One of the greatest strikers in Japanese football history, national team legend Kunishige Kamamoto, has died at the age of 82. The Japan Football Association officially confirmed the news.
According to reports, the former footballer died of pneumonia. Kamamoto was the main striker for Japan’s bronze medal-winning team at the 1968 Mexico Olympics, scoring seven goals to become the tournament’s top scorer.
In his international career, Kamamoto played 76 matches for the national team and scored 75 goals — a record that still stands in Japanese football history.
After retiring from professional football, he served as vice president of the Japan Football Association from 1998 to 2008. He was also part of the organizing committee for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by Japan and South Korea.
His passing is regarded as a major loss not only for Japan but for Asian football as a whole.
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