satō (2012) **

Toshihiro Aoyama is a Japanese professional association football, footballer who plays as a Midfielder (association football)#Defensive midfielder, defensive midfielder for Sanfrecce Hiroshima. Career Aoyama was born in Kurashiki. After featuring in 2014 FIFA W ...

(2015) *

J.League Top Scorer The J.League Top Scorer is awarded by the J.League to the top scoring player of the season. Wins by club See also *List of J.League awards, J.League awards *Japanese football champions, for Japan Soccer League predecessors. References ULTRAZO ...

** Hisato Satō (2012) *

J.League Best Eleven The J.League Best XI is an acknowledgement of the best eleven players in J.League. J1 League (1993–present) Multiple appearances Appearances by club Appearances by country * Only in two occasions there was a full-Japanese Best XI (20 ...

Takuya Takagi is a Japanese football manager and former player. He played for Japan national team. He was a physical forward and the Japanese media and fans dubbed him as the ''Cannon of Asia''. Club career Takagi was educated at and played for Kunimi High ...

(1994) ** Hisato Satō (2005, 2012) **

Tomoaki Makino is a former Japanese professional footballer who plays as a centre back. He has represented the Japan national team internationally until 2019. Club career Makino was born in Nishi-ku, Hiroshima. In January 2012, he returned to J. League, ...

(2010) ** Hiroki Mizumoto (2012) **

Shusaku Nishikawa is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Urawa Red Diamonds. Club career Nishikawa is a product of Oita's youth system and was promoted to the top team in 2005. He made his J1 League debut on 2 July 2005 for Oita Tri ...

(2012, 2013) **

(2012, 2013, 2015) ** Yojiro Takahagi (2012) ** Tsukasa Shiotani (2014, 2015) **

Douglas Douglas may refer to: People * Douglas (given name) * Douglas (surname) Animals *Douglas (parrot), macaw that starred as the parrot ''Rosalinda'' in Pippi Longstocking *Douglas the camel, a camel in the Confederate Army in the American Civil W ...

(2015) *

J.League Rookie of the Year The J.League Best Young Player (formerly known as the "J.League Rookie of the Year" from 1993 to 2019) is awarded by the J.League to the most outstanding rookie of the season. To be considered a rookie, a player must be in his first professional y ...

** Kazuyuki Morisaki (2000) **

Takuma Asano is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a winger or a forward for Bundesliga club VfL Bochum and the Japan national team. His younger brother Yuya is also a professional footballer currently playing for J1 League side Sanfrecce Hi ...

(2015) * J.League Cup New Hero Award ** Yojiro Takahagi (2010) *

Hajime Moriyasu is a Japanese football manager and former player. He made more than 250 appearances in 14 years with Sanfrecce Hiroshima, including a year on loan to Kyoto Purple Sanga, before spending his final season as a professional with Vegalta Sendai. He a ...

(2012, 2013, 2015) **

(2022) International * FIFA Club World Cup Top Scorer ** Hisato Satō (2012) *

FIFA Puskás Award The FIFA Puskás Award is an award established on 20 October 2009 by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), at the behest of then-president Sepp Blatter, to be awarded to the male or female judged to have scored the most ...

nominee ** Hisato Satō (2014)

Continental record

Manager history

Record as J.League member

;Key * Pos. = Position in league * Attendance/G = Average home league attendance * † 2020 & 2021 seasons attendances reduced by

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...

worldwide pandemic *Source
J.League Data Site

League history

* Division 1 (

Div. 1): 1965–1983 (as Toyo 1965–1980, as Mazda 1981–) * Division 2 (

Div. 2): 1984–1985 * Division 1 (

Div. 1): 1986/87–1987/88 * Division 2 (

Div. 2): 1988/89–1990/91 * Division 1 (

Div. 1): 1991/92 * Division 1 ( J.League Div. 1): 1993–2002 (as Sanfrecce Hiroshima) * Division 2 ( J.League Div. 2): 2003 * Division 1 ( J.League Div. 1): 2004–2007 * Division 2 ( J.League Div. 2): 2008 * Division 1 ( J.League Div. 1): 2009–present Total (as of 2022): 51 seasons in the top tier and 7 seasons in the second tier.

Notes

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Sanfrecce Hiroshima Mazda 1938 establishments in Japan Association football clubs established in 1992 Football clubs in Japan Sports clubs and teams in Hiroshima J.League clubs Japan Soccer League clubs Emperor's Cup winners Japanese League Cup winners