Júbilo Iwata

Football club infobox
clubname = Júbilo Iwata
ジュビロ磐田


fullname = Júbilo Iwata
nickname = Júbilo
founded = 1970
ground = Yamaha Stadium,
Iwata, Shizuoka &
Shizuoka Stadium
Fukuroi, Shizuoka
capacity = 16,893 &
51,349
chairman = Yoshio Mabuchi
manager = Hans Ooft (2008 - )
league = J. League Div.1
season = 2007
position = 9th Place
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nihongo|Júbilo Iwata|ジュビロ磐田|Jubiro Iwata is a professional Japanese football team currently playing in the J. League Division 1 (J1). The team name "Júbilo" means 'exultation' in Portuguese. The team's home town is Iwata, Shizuoka prefecture and they play at Yamaha Stadium. For big fixtures such as the Shizuoka Derby with Shimizu S-Pulse and against some of the top teams in J1, Jubilo play at the much larger Ecopa Stadium in Fukuroi City, a venue built specifically for the 2002 FIFA World Cup finals. They practice at Okubo Ground in Iwata and Iwata Sports Park Yumeria.

One of the most successful teams in the J. League, Júbilo have three times won the J. League title and three times finished as runners up. Júbilo hold the distinction of being Japan's most successful team in international club football, making three successive appearances in the Asian Club Cup final, being champions once and runners up twice.

Yamaha Motor is no longer the main club sponsor, but links between them and the club are still present and referred to.

History

Origins

The team started out as the company team for Yamaha Motor Corporation in 1970 and played in the Japan Soccer League until it reorganized as the J. League at the end of 1992.

Their first glory happened when they won both the Emperor's Cup and promotion as champions of the JSL Division 2 in 1982. They won their first Japanese league title in the 1987/88 season. Due to problems in the upcoming professionalization, Yamaha decided to relegate themselves and not be one of the J. League founder members.

They finished in 2nd place of the JFL 1st division, a division below the top flight, in 1993 and were promoted to the J1 league for 1994. The team welcomed Marius Johan Ooft as its manager, as well as the Brazilian national team captain Dunga and a number of foreign players to build a winning team. Dunga's football philosophy deeply influenced the club, initially as a player and currently as an advisor.

Glory Years

In a seven year period between 1997 and 2003, the club won a number of titles relying on Japanese players instead of foreigners who may leave on a transfer during the middle of the season. Within this period Júbilo won the J. League title three times, finished second three more and won each of the domestic cup competitions once. In 1999 they were also crowned Champions of Asia after winning the first of three successive Asian Club Cup final appearances, the competition which has since been reformatted as the AFC Champions League.

One of the most fruitful periods in J. League history, Júbilo broke several records and created some new ones. Amongst these are the most goals scored in a season (107 in 1998); the fewest goals conceded in a season (26 in 2001); the biggest goal difference (plus 68 goals in 1998); and the largest win (9-1 against Cerezo Osaka in 1998. In 2002, the team won both stages of the championship, a first in J. League history, and the same year the team had a record seven players selected for the J. League Team of the Year. All of these records still stand today.

Today

Since their last cup triumph in the 2003 Emperor's Cup, the squad which took them to such heights began to age. Without similarly skilled replacements coming through the youth team or from outside, Júbilo's power started to fade, and in 2007 the club ended the season in a record worst position of 9th. Perhaps more concerning to Júbilo supporters is their eclipse in recent seasons by bitter local rivals Shimizu S-Pulse who, in ending the season above Júbilo in both 2006 and 2007 have become Shizuoka prefecture's premier performing team.

The team's inspirational leader and talisman is Masashi Nakayama who is affectionately called "Taicho", lit. captain, and "Gon".

Titles

* 1977 - Japan Regional League Series playoff winner; inaugural champion, not promoted due to losing pro/rel play-off
* 1978 - Japan Regional League Series playoff winner; promoted
* 1979 - JSL 2nd Division runner-up; promoted
* 1982 - JSL 2nd Division championship, Emperor's Cup
* 1988 - JSL 1st Division championship
* 1992 - Japan Football League 1st Division championship (second tier); not promoted (see above)
* 1997 - J1 2nd stage championship, J1 championship
* 1998 - J1 1st stage championship, J. League Cup Winners
* 1999 - J1 1st stage championship, J1 championship, Asia Club Team championship, Asia Super Cup championship
* 2000 - Xerox Super Cup
* 2001 - J1 1st stage championship
* 2002 - J1 1st stage championship, J1 2nd stage championship, J1 championship
* 2003 - Emperor's Cup, Xerox Super Cup
* 2004 - Xerox Super Cup

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Team Record

J.League

External links

*en icon [http://www.jubilo-iwata.co.jp/eng/index.php Official Jubilo Iwata site]
*jp icon [http://www.jubilo-iwata.co.jp/index.php Official Jubilo Iwata site]

J. League