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Kotaro Uchino

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Kotaro Uchino
Personal information
Date of birth (2004-06-19) 19 June 2004 (age 20)
Place of birth Kanagawa, Japan
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
SCH FC
0000–2022 Yokohama F. Marinos
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2023– University of Tsukuba
International career
2021 Japan U17
2022 Japan U18
2023– Japan U19 4 (1)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Japan
Asian Games
Silver medal – second place 2022 Hangzhou Team
AFC U-23 Asian Cup
Gold medal – first place 2024 Qatar Team

Kotaro Uchino (内野 航太郎, Uchino Kotaro, born 19 June 2004) is a Japanese footballer currently playing as a forward for the University of Tsukuba's football team.

Club career

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Early career

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Uchino began his career in the academy of Yokohama F. Marinos, where he established himself as a clinical goal-scorer, scoring twenty-one goals in the 2022 season, breaking the all-time record at that level for the number of goals scored in one league season.[1] In July of the same year, as his performances impressed Marinos' board, he was registered for the first team as a "Type 2 player" (term used in Japan to say the player is currently eligible to play both for the U-18s and for the first-team).[2]

Having spoken with Kosei Suwama and Ryotaro Tsunoda, who had both attended the University of Tsukuba, Uchino decided to commit to the university, rather than continue his career with Yokohama.[1] He left Yokohama's youth academy having scored over thirty goals in his last two seasons, including appearances at the Prince Takamado U-18 Premier League, the top division for youth teams in the country.[3]

University of Tsukuba

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Uchino committed to study at the University of Tsukuba ahead of the 2023 season, and he immediately had an impact on the school's football team, scoring seven goals in his first six games.[4] For his goal-scoring exploits, he was compared to both Shuhei Akasaki, who held the record for most goals as a university freshman with thirteen, as well as former University of Tsukuba alumni Kaoru Mitoma, who had also made a name for himself in Japan for his performances at university level.[4] He scored in the University of Tsukuba's 3–2 away loss to Briobecca Urayasu in the Emperor's Cup.[5]

International career

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Having been routinely called up for youth team training camps, Uchino was called up to the Japanese under-19 side for the 2023 Maurice Revello Tournament.[6] Buoyed by his performances for the University of Tsukuba football team, he stated that he wanted to score in every single game he played in.[6] However, Japan failed to impress at the tournament, finishing tenth out of twelve teams, with Uchino scoring once in four games.

Style of play

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During his time in the Yokohama F. Marinos academy, Uchino grew frustrated with his teammates inability to pick him out with their passes.[4] He began watching Shinzo Koroki as a reference for his movement, and developed a better understanding of attacking movement and how to escape his marker, allowing for his teammates to find him with their passes.[4]

He notably studied the games of the University of Tsukuba football team before joining, to fully grasp the team's style of play.[4] On his arrival at the university, he actively communicated with his new teammates, regardless of age, to inform them how he played, and how he would like the ball to be played into him.[4]

He would also watch videos of Norway and Manchester City forward Erling Haaland, but would flip the videos in order to be able to copy his movement and style of play, as Haaland is left-footed, while Uchino favours his right foot.[4]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of 24 June 2023.[7]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
University of Tsukuba 2023 – 1[a] 1 – 0 0 1 1
Career total 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1
Notes
  1. ^ Appearances in the Emperor's Cup

Honours

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Japan U23

References

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  1. ^ a b "狙うは前人未到の"ダブル得点王"。筑波大１年生FW内野航太郎の確信と固い決意「なりたい、いや、なります」" [Aiming for the unprecedented "double digit goals". University of Tsukuba 1st year forward Kotaro Uchino's conviction and firm determination "I want to be, no, I will be"]. soccerdigestweb.com (in Japanese). 11 April 2023. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  2. ^ "横浜F・マリノスユース所属選手トップチーム登録のお知らせ" [Announcement of Yokohama F. Marinos Youth Player Top Team Registration]. f-marinos.com (in Japanese). 29 July 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  3. ^ "プレミア2シーズンで30ゴール超え。横浜・Fマリノスユースの絶対的ストライカー、内野航太郎が向け続ける自分へのベクトル 【NEXT TEENS FILE.｜高円宮杯】" [Over 30 goals in two Premier League seasons. Kotaro Uchino, the absolute striker of the Yokohama F Marinos Youth, continues to point towards his own vector [NEXT TEENS FILE.｜Prince Takamado Trophy]]. news.jsports.co.jp (in Japanese). 12 October 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g "筑波大・内野航太郎　「三笘薫さんが示している」大学からプレミアで活躍する道を追う" [University of Tsukuba, Kotaro Uchino follows the path of being active in the premier from university, "Kaoru Mitoma shows"]. 4years.asahi.com (in Japanese). 30 May 2023. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  5. ^ "Briobecca Urayasu 3–2 University of Tsukuba". jfa.jp (in Japanese). 21 May 2023. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  6. ^ a b "大学リーグ得点ランク首位独走のＦＷ内野航太郎「出た試合で必ず点を取る」…Ｕ―１９日本代表、フランス遠征へ" [FW Kotaro Uchino, who is the top scorer in the university league, “I will definitely score in every game I play”… U-19 Japan national team to travel to France]. hochi.news (in Japanese). 5 June 2023. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  7. ^ Kotaro Uchino at Soccerway. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
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