Motoki Nagakura (長倉 幹樹, Nagakura Motoki, born 7 October 1999) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a forward for J1 League club Albirex Niigata.[1]
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 7 October 1999 | ||
| Place of birth | Urawa, Saitama, Japan | ||
| Height | 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Albirex Niigata | ||
| Number | 27 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| NEOS FC | |||
| 2012–2017 | Urawa Red Diamonds | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2018–2021 | Juntendo University | 57 | (11) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2022 | Tokyo United FC | 9 | (8) |
| 2022–2023 | Thespakusatsu Gunma | 26 | (7) |
| 2023– | Albirex Niigata | 31 | (5) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21:32, 14 September 2024 (UTC) | |||
Youth career
editNagakura began his career with Urawa Reds Junior Youth (under-15) after being scouted from junior high school. Despite being physically smaller than his peers, he was technically skilled and eventually earned promotion to Urawa Reds Youth (under-18).[2] In 2017, he scored 7 goals in 18 appearances in the Prince Takamado JFA U-18 Premier League.[3] Nagakura spent three years with Urawa Reds Youth, but was not offered promotion to the first team, so he decided to go to Juntendo University.[4]
Nagakura spent four seasons at Juntendo University, culminating in a run in the 2021 Emperor's Cup, where he helped knock out J1 League club FC Tokyo in the second round and narrowly lose out to J2 League club Thespakusatsu Gunma in the third round.[5]
Club career
editTokyo United FC
editAfter finishing university and not receiving any offers from J.League clubs, Nagakura decided to join fifth-tier Kantō Soccer League club Tokyo United FC.[6] As this was an amateur contract, he worked part-time in a gym alongside playing football. Nagakura impressed on the pitch, scoring 8 goals in 9 appearances.[7] He finished as the league's joint top scorer, despite only playing for half the season.[8]
Thespakusatsu Gunma
editIn August 2022, Nagakura was offered a professional contract and transferred to J2 League club Thespakusatsu Gunma.[9] He would be joining up with manager Tsuyoshi Otsuki, who had previously coached Nagakura at Urawa Reds Youth. On 16 August 2022, he made his professional debut in a 1–0 league defeat to Yokohama FC.[10] He scored his first goal for the club in the following game, in a 1–0 league victory over Vegalta Sendai.[11] He finished the 2022 season with 2 goals in 6 appearances for Thespakusatsu Gunma.
In the 2023 season, Nagakura was a key member of the team and scored 5 goals in 20 appearances in the first half of the season.[12] At the end of July, it was announced that Nagakura would be joining J1 League club Albirex Niigata.[13]
Albirex Niigata
editAs Niigata's key player Ryotaro Ito transferred mid-season, the club was looking for forward reinforcements. Nagakura made his debut for Albirex Niigata on 12 August 2023, coming on as a substitute in a 2–2 league draw with Shonan Bellmare. He scored his first J1 League goal on the final game of the season in a 1–0 victory over Cerezo Osaka.[14] He renewed his contract in December 2023, ahead of the 2024 season.[15]
On 4 September 2024, Nagakura scored four goals in a 5–0 J.League Cup quarter-final victory over Machida Zelvia, completing his first career hat-trick.[16]
Career statistics
editClub
edit- As of 14 September 2024[17]
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Japan | League | Emperor's Cup | J. League Cup | Other | Total | |||||||
| Juntendo University | 2021 | – | 3 | 0 | – | – | 3 | 0 | ||||
| Tokyo United FC | 2022 | KSL | 9 | 8 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 9 | 8 | ||
| Thespakusatsu Gunma | 2022 | J2 League | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 6 | 2 | ||
| 2023 | J2 League | 20 | 5 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 20 | 5 | |||
| Total | 26 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 7 | ||
| Albirex Niigata | 2023 | J1 League | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 10 | 1 | ||
| 2024 | J1 League | 21 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 6 | – | 29 | 10 | ||
| Total | 31 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 11 | ||
| Career total | 66 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 74 | 26 | ||
Honours
editIndividual
- Kantō Soccer League top scorer: 2022[8]
References
edit- ^ "長倉 幹樹：アルビレックス新潟：Ｊリーグ公式サイト（J.LEAGUE.jp）". Ｊリーグ.jp（日本プロサッカーリーグ） (in Japanese). Retrieved 11 September 2024.
- ^ "「小学生の時は感覚でプレーしていましたが...」社会人リーグから１年半でJ１に辿りついた新潟FW長倉幹樹の幼少期【インタビュー前編】 | サッカーダイジェストWeb". www.soccerdigestweb.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 12 September 2024.
- ^ "2017 Motoki Nagakura Players". Soccer D.B. Japan. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
- ^ "「フリーターの自分は、先輩たちに比べればマシなほう」新潟FW長倉幹樹が見た社会人リーグの過酷な環境【インタビュー中編】 | サッカーダイジェストWeb". www.soccerdigestweb.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 12 September 2024.
- ^ "2021 Motoki Nagakura Players". Soccer D.B. Japan. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
- ^ "長倉 幹樹選手 新加入のお知らせ | TOKYO MUSASHINO UNITED FC | 東京武蔵野ユナイテッドFCウェブサイト". 長倉 幹樹選手 新加入のお知らせ | TOKYO MUSASHINO UNITED FC | 東京武蔵野ユナイテッドFCウェブサイト (in Japanese). Retrieved 12 September 2024.
- ^ "「フリーターの自分は、先輩たちに比べればマシなほう」新潟FW長倉幹樹が見た社会人リーグの過酷な環境【インタビュー中編】 | サッカーダイジェストWeb". www.soccerdigestweb.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 12 September 2024.
- ^ a b "KSL - 関東サッカーリーグ - 記録 -2022年". www.kanto-sl.jp. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
- ^ "東京ユナイテッドFCよりFW長倉が完全移籍加入【群馬】：Ｊリーグ公式サイト（J.LEAGUE.jp）". Ｊリーグ.jp（日本プロサッカーリーグ） (in Japanese). Retrieved 12 September 2024.
- ^ "2022 J2 League 22/08/16 Yokohama FC - Thespa Gunma Results,Players,フォーメーション". Soccer D.B. Japan. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
- ^ "2022 J2 League 22/08/20 Thespa Gunma - Vegalta Sendai Results,Players". Soccer D.B. Japan. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
- ^ "2023 Motoki Nagakura Players". Soccer D.B. Japan. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
- ^ "ザスパクサツ群馬から 長倉 幹樹 選手 完全移籍加入のお知らせ". アルビレックス新潟 公式サイト｜ALBIREX NIIGATA OFFICIAL WEBSITE (in Japanese). Retrieved 14 September 2024.
- ^ "新潟、苦労人FW長倉幹樹のJ1初ゴールで白星フィニッシュ!「もっと上を目指して」6年ぶりJ1は10位". ゲキサカ (in Japanese). 3 December 2023. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
- ^ "長倉 幹樹 選手 契約更新のお知らせ". アルビレックス新潟 公式サイト｜ALBIREX NIIGATA OFFICIAL WEBSITE (in Japanese). Retrieved 14 September 2024.
- ^ "長倉 幹樹 選手（新潟）ハットトリック達成：Ｊリーグ公式サイト（J.LEAGUE.jp）". Ｊリーグ.jp（日本プロサッカーリーグ） (in Japanese). Retrieved 14 September 2024.
- ^ "2024 Motoki Nagakura Players". Soccer D.B. Japan. Retrieved 11 September 2024.