Nagoya Grampus is a Japanese association football club that plays in the J1 League, following promotion from the J2 League in 2017. Based in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture and founded as the company team of the Toyota Motor Corp. in 1939. The club shares its home games between Mizuho Athletic Stadium and the much larger Toyota Stadium. The team had its most successful season up to 1995 when it was managed by Arsène Wenger, well known for his exploits at Arsenal. They won the Emperor's Cup and finished second in the J.League, with Dragan Stojković and Gary Lineker on the team. The 1995 success was eclipsed on November 20, 2010, when the club won its first J.League trophy, under the management of Stojković. The team's name was derived from the two most prominent symbols of Nagoya: the two golden grampus dolphins on the top of Nagoya Castle, and the Maru-Hachi, the city's official symbol.
Toyota Motors SC was overshadowed by its colleague Toyota Automated Loom Works SC. When Toyota ALW were relegated to regional leagues in 1968, Toyota Motor saw an opportunity to rise at their expense. In 1972 Toyota Motors were founding members of the JSL's Second Division and its inaugural champions. They remained in the JSL until the J.League's founding in 1993. They were relegated to the JSL Division 2 in 1977. After a brief return in 1987–88, they were promoted for good in 1989–90 and remained in the top flight for 26 years, until 2016.
J.League era
In 1996, future Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger led Grampus to the 1996 Emperor's Cup and a runners-up finish in the J.League, the club's best finish. The team's name "Nagoya Grampus Eight" was changed to just "Nagoya Grampus" at the start of the 2008 season. In 2008, Nagoya appointed former player Dragan Stojković as manager. They finished in third place and qualified for the AFC Champions Leaguefor the first time. Stojković has since led the club to winning the J.League in the 2010 season, featuring a squad consisting of Marcus Tulio Tanaka, Mu Kanazaki, Seigo Narazaki, Yoshizumi Ogawa, Keiji Tamada and Joshua Kennedy. After a poor 2016 season, Nagoya Grampus were relegated to J2 League for the first time in their history. Boško Gjurovski left his post as manager. On 4 January 2017, Yahiro Kazama was appointed as the club's new manager. On 3 December 2017, Nagoya Grampus drew 0-0 against Avispa Fukuoka in the promotion playoff final, securing promotion back to J1 League at the first time of asking due to their higher regular season position than Avispa Fukuoka.
Since Nagoya were dealt a 5–0 defeat by the Kashima Antlers at the Kashima Soccer Stadium on 16 May in the 1993 J.League season opener, Nagoya suffered a losing streak of 22 consecutive games to the Kashima Antlers at the Kashima Soccer Stadium which included Emperor's Cup and J.League Cup games. Nagoya finally got their first victory over the Kashima Antlers at the Kashima Soccer Stadium on 23 August of the 2008 J.League season, some 15 years later.
Colour, sponsors and manufacturers
J.League Record
;Key
Tms. = Number of teams
Pos. = Position in league
Attendance/G = Average league attendance
Source:
Players
Current squad
Out on loan
Managers
Information correct as of match played 1 December 2018. Only competitive matches are counted.
: 33 seasons in the top tier, 12 seasons in the second tier and 6 seasons in the Regional Leagues.
In popular culture
In the Captain Tsubasamanga series, one character was player of Nagoya Grampus and is the goalkeeper Ken Wakashimazu which was player of Yokohama Flügels before the closing of the Yokohama team. In 2013, the midfielder Shingo Aoi wear the Nagoya Grampus jersey in a Yoichi Takahashi tribute to the 20 years of J.League.
