Keito Nakamura

Keito Nakamura

Footballer

AI

Nakamura scored his first World Cup goal in 2026, showcasing his talent on the biggest stage of international football.

Keito Nakamura is a professional footballer from Japan, known for his dynamic playing style as a forward.

He began his professional career with Gamba Osaka, where he made his debut at the age of 17.

Biography

Early Life

Keito Nakamura is a talented Japanese professional footballer born into a culture rich in sports. He began his football journey at a young age, showcasing his skills and passion for the game. His early development took place at Mitsubishi Yowa, a club in the Kantō Soccer League, where he honed his abilities before making a significant leap into professional football.

Career

Nakamura's professional career took off when he joined Gamba Osaka ahead of the 2018 J1 League season. He made his senior debut at just 17 years old, impressing fans with his agility and attacking prowess. During his time at Gamba Osaka, he played 17 league matches, scoring his first goal in a crucial win against V-Varen Nagasaki. His journey continued as he moved to various clubs, including a loan to FC Juniors OÖ in Austria, and later signing with LASK Linz, where he further developed his skills.

In August 2023, Nakamura made a significant move to Stade de Reims in France's Ligue 1, marking a new chapter in his career. He quickly made an impact, scoring his first goal in the league shortly after his debut. On the international stage, Nakamura has represented Japan at various youth levels and made his senior debut in March 2023. He has since scored for the national team and was selected for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup and the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where he made headlines by scoring in Japan's opening match.

Playing Style

Known for his pace and direct attacking style, Nakamura is versatile, playing as both a winger and a forward. His dribbling ability and knack for creating chances make him a valuable asset on the field, and he continues to evolve as a player with each match.

Collected from open sources (3) · facts link to sources · AI-processed

Career & Clubs

Club career

Gamba Osaka

Nakamura joined Gamba Osaka from Kantō Soccer League side Mitsubishi Yowa ahead of the 2018 J1 League season. He made his senior debut at the age of 17 on 24 February 2018 in a 3–2 home defeat by Nagoya Grampus in which replaced Hwang Ui-jo in the 69th minute and 10 minutes later crossed for Shun Nagasawa to head home and make the score 2–2. In total he played 17 J1 League games during his debut campaign and netted 1 goal, the winner in a 2–1 win over V-Varen Nagasaki on 24 November. He also scored once in 7 J.League Cup games and made one substitute appearance in the Emperor's Cup, a home defeat to Kwansei Gakuin University. Nakamura spent a large part of the second half of the season with Gamba's Under-23 side in J3 League where he netted 4 times in 15 appearances with the goals coming against FC Tokyo U-23, Thespakusatsu Gunma and Azul Claro Numazu.

FC Juniors 00

In February 2021, Nakamura has loaned to 2. Liga (Austria) club FC Juniors OÖ.

LASK

On 11 August 2021, he signed a three-year contract with Austrian club LASK.

Reims

On 10 August 2023, it was announced that he would permanently transfer to Stade Reims of France's Ligue 1. On 12 August, he made his Ligue 1 debut in the opening game against Olympique de Marseille, coming on as a substitute in the 15th minute of the second half. On 26 September, he scored his first goal in Ligue 1 in Round 6 against Lille OSC.

International career

Nakamura has represented Japan at Under-15, Under-16 and Under-17 level playing in both the AFC Under-16 Championship in 2016, and the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup in which he netted 4 times in 4 games before Japan were eliminated by England at the last-16 stage. In March 2023, he was called up by Hajime Moriyasu for the senior national team for friendlies against Uruguay and Colombia. He made his debut against Uruguay on 24 March 2023, coming off the bench in the 89th minute. The match ended in a 1–1 draw. On 15 June, he came on as a substitute from the start of the second half against El Salvador and scored his first goal for the national team. On 12 September, he made his first start for the national team against Turkey and scored two goals. In January 2024, he was named for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup final squads alongside Reims teammate, Junya Itō. On 15 May 2026, Nakamura was selected in the 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. On 14 June, Nakamura scored his first World Cup goal with a right-footed equalizer in the 57th minute, bringing Japan level at 1–1 with the Netherlands in an eventual 2–2 draw in Japan's World Cup opener.

Style of play

Nakamura is a wide player known for his pace, agility, and direct attacking style. Comfortable as a wing-back or winger, he is noted for his dribbling ability, chance creation, and willingness to take on defenders.

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 9 May 2026

International

As of match played 29 June 2026

Scores and results list Japan's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Nakamura goal.

Club
Gamba Osaka (2018–2021)
Club
Gamba Osaka U-23 (2018–2019)
Club
FC Twente (2019–2020)
Club
Sint-Truidense V.V. (2020–2021)
Club
FC Juniors OÖ (2021–2021)
Club
LASK Linz (2021–2023)
Club
Japan men's national football team (2023–)
Club
Stade de Reims (2023–2026)
Club
Olympique Lyonnais (2026–)
National team
Japan

Clubs

Played together with

Archive

Passport
Identifiers & aliases
Description

Japanese association football player

Position

forward

Extract from Wikipedia

Keito Nakamura is a Japanese professional footballer who plays for Ligue 1 club Lyon and the Japan national team. He plays either as a left winger or a forward.

▸ Source: Wikipedia
All links
Official Website
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Discussion

Opinions of fans — not verified facts.

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