Daigo Kobayashi facts for kids

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Daigo Kobayashi

Daigo Kobayashi with Stabæk in 2009
Personal information
Full name	Daigo Kobayashi
Date of birth	(1983-02-19) 19 February 1983 (age 41)
Place of birth	Fuji, Shizuoka, Japan
Height	1.78 m
Playing position	Midfielder
Youth career
1998–2000	Shimizu Commercial High School
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2001–2005	Tokyo Verdy	104	(4)
2006–2008	Omiya Ardija	90	(14)
2009	→ Stabæk (loan)	29	(8)
2010	Iraklis	14	(0)
2011–2012	Shimizu S-Pulse	29	(0)
2013	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	30	(2)
2014–2017	New England Revolution	94	(2)
2018	Las Vegas Lights	32	(4)
2019–2021	Birmingham Legion	41	(0)
National team
2003	Japan U-20	4	(0)
2006	Japan	1	(0)
Honours Tokyo Verdy Winner Emperor's Cup 2004 Shimizu S-Pulse Runner-up J.League Cup 2012 Representing  Japan AFC U-19 Championship Silver 2002
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 5 November 2021. † Appearances (Goals).

Daigo Kobayashi (小林 大悟, Kobayashi Daigo, born 19 February 1983) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder.

Club career

He started up his professional career at Tokyo Verdy where he won the 2004 Emperor's Cup and the 2005 Japanese Super Cup. 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.

The club's successes were limited and after the 2008 season, he was offered the chance to go on trial at the Norwegian club Stabæk. His trial was a success, and in February 2009 he was loaned out to the Norwegian champions. He was given the number 10 shirt, which had recently been worn by Veigar Páll Gunnarsson. On 8 March, he made his official debut for Stabæk in the 2009 Super Cup. The league champions won 3–1 against cup champions Vålerenga. Kobayashi played an important part, getting on the score-sheet with a free kick and showing trickery with the ball. Stabæk decided 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. 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. 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 the New England Revolution before the start of the season in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft. In late 2015, Kobayashi received his U.S. green card, which qualified him as a domestic player for MLS roster purposes. In March 2018, Kobayashi joined Las Vegas Lights FC. In January 2019, Kobayashi signed with Birmingham Legion FC.

National team

He represented Japan U-20 national team at the 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. 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 earned 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.

Statistics

Club

International

Sources:

Honours

See also

In Spanish: Daigo Kobayashi para niños