Former AC Milan and Juventus manager Alberto Zaccheroni has become the first Italian to be inducted into the prestigious Japanese Football Hall of Fame, Soccernet.football reports.
Zaccheroni, who managed Japan’s national team from 2010 to 2014, joins other notable non-Japanese inductees, such as Brazilian legend Zico, French-born manager Philippe Troussier, and Bosnia’s Ivica Osim.
Zaccheroni’s influence on Japanese football is widely respected, and his induction was celebrated in Tokyo with a special ceremony.
Among the dignitaries in attendance was Princess Hisako Takamado, a member of the imperial family and an avid supporter of sports.
Reflecting on the honour, Zaccheroni expressed surprise at the level of admiration he continues to receive from Japan.
“They have always had this sort of demonstration towards me. They have accustomed me to this since day one,” Zaccheroni told ANSA.
“I know why I respect them, but I can’t understand the level I have reached in this country: I don’t think I have done anything exceptional.”
The Italian coach, who led Japan to victory in the 2011 AFC Asian Cup, reminisced about his time with the national team.
“I had an excellent team, which was always in tune with me,” Zaccheroni said, crediting both his players and the Japanese football federation for his success.
However, he admitted that the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil left a bittersweet memory, with Japan failing to progress past the group stage. “I should have done much better at the World Cup. I arrived too confident: there is this regret. The responsibility is all mine,” he reflected.
Zaccheroni stepped down as Japan’s coach after the 2014 World Cup, where his team finished at the bottom of Group C, managing only one point and scoring two goals in three games.
Despite the disappointment, Zaccheroni’s tenure included several high points, including impressive results against top European teams like Belgium, France, and the Netherlands in pre-tournament friendlies.
Zaccheroni’s managerial career also saw him helm some of Italy’s top clubs, with his greatest achievement coming in 1999 when he won the Serie A title with AC Milan.