Kodai Tanaka
Personal information
Date of birth (1999-12-23) 23 December 1999
Place of birth Kanagawa, Japan
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Lion City Sailors
Number 9
Youth career
Yokohama F. Marinos
0000–2017 Tokai University Kofu HS
2018–2021 Takushoku University
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022 Albirex Niigata (S) 28 (33)
2023– Lion City Sailors 3 (3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 06:46, 15 October 2022 (UTC)

Kodai Tanaka (田中 幸大, Tanaka Kodai, born 23 December 1999) is a Japanese footballer currently playing as a forward for Singapore Premier League club Lion City Sailors.

Kodai won the SPL Player Of The Year and was nominated for SPL Team Of The Year in 2022. He is known for his finishing in the box and powerful shots with either foot.

Youth career

Kodai came through the ranks of the Yokohama F. Marinos youth team and then Tokai University Kofu High School and Takushoku University before being picked up by Albirex Niigata Singapore.[1]

Club career

Albriex Niigata (Singapore)

Kodai started his professional career with Albirex Niigata (S) in the 2022 Singapore Premier League. In his first 11 matches, he has notched 12 goals, of which 7 had come from headers.[1] As part of Albirex's "LIT" frontline comprising ex-Southampton and Japan man Tadanari Lee, Ilhan Fandi and himself, the trio have combined for 57 goals in 26 league matches - more than five of the other seven teams in the SPL, with Kodai himself notching 31 goals.[2] He ended his first professional season with 5 hat-tricks and as the second top goalscorer in the league, with 33 goals in 28 games.[3]

Lion City Sailors

Alongside Zharfan Rohaizad, Rusyaidi Salime and Shawal Anuar, Kodai joined the Sailors in December 2022.[4]

Kodai started off his season with three goals and two assists. In the next match against his former team, he was ruled out for the season with an ACL injury.[5] He make his returned on 8 November 2023 coming on as a substitution in the 2023–24 AFC Champions League match against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors. On 15 December 2023, Lion City Sailors announced that Kodai will leave the club at the end of the 2023 season following the expiry of his contract.

Career statistics

Club

As of 15 December 2023.[6]
Club Season League Cup ACL / AFC Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Albirex Niigata (S) 2022 SPL 283346003239
Total 283346003239
Lion City Sailors 2023 Singapore Premier League 33003063
Total 33003063
Career total 313646303842

Honours

Club

Albriex Niigata (S)

Lion City Sailors

Individual

Albirex Niigata (Singapore)


    References

    1. 1 2 Auto, Hermes (23 June 2022). "Football: Determination and drive key as Albirex's Tanaka bids to make mark in SPL | The Straits Times". www.straitstimes.com. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
    2. ↑ Auto, Hermes (13 October 2022). "Football: SPL goal machines Kopitovic and Tanaka cross paths as race for Golden Boot nears end | The Straits Times". www.straitstimes.com. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
    3. ↑ cue (22 October 2022). "SPL review: Should Young Lions stay or go? | The Straits Times". www.straitstimes.com. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
    4. ↑ Ganesan, Deepanraj (26 December 2022). "Football: Sailors sign SPL Player of The Year Kodai Tanaka". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
    5. ↑ Kwek, Kimberly (11 March 2023). "Football: Lion City Sailors dealt blow as striker Tanaka ruled out for the season with ACL injury". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
    6. ↑ Kodai Tanaka at Soccerway


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