Masato Fukui

Masato Fukui (福井 理人, Fukui Masato, born November 14, 1988) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a striker for Albanian club Kamza.

Masato Fukui
Personal information
Full name Masato Fukui
Date of birth (1988-11-14) November 14, 1988
Place of birth Tottori, Japan
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
2007–2010 Nippon Bunri University
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011–2012 Gainare Tottori 38 (5)
2012–2013 Home United 13 (0)
2013–2015 Sutjeska Nikšić 60 (12)
2015–2016 Tirana 34 (2)
2016–2017 Skënderbeu Korçë 14 (0)
2016 → Kukësi (loan) 2 (0)
2017–2019 Kamza 51 (5)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15 September 2018

Club career

Gainare Tottori

In 2011, he joined Gainare Tottori in J2 League, on 6 March 2011 he made his first appearance for the team.[1]

Home United

In 2013 the striker signed for Home United on a free transfer.[2] He played thirteen games in the S.League without scoring.

Sutjeska Nikšić

On 26 July 2013, Fukui signed for Montenegrin First League side Sutjeska Nikšić on a free transfer. He made his debut on 10 August, scoring in a 2–0 win over Mornar. He scored a goal from 70 metres against FK Mladost for 2–0 win.[3]

Tirana

On 16 July 2015, Fukui joined Albanian Superliga side Tirana on a free transfer, signing a one-year contract and becoming the first Japanese player to sign for an Albanian club.[4] In his unofficial debut on 22 July, he came on the field and scored twice to lead his team into a 2–1 win against Mladost Carev Dvor in the first match of the preparation phase in Macedonia.[5]

On 23 August 2015, in the Tirana's opening match of the 2015–16 season against the newcomers of Tërbuni Pukë, Fukui gave an assist for Gilman Lika to score an equalizer, which ended Tërbuni's superiority, and then scored the winning goal in the 68th minute, giving Tirana a 1–2 away win.[6]

Skënderbeu Korçë

On 21 June 2016, Fukui signed a two-year contract with fellow Albanian Superliga side Skënderbeu Korçë after he couldn't reach an argument with Tirana for the new deal.[7] Due to Skënderbeu's ban from European football over match-fixing allegations,[8] on 10 July, Fukui was sent on loan at Kukësi for their European campaign along with teammates Liridon Latifi and Sabjen Lilaj.[9]

Four days later, he played 82 minutes in the first leg of UEFA Europa League second qualifying round against Austria Wien which ended in a 1–0 defeat.[10] He also featured 61 minutes in the second leg at Elbasan Arena as the match finished in a 1–4 defeat, which confirmed Kukësi elimination from the competition with the aggregate 1–5.[11]

After Kukësi's elimination, Fukui returned to Skënderbeu along with his teammates, and made his first appearance on 25 August in the 2016 Albanian Supercup, scoring the temporary equalizer with a header in an eventual 1–3 defeat to Kukësi at Selman Stërmasi Stadium.[12] He made his first league appearance in the opening matchday on 7 September by playing full-90 minutes against Flamurtari Vlorë in an eventual 2–1 home win.[13] After playing as a starter in the first matches, Fukui lost his place by the beginning of November, recording 94 minutes until January. In January, the new manager convinced him to stay for the second part of season, but nevertheless, he played only two league matches.[14]

Kamza

On 3 August 2017, after a failed season at Skënderbeu, Fukui signed for newly promoted side Kamza as a free agent.[15] He wasn't part of the team during their winter training camp in Antalya, Turkey due to having visa problems; he instead trained with Kastrioti Krujë and played in one friendly.[16]

Fukui was one of the most used players in the Kamza squad during the 2017–18 season, making 33 league appearances, scoring no goals as the team avoided relegation only in the final matchday.[17] He left the club initially during the summer transfer window, and also claiming that the club had not paid him correctly,[18] however, on 31 August he returned and signed a contract for the 2018–19 season.[19]

He scored his league goal of in his first appearance the new season on 15 September against Kastrioti Krujë, netting the second to help the team win 2–0.[20]

Club statistics
As of 15 September 2018[21]
Club Season League Cup Continental Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Gainare Tottori 2011 J2 League 11310—123
2012 27200—272
Total 38510—395
Home United 2013 S.League 13010—140
Sutjeska Nikšić 2013–14 Montenegrin First League 30700—307
2014–15 305402[lower-alpha 1]0365
2015–16 ——2[lower-alpha 2]121
Total 601240416813
Tirana 2015–16 Albanian Superliga 34232—374
Skënderbeu Korçë 2016–17 Albanian Superliga 1404[lower-alpha 3]100181
Kukësi (loan) 2016–17 Albanian Superliga ——2[lower-alpha 2]020
Kamza 2017–18 Albanian Superliga 33020—350
2018–19 1110—21
Total 34130—371
Career total 193201636121624
  1. All appearance(s) in UEFA Champions League
  2. All appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League
  3. One appearance and one goal in Albanian Supercup

Honours
Sutjeska[21]

References
  1. "J. League (#29)" (in Japanese). J-League. Archived from the original on 31 January 2015. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  2. Khalis Rifhan (17 February 2013). "Home United Chairman Anselm Lopez shares Coach Lee's ambitions for club". Goal.com. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
  3. "Sutjeska vs. Mornar 2 – 0". Soccerway. 10 August 2013. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  4. "Tirana merr një "samuraji", japonezi i parë në Superiore, tjetër sulm për Gilberton" [Tirana takes a "samurai", the first Japanese in Superliga, another attack for Gilberto] (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 17 July 2015. Retrieved 20 July 2015.
  5. Rinald Bregasi (23 July 2015). "Tirana fiton miqësoren dhe një "Samurai" në fushë" [Tirana win the friendly with a "Samurai" on the field] (in Albanian). SuperSport Albania. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
  6. "Tirana i prish festën Tërbunit, bardheblutë fitojnë me përmbysje" [Tirana ruins Tërbuni's celebration, white&blues wins with comeback] (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 24 August 2015. Retrieved 23 September 2015.
  7. Armand Halili (21 June 2016). "Skënderbeu fillon të lëvizë: Agostineli, Fukui dhe një "kuqezi"" [Skënderbeu starts to move: Agostineli, Fukui and a "red&black"] (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  8. "Partizani replace Skënderbeu in Champions League". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 6 July 2016. Retrieved 6 July 2016.
  9. Rinald Bregasi (10 July 2016). "Kukësi tjetër goditje për Europën, vjen Fukui" [Another hit of Kukësi for Europe, Fukui arrives] (in Albanian). SuperSport Albania. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  10. "Austria Wien vs. Kukësi 1 – 0". Soccerway. 14 July 2016. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  11. "Kukësi vs. Austria Wien 1 – 4". Soccerway. 21 July 2016. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  12. Rinald Bregasi (24 August 2016). "Kukësi fiton Superkupën e Shqipërisë" [Kukësi wins Albanian Supercup] (in Albanian). SuperSport Albania. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  13. Erald Kodheli (7 September 2016). "Skënderbeu, start nën shenjën e Salihit" [Skënderbeu, start on Salihi's mark] (in Albanian). SuperSport Albania. Archived from the original on 10 September 2016. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
  14. Alfred Lleshi (9 January 2017). "lir Daja: Fukui të mos largohet, na duhet një qendërsulmues!" [Ilir Daja: Fukui should not leave, we need a center forward!] (in Albanian). Telesport.al. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  15. "Kamza zyrtarizon afrimin e 5-të në merkato, firmos japonezi Fukui" [Kamza officialized the 5th approach in market, the japanese Fukui signs] (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 3 August 2017. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  16. Alfred Lleshi (20 January 2018). "Humbi fazë përgatitore nga gjobat, Masato Fukui përfundon te Kastrioti" [Missed preparation phase from fines, Masato Fukui ends up at Kastrioti] (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  17. "Vllaznia bie nga Superiorja, mbijeton Kamza, Partizani pa Evropë (Video)" [Vllaznia relegated from Superliga, Kamza survives, Partizani without Europe (Video)] (in Albanian). Konica.al. 23 May 2018. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  18. "Fukui në Federatë për borxhet e pashlyera: E mbylla me Shqipërinë!" [Fukui in federation for the unpaid debts: I'm done with Albania!] (in Albanian). Sport Ekspres. 31 August 2018. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  19. "Nuk ka më dyshime, Fukui i Kamzës edhe për 1 sezon" [There are no more doubts, Fukui is of Kamza for another one season] (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 31 August 2018. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  20. Sotir Kora (15 September 2018). "Duro debuton me fitore, Kamza mposht Kastriotin" [Duro debutes with a win, Kamza defeats Kastrioti] (in Albanian). SuperSport Albania. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
  21. "Japan - M. Fukui - Profile with news, career statistics and history". Soccerway. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
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