Masanori Sanada
Position: GK
Born: 06-Mar-1968
Height/Weight: 180/75
Birthplace: Shizuoka
Previous Teams: Shimizu Shogyo HS, Juntendo U., ANA FC, Shimizu S-Pulse
Appearances (J1/J2):243/0
First Appearance: 16-May-1993 Shimizu S-Pulse - vs - Yokohama Flugels (at Mitsuzawa Stadium)

Bio

For nearly a decade, Masanori Sanada was the cool head at the back of the Shimizu S-Pulse, spending eleven seasons at his hometown club and leading the Wingheads to two cup championships and a runner-up league result in 1999, when S-Pulse lost to Jubilo Iwata. Sanada was also between the posts in 2000, when S-Pulse captured the Asia Cup Winner's Cup. Sanada was never called up to the national team, but he did represent his country at the 1987 Universiade, when he started in net for the Japan all-university team.

In 2001, Sanada finally stepped aside to relinquish his starting position to young Takaya Kurokawa, but he continued to wear the Number 1 jersey and make occasional appearances for S-Pulse until the end of 2004, when he finally called an end to his playing career and joined the S-Pulse coaching ranks. At the time he ritired, his 243 first-division starts put him third on the all-time list of J.League keepers, just one appearance behind the "grand old man", Nobuyuki Kojima.