Kazuo Echigo

is a former Japanese football player and manager. He also played for the Japanese National Team.

Club career Echigo was born in Mie District, Mie on December 28, 1965. After graduating from high school, he joined Furukawa Electric (later JEF United Ichihara) in 1984. The club won the 1985–86 Japan Soccer League and the 1986 JSL Cup. In Asia, the club won 1986 Asian Club Championship. They were the first Japanese club to win the Asian championships. In 1995, he moved to Brummell Sendai (later Vegalta Sendai). He retired in 1999.

National team career On July 25, 1986, Echigo debuted for the Japanese National Team against Syria. He also played at 1986 Asian Games. In 1987, he was selected by Japan for 1988 Summer Olympics qualifications. He played 6 games and scored 1 goal.

Coaching career After retirement, Echigo started a coaching career at Vegalta Sendai in 2000. He served as a coach until 2004. In 2007, he signed with JEF United Chiba and became a manager for the reserve team. In 2011, he moved back to Vegalta Sendai and served as manager for the youth team. In 2017, he became a manager for the Mynavi Vegalta Sendai Ladies. In the 2017 season, the club was finished in 4th place. However in the 2018 season, the club won only 1 out of 9 matches and he resigned in June.

Echigo was appointed as the manager of Chinese Taipei women's national football team on January 19, 2019, and at the 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup almost led the team to its first world cup since 1991.

Club statistics

National team statistics