GÅtoku Sakai
Gotoku Sakai in the training of VfB Stuttgart
Gotoku Sakai (Japanese酒井 高 徳, Sakai Gotoku; * March 14, 1991 in New York City ) is a Japanese football player with German roots. Sakai can play as a left-and right-back.
His younger brother Noriyoshi Sakai is also a professional footballer, currently under contract at Albirex Niigata.
Career
Association
Sakai was born as the son of a German mother and a Japanese father in New York, USA.
Albirex Niigata
At the age of two, he moved with his family to Japan. He began with ten years at Sanjo SSS playing football and went in 2003 to Reza FS Junior Youth then in 2006 the youth of Albirex Niigata. The first game for the senior team, he played 7 March 2009 against FC Tokyo; the game ended 4-1 Albirex.
VfB Stuttgart
On January 2, 2012 Sakai on loan from VfB Stuttgart until June 2013. Here, the Stuttgart secured a purchase option.
On February 11, 2012, Sakai was in the starting lineup in the 5-0 home win at VfB Stuttgart vs Hertha BSC his Bundesliga debut. His first competitive goal for VfB he scored on November 22, 2012 in a 5-1 away win against Steaua Bucharest in Stuttgart in the group stage of the UEFA Europa League 2012/13. Overall, he came in all six group games in the Europa League for VfB Stuttgart used. On 16 Matchday he fouled his opponent Lewis Holtby and were referred for the first time in his pro career because of a red card of the field. The DFB sports court detained him for three league games.
After the VfB Stuttgart had used his option to purchase, Sakai, signed on January 10, 2013 a contract until the end of June 2016.
National
Sakai was appointed in different age classes and played among others in qualifying for the AFC U-19 Asian Cup. In qualifying, he played four matches and scored two goals. For Asia Cup 2011 Sakai was appointed to the final squad of the Japanese national team. However, he had to cancel because of an injury his participation in this tournament.
To qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games in London Sakai was appointed to the Japanese U-23 selection. On September 21, 2011, he was the first game in Group C of the Asian Olympic Qualification Football Confederation in the starting lineup of the Japanese national team and won against Malaysia 2-0. Two months after he came off the bench in the 2-0 victory of Japan in Bahrain. After his club move to Germany at the turn of the Japanese U -23 completed the rest of the successful Olympic qualification in the first half of 2012 without Sakai. Following the Bundesliga season 2011/12 he took part with the Japanese U- 23 side at the Toulon Tournament. On July 2, 2012, Sakai was appointed to the Olympic team of Japan for the Olympic tournament in London. He played in the first four games of the tournament for the Japanese Olympic team and was not only used in the two defeats in the semi-finals and the match for the bronze medal.
On September 6, 2012 Sakai debuted for the Japanese national team 's 1-0 victory in the Kirin Cup against the United Arab Emirates. Through its competitive debut in qualifying for the 2014 World Cup on November 14, 2012 against Oman, he played himself as finally adopted for Japan. With the Japanese national team, he qualified successfully for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.