Akira Matsunaga (footballer, born 1914)

Akira Matsunaga
松永行
Personal information
Full name	Akira Matsunaga
Date of birth	21 September 1914
Place of birth	Yaizu, Shizuoka, Empire of Japan
Date of death	20 January 1943 (aged 28)
Place of death	Guadalcanal, British Solomon Islands
Height	1.71 m (5 ft 7+1⁄2 in)
Position(s)	Forward
Youth career
0000	Shida High School
College career
Years	Team
1935–1937	Tokyo Liberal Arts and Science University
International career
1936	Japan

Akira Matsunaga (松永行, Matsunaga Akira, 21 September 1914 – 20 January 1943) was a Japanese footballer. He played for the Japan national team. His brother Nobuo Matsunaga and Seki Matsunaga also played for the Japan national team.

National team career

Matsunaga

Miracle of Berlin (1936 Olympics 1st round v Sweden on 4 August)

In 1936, when he was a Tokyo Liberal Arts and Science University student, he was selected Japan national team for 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin.^[1] At this competition, on 4 August, he debuted and scored a goal against Sweden. Japan completed a come-from-behind victory against Sweden. The first victory in Olympics for the Japan and the historic victory over one of the powerhouses became later known as "Miracle of Berlin" (ベルリンの奇跡) in Japan. In 2016, this team was selected Japan Football Hall of Fame. On 7 August, he also played against Italy. He played 2 games and scored 1 goal for Japan in 1936.^[2]

Death

In 1937, Matsunaga entered the Imperial Japanese Army and served in World War II with the 230th Infantry Regiment as a lieutenant.^[3]^[4] On 20 January 1943, he was killed in action during the Guadalcanal Campaign at the age of 28.^[5]