Daigo Kobayashi

Daigo Kobayashi (小林 大悟, Kobayashi Daigo, born February 19, 1983) is a Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team. He plays for New England Revolution in Major League Soccer.

Career

He started up his professional career at Tokyo Verdy where he won the Emperor's Cup in 2004 and the Super Cup in 2005.^[1] In the same year they were relegated from the J1 League, which marked his end in Tokyo. He signed for Omiya Ardija at the start of the 2006 season and quickly became their star player.^[2] After the 2006 FIFA World Cup he played his first and only international match.

The club's successes were limited and after the 2008 season, he was offered the chance to go on trial at Norwegian club Stabæk. His trial was a success, and in February 2009 he was loaned out to the Norwegian champions.^[3] He was given the number 10 shirt, which had recently been worn by Veigar Páll Gunnarsson.^[4]

On 8 March, he made his official debut for Stabæk in the 2009 Super Cup where the league champions won 3–1 against cup champions Vålerenga, with Kobayashi playing an important part, getting on the score-sheet with a free kick and showing trickery with the ball. Stabæk decided to not to buy him at the end of the season.

On 27 January 2010, Kobayashi signed on a free transfer to the Greek team Iraklis Thessaloniki for 18 months.^[5] Kobayashi only appeared in 15 matches for Iraklis. At the end of the 2010–11 season he returned to Japan, signing a deal with Shimizu S-Pulse.

During January 2013 he went on trial with Vancouver Whitecaps FC in the MLS.^[6] He impressed during his trial stint and signed with the club for the 2013 season. The club declined to offer him a contract for the 2014 season and his rights were traded to New England Revolution before the start of the season in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft.^[7]

In late 2015, Kobayashi received his U.S. green card, which qualifies him as a domestic player for MLS roster purposes.^[8]

National team

He represented Japan U-20 national team at the FIFA World Youth Championship in 2003, where they reached the quarter-finals before being beaten by eventual champions Brazil. He did not start their first group game, a loss against Colombia, but he started the next two which they won to secure a top spot, including a win against England. He further played in the round of 16 win against South Korea, but had to be replaced early in the quarter finals.^[9] He also represented Japan U20 at the AFC Youth Championship in 2002, where they came second, after losing 1–0 in against South Korea in the final.

He made his first cap for Japan in a friendly match against Trinidad and Tobago on 9 August 2006, coming on as a 56th-minute substitute for Koji Yamase^[10]

Club statistics

^{[11][12][13][14]}

• Also played 1 (2005) Japanese Super Cup game.

National team

^[12]

Honours

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Daigo Kobayashi.

• National Football Teams
• Japan National Football Team Database
• Player statistics at J.League Data Site (Japanese)
• MLS player profile