Nagoya Grampus: Wenger’s First Club, Pixy’s Champions
Nagoya Grampus: Wenger’s First Club, Pixy’s Champions
Central Japan’s big club has two unforgettable foreign names in its story: a young Arsène Wenger, who managed here before Arsenal, and Dragan “Pixy” Stojković, who led them to the title as both player and coach. This is Nagoya Grampus.
Nagoya Grampus are central Japan’s big club, a Toyota-founded side playing mostly at the 45,000-seat Toyota Stadium. They have two of the J.League’s best foreign stories: a young Arsène Wenger managed them in the mid-1990s — winning the Emperor’s Cup before he left for Arsenal — and club icon Dragan “Pixy” Stojković later returned as coach to deliver Grampus’s first-ever J1 League title in 2010. Heritage, big names and a Toyota-city home.
In this guide
1. Who Grampus are
2. The Wenger years
3. Pixy’s 2010 title
4. Toyota Stadium
5. Why they matter
1. Who Grampus are
Central Japan’s flagship, with Toyota in its DNA.
Founded in 1939 as the company team of the Toyota Motor Corporation, Nagoya Grampus are the big club of the Aichi region and one of the J.League’s founding members. They play big games at the steep, atmospheric Toyota Stadium in the city of Toyota, and some at Nagoya’s historic Mizuho ground.1
2. The Wenger years
Long before he became an Arsenal legend, Arsène Wenger managed Nagoya Grampus in 1995–96. He lifted the Emperor’s Cup and pushed the club up the table before leaving for Arsenal in 1996 — a short, formative spell that ties Grampus to one of the most influential managers in world football.1
3. Pixy’s 2010 title
The defining triumph came under another icon. The Serbian playmaker Dragan Stojković — “Pixy,” a beloved Grampus player in the 1990s — returned as manager and delivered the club’s first-ever J1 League title in 2010, finishing on 65 points with a squad including Joshua Kennedy, Keiji Tamada and Marcus Tulio Tanaka. Stojković was named Manager of the Year.1
| Era | Highlight |
|---|---|
| 1995–96 | Arsène Wenger manages Grampus; Emperor’s Cup |
| 2010 | First J1 League title under Dragan Stojković |
4. Toyota Stadium
Grampus’s home for big matches, Toyota Stadium (capacity ~45,000, opened 2001), sits in Toyota City east of Nagoya — a steep, enclosed, football-specific arena that’s among the best big-match venues in the country. It’s an easy Shinkansen trip, covered in our Nagoya travel guide.1
5. Why they matter
- They have unique history. Wenger and Pixy give Grampus two world-class stories.
- They’re central Japan’s flagship. The big club between Tokyo and Osaka.
- They’re a great matchday. Toyota Stadium is a superb big-game venue.
In five lines
- Nagoya Grampus are central Japan’s big club, founded by Toyota.
- Arsène Wenger managed them in 1995–96, winning the Emperor’s Cup before Arsenal.
- Club icon Dragan “Pixy” Stojković coached them to a first J1 title in 2010.
- They play big games at the 45,000-seat Toyota Stadium.
- ⚠ Form and squads change each season — confirm the latest.
Football in central Japan
Plan a Nagoya matchday and explore the J.League’s biggest clubs.
Sources & notes
- Nagoya Grampus — Toyota-founded; Wenger (1995–96, Emperor’s Cup); Stojković’s 2010 J1 title; Toyota Stadium (~45,000). Wikipedia · J.League
A club profile dated 8 June 2026. Historical highlights are settled; current form and squads change — confirm against official J.League / club sources.
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📅 更新履歴
| 日付 | 変更内容 |
|---|---|
| 2026年6月11日 | 初回公開 |
✅ ファクト再検証
最終検証日：2026年6月11日
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