Leo Kokubo
{{short description|Japanese footballer (born 2001)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Leo Kokubo
{{nobold|小久保 玲央}}
| image = Leo Kokubo 2020.jpg
| caption = Kokubo with Benfica in 2020
| full_name = Leo Brian Kokubo
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2001|1|23|df=y}}
| birth_place = Chiba, Japan
| height = 1.93 m
| position = Goalkeeper
| currentclub = Sint-Truiden
| clubnumber = 16
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = Kashiwa Effort
| youthyears2 = {{0|0000}}–2019
| youthclubs2 = Kashiwa Reysol
| youthyears3 = 2019–2022
| youthclubs3 = Benfica
| years1 = 2022–2024
| clubs1 = Benfica B
| caps1 = 25
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2024–
| clubs2 = Sint-Truiden
| caps2 = 33
| goals2 = 0
| nationalyears1 = 2017
| nationalteam1 = Japan U16
| nationalcaps1 = 1
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 2019
| nationalteam2 = Japan U18
| nationalcaps2 = 1
| nationalgoals2 = 0
| nationalyears3 = 2022–
| nationalteam3 = Japan U23
| nationalcaps3 = 9
| nationalgoals3 = 0
| medaltemplates = {{MedalSport|Men's football}}
{{Medal|Country|{{Fb|JPN}}}}
{{Medal|Competition|AFC U-23 Asian Cup}}
{{Medal|B|2022 Uzbekistan|Team}}
{{Medal|G|2024 Qatar|Team}}
| club-update = 11 May 2025
| nationalteam-update = 3 May 2024
}}
{{nihongo|Leo Brian Kokubo|小久保 玲央 ブライアン|Kokubo Reo Buraian|born 23 January 2001}} is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Belgian team Sint-Truiden.
International career
Kokubo was born in Japan to a Nigerian father and Japanese mother. He is a youth international for Japan, having represented the Japan U16s, U18s and U23s.{{Cite web|url=https://web.gekisaka.jp/news/detail/?264961-264961-fl|title=柏U-18のGK小久保玲央ブライアンが"縁ある"ベンフィカに加入|website=ゲキサカ|date=26 January 2019 }}
On 4 April 2024, Kokubo was called up to the Japan U23 squad for the 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup.{{cite web|url=https://jfa.jp/news/00033820/|title=U-23日本代表 メンバー・スケジュール（4.6-5.4 カタール／ドーハ）AFC U23アジアカップ カタール2024|trans-title=U-23 Japan National Team Squad List (4.6-5.4 Qatar/Doha) AFC U23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024|publisher=Japan Football Association|language=ja|date=4 April 2024}} In the 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup final, he saved a penalty from Umarali Rakhmonaliev during stoppage time, helping Japan secure their 1–0 score against Uzbekistan, winning the competition for the second time in their history. He was consequently named as "Man of the match" for his heroic performance in the final.{{Cite web|title=Japan edge Uzbekistan to lift second title|publisher=AFC|date=4 May 2024|url=https://www.the-afc.com/en/national/afc_u23_asian_cup/news/apan_edge_uzbekistan_to_lift_second_title.html}}{{Cite web|title=Japan lay down Olympic marker|publisher=FIFA|date=4 May 2024|url=https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/tournaments/olympicgames/paris2024/articles/japan-win-u23-asian-cup}}
Career statistics
{{updated|match played 15 February 2025}}{{Soccerway|leobrian-kokubo/632523}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | |||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|National cup !colspan="2"|Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division
!Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals | |||||
| rowspan="4"|Benfica B
|9 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 9 | 0 | |
| 2022–23
|Liga Portugal 2 |0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 0 | 0 | |
| 2023–24
|Liga Portugal 2 |16 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 16 | 0 | |
| colspan="2"|Total
!25 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 25 | 0 | |
| Sint-Truiden
|23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 0 |
| colspan="3"|Career total
!48 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 48 | 0 |
{{notelist}}
Honours
Benfica
- Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2023{{Cite web |last=Vaza |first=Marco |date=9 August 2023 |title=Benfica soube mudar para ganhar a Supertaça |url=https://www.publico.pt/2023/08/09/desporto/cronica_de_jogo/benfica-vence-fc-porto-conquista-supertaca-2059795 |access-date=9 August 2023 |website=Público |language=pt}}
Japan U23
References
{{reflist}}
{{Sint-Truiden Squad}}
{{Japan men's football squad 2024 Summer Olympics}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kokubo, Leo}}
Category:Association football people from Chiba Prefecture
Category:Japanese men's footballers
Category:Japan men's youth international footballers
Category:21st-century Japanese sportsmen
Category:Japanese people of Nigerian descent
Category:Men's association football goalkeepers
Category:Liga Portugal 2 players
Category:Belgian Pro League players
Category:Kashiwa Reysol players
Category:S.L. Benfica B players
Category:Japanese expatriate men's footballers
Category:Japanese expatriate sportspeople in Portugal
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Portugal
Category:Japanese expatriate sportspeople in Belgium
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Belgium
Category:Sportspeople of Nigerian descent
Category:Footballers at the 2024 Summer Olympics
Category:Olympic footballers for Japan
Category:Sint-Truidense V.V. players
{{Japan-footy-goalkeeper-stub}}