Sōichirō Kōzuki (上月 壮一郎, Kōzuki Sōichirō, born 22 December 2000) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a winger for German 3. Liga club 1860 Munich.

Sōichirō Kōzuki
上月 壮一郎
Personal information
Date of birth (2000-12-22) 22 December 2000 (age 23)
Place of birth Uji, Japan
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Position(s) Right midfielder, winger
Team information
Current team
1860 Munich
Number 14
Youth career
2016–2018 Kyoto Sanga
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018–2022 Kyoto Sanga 18 (0)
2022 1. FC Düren 11 (5)
2022–2023 Schalke 04 II 17 (11)
2023–2024 Schalke 04 10 (1)
2024Górnik Zabrze (loan) 18 (1)
2024– 1860 Munich 3 (0)
International career
2015 Japan U16 3 (1)
2017 Japan U17 6 (0)
2018 Japan U18 2 (0)
2018 Japan U19 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 27 September 2024

Club career

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Kōzuki was promoted to the first team of J2 League club Kyoto Sanga in 2018.[2]

He joined German club 1. FC Düren of the fifth-tier Mittelrheinliga in February 2022.[3]

On 26 August 2022, Kōzuki agreed to join Bundesliga side Schalke 04, where he was initially assigned to the reserve team.[4] However, following his performances in the Regionalliga West, in December of the same year the Japanese player was promoted to the first team and signed his first professional contract in the process, by penning a deal until 2025, with an option for an automatic extension based on a certain number of appearances.[5] He scored his first Bundesliga goal in his second debut against RB Leipzig.[6]

On 30 January 2024, Kōzuki moved on loan to Górnik Zabrze in Poland until the end of 2024, with an option to buy.[7]

On 3 September 2024, 3. Liga club 1860 Munich announced that they had signed Kōzuki.[8]

International career

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Kōzuki has represented Japan at various youth international levels, having played for all the national teams from the under-16 to the under-19 setup.[5]

Career statistics

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As of match played 25 September 2024[9][10]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Kyoto Sanga 2018 J2 League 2 0 0 0 2 0
2019 J2 League 3 0 0 0 3 0
2020 J2 League 11 0 0 0 11 0
2021 J2 League 2 0 2 1 4 1
Total 18 0 2 1 20 1
1. FC Düren 2021–22 Mittelrheinliga 11 5 11 5
Schalke 04 II 2022–23 Regionalliga West 14 8 14 8
2023–24 Regionalliga West 3 3 3 3
Total 17 11 17 11
Schalke 04 2022–23 Bundesliga 5 1 5 1
2023–24 2. Bundesliga 5 0 1 0 6 0
Total 10 1 1 0 11 1
Górnik Zabrze (loan) 2023–24 Ekstraklasa 14 1 14 1
2024–25 Ekstraklasa 4 0 4 0
Total 18 1 18 1
1860 Munich 2024–25 3. Liga 3 0 3 0
Career total 77 18 3 1 80 19

References

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  1. ^ "Soichiro Kozuki" (in Polish). Górnik Zabrze. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
  2. ^ Sōichirō Kōzuki at J.League (archive) (in Japanese)  
  3. ^ "Soichiro Kozuki stürmt für den 1. FC Düren". kicker (in German). 11 February 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  4. ^ "Verstärkung vom Aufsteiger: Soichiro Kozuki wechselt zur königsblauen U23". FC Schalke 04 (in German). 26 August 2022.
  5. ^ a b "Soichiro Kozuki signs a professional contract valid until 2025". Schalke 04. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  6. ^ "fc-schalke-04-vs-rb-leipzig". Bundesliga. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  7. ^ "Soichiro Kozuki dołącza do Trójkolorowych!" [Soichiro Kozuki joins the Tricolor!] (in Polish). Górnik Zabrze. 30 January 2024. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  8. ^ "Soichiro Kozuki joins TSV 1860 München". FC Schalke 04. 3 September 2024.
  9. ^ Sōichirō Kōzuki at Soccerway  
  10. ^ Sōichirō Kōzuki at WorldFootball.net  
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