Japan Football Official Visits Scottish Team to Mark Historic Matches 60 Years Ago

By Kazuho Hosoda / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

12:37 JST, April 6, 2026

GLASGOW — In conjunction with the Japan national soccer team’s tour of Britain, Masakuni Yamamoto, national teams director of the Japan Football Association, visited Stirling Albion, based near Glasgow, on March 24.

The team visited Japan in 1966 and became the first professional team based in the United Kingdom to face the Japanese national team. To mark the 60th anniversary of that historic match, Stirling Albion extended an invitation to the Japanese team.

With the 1968 Mexico Olympics just two years away at the time, the teams played two matches, which provided a valuable opportunity for the Japanese team made up of amateur players to experience world-class competition firsthand.

The first match drew a crowd of about 45,000 to the Japan National Stadium. The Japanese team, composed mainly of young players including Kunishige Kamamoto, suffered a 3-1 defeat.

Four days later, Japan’s full national team also lost 4-2. The Yomiuri Shimbun at the time described the play of Stirling Albion, which competed in Scotland’s top division, as follows: “They moved quickly from the beginning and showed no slack after that. They did not miss a single opening in Japan’s defense, attacking sharply and with speed.”

Yamamoto noted, “I think it was a wonderful opportunity that led to the bronze medal two years later [at the Mexico Olympics].”

A reporter covering the matches at the time seemed particularly impressed by the team’s spirit of fair play, writing that they kicked the ball out of bounds even when they were in possession if a Japanese player was injured.

Stirling Albion currently plays in Scottish League 2, Scotland’s fourth division. Yamamoto heard from the team’s officials about the warm welcome they received during their visit to Japan. They gave Yamamoto a commemorative pennant and locally produced whisky. The Japanese side gave them a national team uniform bearing the number “60.” Yamamoto also interacted with former players who had visited Japan at the time.

“I hope this friendship will help lead us to the World Cup,” Yamamoto said.

Having experienced a piece of history that is integral to the development of Japanese soccer, he seemed to have renewed his determination for the World Cup.