Gotoku Sakai

Gotoku Sakai (酒井 高徳, Sakai Gotoku, born 14 March 1991) is an American-born Japanese footballer of German descent who currently plays for Vissel Kobe and was a player for the Japanese national team, mainly as a right back.

Club Career

Early career

Sakai was born in New York to a German mother and a Japanese father. The family moved to Japan when he was two years old. He grew up in Sanjo, Niigata prefecture. Sakai started playing football at Sanjo junior soccer club, together with his brother Noriyoshi. At age 15, he joined Albirex Niigata youth academy and entered Kaishi Gakuen High School. His team played at the Prince Takamado Cup, All Japan Club Youth Soccer tournament and J. League Youth tournament.

Years later in his final year at school, he was chosen as one of the designated players for development by J. League Division 1 and JFA. With this status, he was able to register as a J. League club player while he was still eligible to play for his school. He made his Albirex first-team debut, at the age of 17, on 15 November 2008 in the Emperor's Cup match against FC Tokyo. He officially signed with Albirex Niigata in the following season. After becoming professional, he was assigned the number 24 shirt. He made his professional football debut in the opening J1 League match of the 2009 season also against FC Tokyo.

VfB Stuttgart

On 1 January 2012, Gotoku Sakai was loaned out to VfB Stuttgart until June 2013. VfB Stuttgart secured the contract option to sign Sakai permanently.

On 11 February 2012, Sakai made his Bundesliga debut for VfB Stuttgart in a 5–0 home victory against Hertha BSC. He made 14 starts and recorded five assists in his first Bundesliga season. Sakai scored his first goal for Stuttgart on 22 November 2012 in a 5–1 away victory against FC Steaua București in the 2012–13 UEFA Europa League group stage.

On 10 January 2013, Sakai signed a contract with Stuttgart until June 2016 and moved permanently to VfB.

This page also has a version in other languages :  Готоку Сакаи (russian)