Kou Gotou

Ko Goto
Personal information
Date of birth (1996-04-12) 12 April 1996
Place of birth Kamakura, Kanagawa, Japan[1]
Height 1.69 m (5 ft 7 in)[1]
Position(s) Winger
Team information
Current team
 Inter FA
Number 22
Youth career
–2011 Yokohama F. Marinos
2012–2014 Teikyo Daisan High School
2015–2016 Argentinos Juniors
2016–2017 Deportivo Riestra
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017 Defensores San Antonio de Litín
2017–2018 Racing General Madariaga
2018–2019 Almirante Brown 6 (1)
2019 Deportivo Merlo 0 (0)
2022 Liniers 10 (0)
2024–2025 Khaan Khuns-Erchim 8 (16)
2025– Inter FA 0 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 15:04, 24 September 2024 (UTC)

Ko Goto (後藤 航, Gotō Kō; born 12 April 1996) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a winger for Primera División club Inter FA.

Early life

Born in Kamakura in the Kanagawa Prefecture of Japan, Gotou first got into football through his father, Yasuiuki, a fan of Argentinian side Boca Juniors who would show Gotou videos of the club, as well as playing with his elder brother.[2] He was in the academy of Yokohama F. Marinos before enrolling at the Teikyo Daisan High School.[3] Upon his graduation he moved to Argentina, later stating that it had been his dream since he was a child to play football in Argentina, and citing Diego Maradona as his footballing idol.[4][5]

Initially training with professional side Argentinos Juniors for ten months, he was unable to play for the club due to issues with his documentation.[6] During his time in Argentina, he was asked to pay to play for Estudiantes, which he declined, and slept on a park bench in Plaza Irlanda, where his bag was stolen.[7]

He dropped down to Deportivo Riestra in the Argentine fourth division, but after suffering an injury he returned to Japan for six months, working as a postman in order to raise money to return to Argentina.[8] On his return to Argentina he played briefly for Liga Bellvillense side Defensores San Antonio de Litín.[6]

Club career

Racing General Madariaga

He first played semi-professional football with Racing General Madariaga of the Torneo Federal C, where he played alongside compatriot Hiroyuki Koyama.[6] On his debut for the club, he scored a goal and notched two assists in a 4–1 win against San Lorenzo de Villa Gesell, and in celebrating he referenced Japanese anime Dragon Ball Z.[4][6] During his time with Racing he was spotted by Alberto Papaianni, the director of professional club Almirante Brown, who invited him to trial with the club.[6]

Almirante Brown

After two weeks of trials Gotou signed a one-year deal with Almirante Brown, becoming the first Japanese player to join the club.[9][10] He marked his debut with Almirante Brown with a goal in a 2–2 draw with Tristán Suárez, having previously scored in the reserve league.[11]

Merlo

After a further five appearances, he dropped down to Deportivo Merlo in the Primera C Metropolitana in 2019[12][13] - though he did not make any appearances for the club before leaving at the end of the year.[14]

Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina, Gotou returned to Japan, where he again began to save money to return to South America.[7] In January 2020 he trialled with Colombian side Boyacá Chicó, but after failing to join the club he returned to his hometown of Kamakura, where the COVID-19 pandemic had not yet taken hold.[7] He was linked with a move to Club Nuevo Amanecer in Ostende, Buenos Aires, but this failed to materialise.[15]

Liniers

In February 2022, two years after leaving Argentina, Gotou returned to the country to join Primera C Metropolitana side Liniers.[16] However, by the end of the year and after ten appearances with no goals, Liniers announced that Gotou would not continue with the team in 2023.[17]

Khaan Khuns-Erchim

Gotou signed for Khaan Khuns-Erchim of the Mongolian Premier League during the summer 2024 transfer window, marking the first time he would play for a club in Asia outside of Japan.[18]

Inter FA

On 19 July 2025, Gotou made a shocking move to newly founded Inter FA, becoming the third Japanese player to be in the Primera División.[19]

Career statistics

Club

As of 24 September 2024.[20][21]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Almirante Brown 2018–19 Primera B Metropolitana 6 1 0 0 0 0 6 1
Deportivo Merlo 2019–20 Primera C Metropolitana 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Liniers 2022 10 0 0 0 0 0 10 0
Career total 16 1 0 0 0 0 16 1
Notes

References

  1. ^ a b Kou Gotou at WorldFootball.net
  2. ^ Patroncini, Marcelo (12 June 2019). ""La Mayoría de los Japoneses son hinchas de Boca"" [«Most Japanese are Boca fans»]. vermouth-deportivo.com.ar (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  3. ^ Michelena, Adrián (21 December 2017). "El Dragon Ball Z de General Madariaga" [General Madariaga's Dragon Ball Z]. pagina12.com.ar (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  4. ^ a b Cecchini, Pablo (1 August 2018). "Historias de Toda Pasión: el japonés que juega en Almirante Brown, es hincha de Boca y festeja los goles haciendo la fusión de Dragon Ball" [Stories of All Passion: The Japanese who plays in Almirante Brown, is a Boca fan and celebrates goals by doing the Dragon Ball fusion]. tn.com.ar (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  5. ^ Clemente, Juan Manuel (22 June 2019). ""El que critica a Messi, no sabe nada"" ["He who criticizes Messi knows nothing"]. ole.com.ar (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  6. ^ a b c d e Tagliaferri, Guillermo (26 July 2018). "Kou Gotou, el japonés que admira a Cristian Pavón y llegó a Almirante Brown" [Kou Gotou, the Japanese who admires Cristian Pavón and arrived at Almirante Brown]. clarin.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  7. ^ a b c "Kou Gotou, sin cuarentena en Japón y con el deseo de volver: "Lo voy a intentar de nuevo"" [Kou Gotou, no quarantine in Japan and with the desire to return: “I'm going to try again”]. el1digital.com.ar (in Spanish). 17 April 2020. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  8. ^ Szpigiel, Matías (7 August 2018). "La increíble historia de Kou Gotou, el "Pavón japonés" que trabajó como cartero y sueña con debutar en Almirante Brown" [The incredible story of Kou Gotou, the "Japanese Peacock" who worked as a postman and dreams of debuting in Almirante Brown]. infobae.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  9. ^ "Un tripulante asiático" [An Asian crew member]. ole.com.ar (in Spanish). 13 July 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  10. ^ "Conocé al japonés que jugará esta temporada para Almirante Brown" [Meet the Japanese who will play for Almirante Brown this season]. vivieloeste.com.ar (in Spanish). 25 July 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  11. ^ Pedernera, Jonatan (27 October 2018). "Y no lo entendieron" [And they didn't understand it]. ole.com.ar (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  12. ^ "El japonés Kou Gotou se fue del Mirasol y fichó en Deportivo Merlo" [Japanese Kou Gotou left Mirasol and signed for Deportivo Merlo]. el1digital.com.ar (in Spanish). 26 June 2019. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  13. ^ "Dos caras nuevas" [Two new faces]. ole.com.ar (in Spanish). 26 June 2019. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  14. ^ "Tres que no siguen" [Three that do not follow]. ole.com.ar (in Spanish). 12 December 2019. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  15. ^ Pettinato, Enqrique. "Fútbol: La magia de Rincón desembarcó en el tricolor de Ostende" [Football: Rincón's magic landed in the tricolor of Ostende]. elpionero.com.ar (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  16. ^ "La Topadora ya está lista para arrancar en la Primera C" [The Bulldozer is now ready to start in the First C]. el1digital.com.ar (in Spanish). 10 February 2022. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  17. ^ "Una renovación y varias bajas más en la Topadora" [A renewal and several more casualties in the Bulldozer]. el1digital.com.ar (in Spanish). 14 December 2022. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  18. ^ Grimm, Justin (7 July 2024). "Summer 2024 Transfer Tracker (Updated)". Mongolian Football Central. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
  19. ^ "Kou Gotou y la huella de Japón en el fútbol de El Salvador". Elsalvador.com. 19 July 2025. Retrieved 19 July 2025.
  20. ^ Kou Gotou at Soccerway. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  21. ^ Kou Gotou at BDFA (in Spanish)
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