is a Japanese professional football club based in Osaka.
The club currently plays in the J1 League, which is the top tier of football in the country.
The club's name Cerezo (Spanish for cherry tree) is also the flower of the city of Osaka.Club Guide Profile, Link to official club's profile site.
The official hometowns for the club are Osaka and Sakai.
History
150px|left|thumb|Old crest The club, originally called Yanmar Diesel, started in 1957 as the company team of Yanmar and was an original founder ("Original Eight") of the now-disbanded Japan Soccer League (JSL) in 1965.
With four Japanese league titles to its credit, it was a mainstay of the JSL Division 1 until 1990 when it was first relegated, and joined the former Japan Football League (JFL) in 1992.
In 1993, the club incorporated as Osaka Football Club Co., Ltd. and adopted the name Cerezo after a public contest.
In 1994, they won the JFL championship and was promoted to the J1 League in 1995.
This also coincided with a run to the finals of the Emperor's Cup, which they lost to Bellmare Hiratsuka.
Cerezo has relegated from J1 to J2 three times, but are currently playing in the J1 league.
The club had an impressive third-place finish in the 2017 season.
On 4 November 2017 they won the J.League YBC Levain Cup, the first major title for Cerezo Osaka.
The final match was against Kawasaki Frontale.
On 1 January 2018, Cerezo Osaka won the Emperor's Cup, securing their second major title.
The final match was against Yokohama F. Marinos.
On 10 February 2018, they won the Xerox Super Cup, playing against Kawasaki Frontale.
In May 2018, the club changed its incorporated name from Osaka Football Club Co., Ltd. to Cerezo Osaka Co., Ltd.
Grounds
The hometowns for the club are Osaka and Sakai.
The club plays at Yodoko Sakura Stadium, with some bigger games played at Yanmar Stadium Nagai.Stadium Information, Link to stadiums.
The club practices at Minami Tsumori Sakura Sports Park, Maishima Sports Island, and Amagasaki Yanmar Diesel Ground.
Mascots
The main club's mascot is a wolf, named Lobby.
The other club's mascot is Madame Lobina, Lobby's mother.
On February 22, 2020, host and TV personality Roland was appointed Cerezo's "Official CereMan".
Rivalries
Cerezo's biggest rival is fellow Osaka club Gamba Osaka.
The matches played against Gamba are referred to as the Osaka derby.
Kits and colours
Cerezo's club colour is pink, like the cherry blossom flowers that the name is based on.
Combination colours have been navy blue and black.
This year, the uniform colour is pink (home) and white (away) for the field players, black (home) and pink (away) or green for the goal keepers.
During the Yanmar Diesel days in the late 1970s to mid-1980s, the uniform was all-red reminiscent of Deportivo Toluca.
Colours, sponsors and manufacturers
Kit evolution
Record as J.League member
;Key
Pos.
= Position in league; GP = Games Played; W = Games won; D = Games Drawn; L = Games Lost; F = Goals scored; A = Goals conceded; GD = Goals Difference; Pts = Points gained
Attendance/G = Average league home attendance
† 2020 & 2021 seasons attendances reduced by COVID-19 worldwide pandemic
Source: J.League Data Site
</small>
League history
Japan Soccer League Division 1: 1965–1990 (as Yanmar Diesel)
Japan Soccer League Division 2: 1991 (as Yanmar Diesel)
Japan Football League Division 1: 1992–94 (as Yanmar Diesel until 1993; Cerezo Osaka since 1994)
J1 League: 1995–2001
J2 League: 2002
J1 League: 2003–2006
J2 League: 2007–2009
J1 League: 2010–2014
J2 League: 2015–2016
J1 League: 2017–present
Players
Current squad
Out on loan
Honours
Yanmar Diesel
Japan Soccer League
Winners (4): 1971, 1974, 1975, 1980
JSL Cup
Winners (3): 1973 (shared), 1983, 1984
Emperor's Cup
Winners (3): 1968, 1970, 1974
Cerezo Osaka
Japan Football League
Winners (1): 1994 (as the company team)
J.League Cup
Winners (1): 2017
Runners-up (1): 2021
Emperor's Cup
Winners (1): 2017
Runners-up (3): 1994, 2001, 2003
Japanese Super Cup
Winners (1): 2018
Suruga Bank Championship
Runners-up (1): 2018
Continental record
Managers
In popular culture
In the popular Captain Tsubasa manga, a character named Teppei Kisugi becomes a professional football player and joins Cerezo Osaka.
Former players
Notes
References
External links
Cerezo Osaka official website
End of Thai Fan.
Cerezo Osaka official website
