en Leo Kokubo

Leo Kokubo
	Kokubo with Benfica in 2020
Personal information
Full name	Leo Brian Kokubo
Date of birth	23 January 2001 (age 23)
Place of birth	Chiba, Japan
Height	1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team	Sint-Truiden
Number	16
Youth career
	Kashiwa Effort
0000–2019	Kashiwa Reysol
2019–2022	Benfica
Senior career*
Years	Team
2022–2024	Benfica B
2024–	Sint-Truiden
International career‡
2017	Japan U16
2019	Japan U18
2022–	Japan U23
Medal record
Men's football
Representing Japan
AFC U-23 Asian Cup
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 4 November 2024; ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 3 May 2024

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.^[1]

In the 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup final, Kokubo saved penalty shot by 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.^[2]^[3]

Career statistics

As of 11 July 2024^[4]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League			National cup		League cup		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Benfica B	2021–22	Liga Portugal 2	9	0	—		—		—		9	0
	2022–23	Liga Portugal 2	0	0	—		—		—		0	0
	2023–24	Liga Portugal 2	16	0	—		—		—		16	0
	Total		25	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	25	0
Sint-Truiden	2024–25	Belgian Pro League	0	0	0	0	—		—		0	0
Career total			25	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	25	0