After eight barren years, Kashima Antlers have finally reclaimed their place at the summit of Japanese football.
Japan’s most successful domestic club secured a record-extending ninth J.League first-division title on December 13 with a 2-1 home victory over Yokohama F. Marinos, their closest rivals in the league’s honors list. The win ended Kashima’s longest championship drought and signaled a symbolic return to the ruthless, title-obsessed identity that once defined the Antlers.
The title-deciding encounter at Kashima Soccer Stadium was rich in history. Between them, Kashima’s eight previous titles and Yokohama’s five meant 13 J1 championships were represented on the pitch, with both clubs also sharing the distinction of never having been relegated. Yet despite the pedigree, the match itself fell short of the anticipated clash of titans.
Kashima entered the final day knowing that only victory would secure the title, with second-placed Kashiwa Reysol waiting to pounce. Yokohama, meanwhile, were closing a turbulent campaign marked by repeated brushes with relegation. Under Hideo Oshima, the former champions were steadied to 15th place—their lowest-ever J1 finish—but survival, not silverware, defined their ambitions.
Starting the day one point clear, Kashima left nothing to chance. Brazilian forward Leo Ceara, in his first season with the club, struck in each half to finish as the league’s top scorer with 21 goals. The breakthrough came in the 20th minute when Yuta Matsumura surged down the right and cut the ball back for Ryotaro Araki. His scuffed effort fell invitingly for Ceara, who volleyed home.
As Kashima tightened their grip, tempers flared. Yuma Suzuki and Marinos defender Jeison Quiñónes were both booked, while a Kei Chinen header was ruled narrowly offside. The hosts doubled their lead in the 57th minute, Matsumura again the architect as his cross was emphatically headed in by Ceara past Park Il-gyu.
Yokohama registered their first shot on target deep into stoppage time, Jun Amano chipping Tomoki Hayakawa after a fine run and switch from Ryotaro Tsunoda. It proved little more than a late consolation, however, as Kashima closed out the match to lift the trophy.
“I can’t be happier,” said first-year manager Toru Oniki, who extended his own record by claiming a fifth J1 title after winning four with Kawasaki Frontale. “There was nothing more heartening than being able to play here today. The atmosphere was unbeatable.”
Despite finishing the season on a 15-match unbeaten run, the former Kashima midfielder insisted his side had more to give. “We still have so much to improve,” Oniki said. “The players grew tougher over the course of the season.”
Elsewhere, Kashiwa Reysol defeated Machida Zelvia 1-0 but finished one point short on 75, joining Kashima in qualification for the Asian Champions League Elite. Yokohama ended 15th on goal difference, eight points clear of the relegation zone. Third-placed Kyoto Sanga, despite their best-ever J1 campaign, missed out on continental competition, while Emperor’s Cup holders Machida Zelvia secured a place in the AFC Champions League Two. Japan’s remaining ACLE slot will be decided in next year’s J1 100 Year Vision League, a transitional competition introduced amid the J.League’s calendar shift to an autumn–spring format.
Beyond the final-day drama, Kashima’s triumph was the culmination of a conscious effort to revive their once-feared identity. Known as “the club that Zico built,” the Antlers dominated Japanese football from the mid-1990s, winning half of all J1 titles over a 14-season span, including three consecutive championships through 2009. As success faded, so too did the aura that once intimidated rivals.
Oniki moved swiftly to restore it. “What makes Kashima?” he asked his players upon arrival. “Put simply, the strength, and the obsession to win.” That ethos underpinned a pragmatic approach that favored results over aesthetics, including a willingness to exploit the aerial strengths of Suzuki and Ceara.
It paid off in decisive moments. Late goals against title rivals Kashiwa Reysol and Kyoto Sanga stripped crucial points that ultimately shaped the championship race.
The revival extended beyond the pitch. Former stars returned in key roles, with Koji Nakata appointed football director, Atsushi Yanagisawa and Hitoshi Sogahata promoted from the youth setup, and club legend Mitsuo Ogasawara overseeing the next generation. On the field, the returns of captain Naomichi Ueda and Kento Misao helped offset departures to Europe, while additions such as Ryoya Ogawa and Kyosuke Tagawa strengthened the squad.
“I felt really sorry for the people who have been kept waiting for so long,” Ueda said. “I feel I’ve finally shown why I came back.”
With their ruthless edge restored, strong financial backing from Mercari Inc., and record average home attendances, Kashima Antlers may have done more than end an eight-year drought. They may have laid the groundwork for another dynasty—and reminded Japanese football what it truly means to face Kashima.