Kota Sakurai (Japanese: 櫻井 功大; born May 26, 1999) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Lithuanian A Lyga club FK TransINVEST.
.jpg) Sakurai receives L1O Young Player of the Year award in 2016 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | May 26, 1999 | ||
| Place of birth | Yokohama, Japan | ||
| Height | 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | FK TransINVEST | ||
| Number | 6 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Yokohama F. Marinos | |||
| 2015–2017 | Toronto FC | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2017–2019 | Dartmouth Big Green | 47 | (2) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2016–2018 | Toronto FC III | 40 | (3) |
| 2016 | Toronto FC II | 2 | (0) |
| 2021–2022 | Ituano FC Yokohama | ||
| 2022 | Toronto FC II | 7 | (0) |
| 2023 | Ogre United | ||
| 2024– | FK TransINVEST | 19 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11 November 2024 | |||
Early life
editSakurai played youth soccer in Japan with Yokohama F. Marinos.[1] He joined the Toronto FC Academy in October 2015.[2]
College career
editAfter receiving scholarship offers from 14 American universities,[3] Sakurai enrolled at Dartmouth College in 2017.[4] In his freshman year, he won the Ivy League Title with the team.[5] He scored his first goal on October 13, 2018, against the Penn Quakers.[6] In 2020, the season was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so Sakurai trained with a team in his native Japan four times per week.[7] During his time with the Big Green from 2017 to 2019, he scored two goals and added six assists in 47 appearances.[2]
Club career
editSakurai regularly featured for Toronto FC III during their League1 Ontario[8][9][10] and Premier Development League[11] campaigns from 2016 to 2018. He scored his first goal on May 15, 2016, against Windsor TFC.[12] He was named the League1 Ontario Young Player of the Year in 2016,[13] as well as a league Second Team All-Star.[14]
With a number of Toronto FC II players unavailable for upcoming fixtures, Sakurai was called up to the squad in June 2016.[15] He made his professional debut on July 2, 2016, appearing for 14 minutes in a 3–0 defeat to Wilmington Hammerheads in the USL.[15] In doing so, he became the first ever Japanese player to feature competitively for Toronto FC II.[16]
In April 2021, he joined Ituano FC Yokohama, remaining until April 2022.[17][18]
In April 2022, he signed a professional contract with Toronto FC II in MLS Next Pro, returning to his former club.[2]
In 2023, he joined Latvian Second League club Ogre United.
In February 2024, he joined Lithuanian club FK TransINVEST in the first tier A Lyga.[19]
References
edit- ^ Hiro, Hayashi (July 5, 2022). "トロントが分岐点。 アイビーリーグ・ダートマス大学に進学 プロサッカー選手・トロントFC 櫻井 功大さん（前編）- Hiroの部屋" [Toronto is a turning point. Entering Ivy League Dartmouth College Professional Soccer Player Toronto FC Kota Sakurai (Part 1) - Hiro's Room]. Torja (in Japanese).
- ^ a b c "Toronto FC II sign Alonso Coello Camarero and Kota Sakurai". Toronto FC. April 1, 2022.
- ^ Hiro, Hayashi (August 4, 2022). "トロントFCへ恩返しがしたい。プロサッカー選手・トロントFC 櫻井 功大さん（中編）｜Hiroの部屋" [I want to give back to Toronto FC. Professional Soccer Player Toronto FC Kota Sakurai (Part 2) - Hiro's Room]. Torja (in Japanese).
- ^ "Kota Sakurai Dartmouth profile". Dartmouth Big Green.
- ^ "Athlete of the Week - Kota Sakurai". Dartmouth Big Green. June 26, 2019.
- ^ Miezejeski, Mike (October 13, 2018). "Dartmouth Secures First Ivy League Win Over Penn". Dartmouth Big Green.
- ^ Bender, Rick (October 20, 2020). "Senior Spotlight: Kota Sakurai". Dartmouth Big Green.
- ^ "Kota Sakurai 2016 L1O Stats". League1 Ontario.
- ^ "Kota Sakurai 2017 L1O Stats". League1 Ontario.
- ^ "Kota Sakurai 2018 L1O Stats". League1 Ontario.
- ^ "Kota Sakurai 2016 PDL Stats". USL League Two.
- ^ "Toronto FC Academy Takes Season's First Points Over Windsor". League1 Ontario. May 15, 2016.
- ^ "Stratagakis, Sakurai Win 2016 League1 Ontario Young Player Of The Year Awards". League1 Ontario. November 22, 2016.
- ^ "Standout Performers Recognized at 2016 League1 Ontario Awards Banquet". League1 Ontario. November 28, 2016.
- ^ a b Crawford, Colin (July 2, 2016). "Match Report: Wilmington Hammerheads 3 – 0 TFC II". Toronto FC.
- ^ "Notable alumni from Ontario private schools". Our Kids.
- ^ "櫻井 功大選手 入団のお知らせ" [Announcement of Kota Sakurai joining the team]. Ituano FC Yokohama (in Japanese). April 18, 2021.
- ^ "櫻井 功大選手 移籍のお知らせ" [Announcement of Kota Sakurai transfer]. Ituano FC Yokohama (in Japanese). April 1, 2022.
- ^ "„TransINVEST" stiprinasi dar vienu japonu" [TransINVEST is getting stronger with another Japanese]. Sportas (in Lithuanian). February 22, 2024.
External links
edit- Kota Sakurai at Soccerway