Teizo Takeuchi

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games
SexMale
Full nameTeizo•Takeuchi
Used nameTeizo•Takeuchi
Original name竹内•悌三
Born6 November 1908 in Tokyo, Tokyo (JPN)
Died12 April 1946 in ?, Amur (RUS)
Measurements170 cm / 62 kg
AffiliationsUniversity of Tokyo, Tokyo (JPN)
NOC Japan

Biography

Teizo Takeuchi began playing football when an association football club was founded in 1924 at the Fifth Junior High School, and went on to play at Urawa Higher School and the Tokyo Imperial University. He laid the foundation for the University’s golden era of football by helping the team win the Kanto University League title for four consecutive years through 1931, playing as either fullback or halfback. Takeuchi also competed internationally in Tokyo at the 9th Far Eastern Championship Games in 1930, Japan ultimately sharing the title with the Republic of China. In 1932, he graduated from the University’s Faculty of Economics and joined the Tokyo Fire Insurance Company, Ltd.

Takeuchi captained the national team at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin as the sole survivor from the 1930 Far Eastern Championship Games side. With his understanding and ability, he contributed greatly to the victory over the Swedish side, using a new tactical system with three fullbacks. After visiting various places throughout Europe, Takeuchi contributed to the technical improvement in Japanese soccer by reporting the latest developments from across the world. He served as Japan Football Association (FA) representative, Kanto FA board member, and as member of the Football Preparatory Committee for the later cancelled Tokyo Olympics, focusing on technical instruction and on training referees. In 1944, he was called up for military duty and was detained in Siberia at the end of the war, where he died of illness in April 1946. In 2006, Takeuchi was inducted into the Japan Football Hall of Fame. His daughter Motoko Ishii became a world-famous lightning designer and founded the Teizo Takeuchi Award for the promotion of soccer for children.

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
1936 Summer Olympics Football (Football) JPN Teizo Takeuchi
Football, Men (Olympic) Japan =5

Special Notes