| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Masatada Ishii | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | (1967-02-01)1 February 1967 (age 58) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Ichihara, Japan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.76 m (5 ft9+1⁄2 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Midfielder | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | BG Pathum United (head coach) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1982–1984 | Ichihara Midori High School | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1985–1988 | Juntendo University | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1989–1991 | NTT Kanto | 43 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1991–1997 | Kashima Antlers | 109 | (3) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998 | Avispa Fukuoka | 1 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 153 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015–2017 | Kashima Antlers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017–2018 | Omiya Ardija | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019–2021 | Samut Prakan City | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021–2023 | Buriram United | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023–2025 | Thailand | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2025– | BG Pathum United | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Masatada Ishii (石井 正忠,Ishii Masatada; born 1 February 1967) is a Japanese professionalfootball manager and former player who played as amidfielder. He is the head coach ofThai League 1 clubBG Pathum United.
Ishii was born inIchihara on 1 February 1967. After graduating fromJuntendo University, he joinedJapan Soccer League clubNTT Kanto in 1989. He played many matches from first season. He moved toSumitomo Metal (laterKashima Antlers) in 1991. In 1992, Japan Soccer League was folded and a new league,J1 League, was founded. In 1993, the club won the 2nd placeJ1 League andEmperor's Cup. However he could hardly play any matches from 1996. He moved toAvispa Fukuoka in 1998. He retired at the end of the 1998 season.
After retirement, Ishii became a coach forKashima Antlers in 1999. He served mainly as a physical coach. In July 2015, managerToninho Cerezo was sacked and Ishii replaced him as manager. He was the first Japanese manager of the club for the first time in 21 years sinceMasakatsu Miyamoto in 1994 (except caretakerTakashi Sekizuka in 1998 and 1999). In October, the club won the champions2015 J.League Cup. In 2016, the club won the championsJ1 League and qualify for2016 Club World Cup. He was also electedJ.League Manager of the Year. At Club World Cup, the club became the first Asian team to reach theClub World Cup final. In thefinal, after a 2–2 draw against European championsReal Madrid after 90 minutes, they were beaten 4–2 after extra time. However the club performance is bad in 2017, he was sacked in May 2017.
In November in late in 2017 season, Ishii signed withOmiya Ardija (formerNTT Kanto) where he began his playing career. Although he managed 3 matches, the club could not win the matches and was relegated toJ2 League. He remained a manager in 2018 season and aimed to return to J1 League. However Ardija finished at 5th place in 2018 season and missed promotion to J1. He resigned at end of the 2018 season.[1]
On 23 December 2019, Ishii was named the head coach ofThai League 1 clubSamut Prakan City.[2]
On 1 December 2021, Ishii was appointed head coach ofBuriram United.[3] In 2022, the club won the champions2021–22 Thai League 1 and qualify for2023–24 AFC Champions League group stage. During the2021–22 season, Ishii successfully guided Buriram United to win theThai League 1,Thai FA Cup andThai League Cup, thus completing the domestictreble for the fourth time in the club’s history.
The season ended with Ishii winning the first 'Double Treble' (a treble in two consecutive seasons) in Thai football history with a 2–0Thai FA Cup Final win over Bangkok United on 28 May 2023, thus completing the domestictreble for the fifth time in the club’s history.[4]
On 22 November 2023,Nualphan Lamsam, team manager of Thailand national team appointed Masatada Ishii to be the new head coach ofThailand national team. Ishii replacedAlexandré Pölking who was sacked earlier. Ishii became the second Japanese head coach of Thailand, followingAkira Nishino, who served for two years from July 2019. On 21 October 2025, the Football Association of Thailand (FAT) announced the departure of Masatada Ishii from his position as head coach of the Thailand national team. The decision followed an internal review by the association's technical committee, which concluded that Ishii's coaching approach and team development plans did not align with association's direction. During his tenure, which began in December 2023, Ishii recorded 16 wins from 30 matches in total, equivalent 53% win rate.[5]
On 30 October 2025, Ishii was appointed head coach ofThai League 1 clubBG Pathum United.[6] On 2 November 2025, Ishii managed his first match with BG Pathum United in a 2–1 away win againstChonburi.
Based on 4-4-2 formation, it is characterized by aggressive tactics that use high press and short counter to break through the center. During his time atOmiya Ardija, he made good use ofGenki Omae, who had a lack of scoring ability and was unsuccessful in the previous year, leading him to the league's top scorer.
| Club performance | League | Cup | League Cup | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Club | League | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Japan | League | Emperor's Cup | J.League Cup | Total | ||||||
| 1989/90 | NTT Kanto | JSL Division 2 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 20 | 0 | ||
| 1990/91 | 24 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 26 | 0 | ||||
| 1991/92 | Sumitomo Metal | JSL Division 2 | 15 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 17 | 0 | ||
| 1992 | Kashima Antlers | J1 League | - | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 0 | |
| 1993 | 22 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 28 | 2 | ||
| 1994 | 30 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 32 | 1 | ||
| 1995 | 30 | 0 | 3 | 0 | - | 33 | 0 | |||
| 1996 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 11 | 1 | ||
| 1997 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 16 | 0 | ||
| 1998 | Avispa Fukuoka | J1 League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 153 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 32 | 1 | 192 | 4 | ||
| Team | From | To | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | Win % | |||
| Kashima Antlers | 23 July 2015 | 31 May 2017 | 96 | 59 | 7 | 30 | 061.46 |
| Omiya Ardija | 6 November 2017 | 28 November 2018 | 48 | 22 | 9 | 17 | 045.83 |
| Samut Prakan City | 23 December 2019 | 30 November 2021 | 50 | 21 | 10 | 19 | 042.00 |
| Buriram United | 1 December 2021 | 6 August 2023 | 68 | 52 | 9 | 7 | 076.47 |
| Thailand | 12 December 2023 | 21 October 2025 | 30 | 16 | 6 | 8 | 053.33 |
| BG Pathum United | 30 October 2025 | Present | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 050.00 |
| Total | 296 | 172 | 43 | 81 | 058.11 | ||
Kashima Antlers
Kashima Antlers
Buriram United
Thailand
Individual
 | ||