Nagoya Grampus

Template:Short description Template:Infobox football club Template:Force cite load Template:Toyota Sports sections Template:Nihongo foot, formerly known as Template:Nihongo foot, is a Japanese association football club that plays in the J1 League, and have for all but one season since the inauguration of the league, following promotion from the J2 League in 2017.

Based in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture and founded as the company team of the Toyota Motor Corp. in 1939, the club shares its home games between Mizuho Athletic Stadium (capacity 27,000 and the J.League's oldest serving stadium) and the much larger Toyota Stadium in the city of Toyota (capacity 45,000).

Grampus had its most successful season up to 1996 when it was managed by Arsène Wenger, well known for his subsequent exploits at Arsenal. They won the Emperor's Cup and finished second in the J.League, with their FR Yugoslavia captain Dragan Stojković being named J.League MVP. The 1995 success was eclipsed on November 20, 2010, when the club won its first J.League trophy, under the management of Stojković.<ref name="Espns">Template:Cite web</ref>

The team's name was derived from two prominent symbols of Nagoya. The first is the shachihoko (tiger-headed carp) statues atop Nagoya Castle, also called shachi; this word is a homophone with the Japanese word for orca, a species formerly referred to as "grampus". The second is the maru-hachi (circle-eight), Nagoya's official emblem. The team's mascot is Grampus-kun, an orca.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

History

Japan Soccer League era

Toyota Motor SC was overshadowed by its colleague Toyota Automated Loom Works SC (founded in 1946 and which was one of the founding members of the Japan Soccer League). When Toyota ALW were relegated to regional leagues in 1968, Toyota Motor saw an opportunity to rise at their expense.<ref name="jleague">Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1972, the club was founding members of the JSL's Second Division and its inaugural champions. They remained in the JSL until the J.League's founding in 1993. They were relegated to the JSL Division 2 in 1977. In 1990, the club name was changed to "Nagoya Grampus Eight".

After a brief return in 1987–88, they were promoted for good in 1989–90 and remained in the top flight for 26 years, until 2016.

J.League era

Grampus Eight was an original member ("Original Ten"Template:Efn) of the J.League in 1993. In 1996, future Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger led Grampus to the 1996 Emperor's Cup and a runners-up finish in the J.League, the club's best finish.

The team's name "Nagoya Grampus Eight" was changed to just "Nagoya Grampus" at the start of the 2008 season.<ref name="jleague" /> In 2008, Nagoya appointed former player Dragan Stojković as manager. They finished in third place and qualified for the AFC Champions League for the first time.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Stojković has since led the club to winning the J.League in the 2010 season, featuring a squad consisting of Marcus Tulio Tanaka, Mu Kanazaki, Seigo Narazaki, Yoshizumi Ogawa, Keiji Tamada and Joshua Kennedy.<ref name="Espns" /> After a poor 2016 season, Grampus were relegated to J2 League for the first time in their history.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Boško Gjurovski left his post as manager.<ref name="Gjurovski Leaves">Template:Cite web</ref> On 4 January 2017, Yahiro Kazama was appointed as the club's new manager.<ref name="Kazama Appointed">Template:Cite web</ref> On 3 December 2017, Grampus drew 0–0 against Avispa Fukuoka in the promotion playoff final, securing promotion back to J1 League at the first time of asking due to their higher regular season position than Avispa Fukuoka.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On 23 September 2019, Massimo Ficcadenti was appointed as the club's new manager. The Italian manager led the club the winner of the J.League Cup in 2021. However, Grampus didn't renew a contract with Ficcadenti, and appointed Kenta Hasegawa as their new manager.

Kashima Soccer Stadium curse

Since Grampus were dealt a 5–0 defeat by the Kashima Antlers at the Kashima Soccer Stadium on 16 May in the 1993 J.League season opener, Grampus suffered a losing streak of 22 consecutive games to the Kashima Antlers at the Kashima Soccer Stadium which included Emperor's Cup and J.League Cup games. Grampus finally got their first victory over the Kashima Antlers at the Kashima Soccer Stadium on 23 August of the 2008 J.League season, some 15 years later.

Affiliated clubs

• Template:Flagicon AS Roma (2022−present)
• Template:Flagicon Everton F.C. (2025−present)

On 25 November 2022, Nagoya Grampus sign partnership with Serie A club, AS Roma.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On 21 August 2025, Nagoya Grampus signed a similar partnership with Premier League club, Everton F.C.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In popular culture

In the Captain Tsubasa manga series, one character was player of Nagoya Grampus and is the goalkeeper Ken Wakashimazu which was player of Yokohama Flügels before the closing of the Yokohama team. In 2013, the midfielder Shingo Aoi wear the Nagoya Grampus jersey in a Yoichi Takahashi tribute to the 20 years of J.League.

Kit and colours

Nagoya Grampus former crest from 1990 to 2023

Sponsors

Season(s)	Kit Manufacturer	Main Shirt Sponsor	Collarbone Sponsor		Additional Sponsor(s)
2019	Mizuno	Toyota	Senon (Left)	Tokai Tokyo Securities (Right)	Denso	Toyota Tsusho	TS3	Toyota Gazoo Racing	Before the ban is lifted
2020		Toyota / GR Yaris	Goo Net (Left)	au 5G (Right・1st) au (Right・2nd)					-
2021		GR Yaris			Toyota Industries
2022		GR 86		au 5G (Right)					V Vantelin
2023				Waku Sutaffu (Right)	AISIN			V Vantelin	-
2024

Current squad

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Club officials

Club Staff for 2024 <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Position	Name
Manager	Template:Flagicon Kenta Hasegawa
Head coach	Template:Flagicon Kosuke Takeya
Coaches	Template:Flagicon Tsuyoshi Yoshitake Template:Flagicon Keiji Yoshimura
Analytical coach	Template:Flagicon Ryosuke Sato Template:Flagicon Shuta Tsukamoto
Goalkeeper coach	Template:Flagicon Kazumasa Kawano
Assistant goalkeeper coach	Template:Flagicon Seigo Narazaki
Performance coach	Template:Flagicon Daisuke Uematsu
Physical coach	Template:Flagicon Kaito Yamada
Chief doctor	Template:Flagicon Shinya Ishizuka
Physiotherapist	Template:Flagicon Masakazu Mizutani Template:Flagicon Toru Fujii
Chief trainer	Template:Flagicon Kento Fujita
Trainer	Template:Flagicon Hiroki Kondo Template:Flagicon Kohei Baba
Team side manager	Template:Flagicon Minoru Mita
Side affairs	Template:Flagicon Shinichi Kitano Template:Flagicon Shinnosuke Ishizaka Template:Flagicon Yasuhiro Tanigawa
Interpreter	Template:Flagicon Kota Kurosu Template:Flagicon Takashi Kurokawa Template:Flagicon Moon Keon-ho

Manager history

Information correct as of match played 6 January 2025. Only competitive matches are counted.

Name	Nat.	From	To	P	W	D	L	F	A	%W
Marcos Falopa	Template:Fb	1991	1992
Ryuzo Hiraki	Template:Fb	1992	1993
Gordon Milne	Template:Fb	1 January 1994	31 December 1994
Tetsuro Miura (caretaker)	Template:Fb	1 January 1995	30 June 1995
Arsène Wenger	Template:Fb	1 July 1995	30 September 1996
José Costa (caretaker)	Template:Fb	30 September 1996	21 November 1996
Carlos Queiroz	Template:Fb	21 November 1996	November 1997
Koji Tanaka	Template:Fb	1997	1999
Daniel Sanchez	Template:Fb	1 January 1998	31 January 1998
Mazarópi (caretaker)	Template:Fb	1999	1999
João Carlos	Template:Fb	1999	2001
Tetsuro Miura	Template:Fb	2001	2001
Zdenko Verdenik	Template:Fb	1 January 2002	4 August 2003
Nelsinho Baptista	Template:Fb	29 July 2003	20 September 2005
Hitoshi Nakata (caretaker)	Template:Fb	21 September 2005	31 December 2005
Sef Vergoossen	Template:Fb	1 January 2006	31 December 2007
Dragan Stojković Piksi	Template:Fb	22 January 2008	7 December 2013
Akira Nishino	Template:Fb	25 December 2013	22 November 2015
Takafumi Ogura	Template:Fb	24 November 2015	23 August 2016
Boško Gjurovski (caretaker)	Template:Fb	23 August 2016	6 November 2016<ref name="Gjurovski Leaves" />
Yahiro Kazama	Template:Fb	4 January 2017<ref name="Kazama Appointed" />	23 September 2019 <ref name="Kazama leaves">Template:Cite news</ref>
Massimo Ficcadenti	Template:Fb	23 September 2019<ref name="Ficcadenti in">Template:Cite news</ref>	9 December 2021<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Kenta Hasegawa	Template:Fb	9 December 2021<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

• Notes:

Personnel awards

• J.League Player of the Year

• Template:Flagicon Dragan Stojković (1995)
• Template:Flagicon Seigo Narazaki (2010)

• J.League Top Scorer

• Template:Flagicon Ueslei (2003)
• Template:Flagicon Joshua Kennedy (2010, 2011)
• Template:Flagicon Jô (2018)

• J.League Best Eleven

• Template:Flagicon Dragan Stojković (1995, 1996, 1999)
• Template:Flagicon Ueslei (2003)
• Template:Flagicon Seigo Narazaki (2003, 2008, 2010, 2011)
• Template:Flagicon Marques (2004)
• Template:Flagicon Yoshizumi Ogawa (2008)
• Template:Flagicon Joshua Kennedy (2010, 2011)
• Template:Flagicon Danilson Córdoba (2010)
• Template:Flagicon Marcus Tulio Tanaka (2010, 2011, 2012)
• Template:Flagicon Takahiro Masukawa (2010)
• Template:Flagicon Jungo Fujimoto (2011)
• Template:Flagicon Jô (2018)
• Template:Flagicon Mitchell Langerak (2021)

• J.League Rookie of the Year

• Template:Flagicon Yoshizumi Ogawa (2008)

• J.League Manager of the Year

• Template:Flagicon Arsène Wenger (1995)
• Template:Flagicon Dragan Stojković (2010)

World Cup players

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

• Template:Flagicon Takashi Hirano (1998)
• Template:Flagicon Dragan Stojković (1998)
• Template:Flagicon Seigo Narazaki (2002, 2006, 2010)
• Template:Flagicon Keiji Tamada (2006, 2010)
• Template:Flagicon Joshua Kennedy (2010)
• Template:Flagicon Marcus Tulio Tanaka (2010)

Record as J.League member

Champions

Runners-up

Third place

Promoted

Relegated

Season	Div.	Teams	Pos.	Attendance/G	J.League Cup	Emperor's Cup	Asia
1992	–	–	–	–	Semi-final	1st round	Did not qualify	Did not qualify
1993	J1	10	9th	19,858	Group stage	Quarter-final
1994		12	11th	21,842	First round	2nd round
1995		14	3rd	21,463	–	Winners
1996		16	2nd	21,699	Group stage	3rd round
1997		17	9th	14,750	Semi-final	3rd round	CWC	Runners-up
1998		18	5th	13,993	Group stage	Semi-final	Did not qualify	Did not qualify
1999		16	4th	14,688	Semi-final	Winners
2000		16	9th	14,114	Semi-final	Round of 16
2001		16	5th	16,974	Semi-final	3rd round	CWC	Quarter-finals
2002		16	6th	16,323	Group stage	Round of 16	Did not qualify	Did not qualify
2003		16	7th	16,768	Semi-final	Round of 16
2004		16	7th	15,712	Semi-final	Round of 16
2005		18	14th	13,288	Group stage	Round of 16
2006		18	7th	14,924	Group stage	Round of 16
2007		18	11th	15,585	Group stage	Round of 16
2008		18	3rd	16,555	Semi-final	Quarter-final
2009		18	9th	15,928	Quarter-final	Runners-up	CL	Semi-final
2010		18	1st	19,979	Group stage	Quarter-final	Did not qualify	Did not qualify
2011		18	2nd	16,741	Semi-final	Quarter-final	CL	Round of 16
2012		18	7th	17,155	Quarter-final	Quarter-final	CL	Round of 16
2013		18	11th	16,135	Group stage	Second round	Did not qualify	Did not qualify
2014		18	10th	16,734	Group stage	Quarter-final
2015		18	9th	16,240	Quarter-final	Second round
2016		18	16th	17,729	Group stage	Second round
2017	J2	22	3rd	15,365	Not eligible	Round of 16
2018	J1	18	15th	24,961	Group stage	3rd round
2019		18	13th	27,612	Quarter-final	Second round
2020 †		18	3rd	8,537	Quarter-final	Not eligible
2021 †		20	5th	11,080	Winners	Quarter-final	CL	Quarter-final
2022		18	8th	18,813	Quarter-final	Round of 16	Did not qualify	Did not qualify
2023		18	6th	27,504	Semi-final	Quarter-final
2024		20	11th	27,650	Winners	2nd round
2025		20	TBD		2nd round	Quarter-final

Key

Honours

As Toyota Motor SC (1939–1991) and as Nagoya Grampus (1991–present)

Nagoya Grampus honours

Honour	No.	Years
J1 League	1	2010
Japan Soccer League Division 2	1	1972
Emperor's Cup	2	1995, 1999
J.League Cup	2	2021, 2024
Japanese Super Cup	2	1996, 2011
All Japan Senior Football Championship	2	1968, 1970
Konica Cup	1	1991

League history

• Regional League (Tokai Adult Soccer League): 1966–71
• Division 2 (JSL Div. 2): 1972
• Division 1 (JSL Div. 1): 1973–77
• Division 2 (JSL Div. 2): 1978–86
• Division 1 (JSL Div. 1): 1987
• Division 2 (JSL Div. 2): 1988–89
• Division 1 (JSL Div. 1): 1990–91
• Division 1 (J.League Div. 1): 1992–2016
• Division 2 (J2 League): 2017
• Division 1 (J.League Div. 1): 2018

Template:Updated: 41 seasons in the top tier, 13 seasons in the second tier and 6 seasons in the Regional Leagues.

See also

• Grampus-kun (The team mascot)

Notes

<references group="Jp."/> Template:Notelist

External links

• Template:Official website Template:In lang
• Fans' account on X Template:In lang