Ko Itakura

Ko Itakura
板倉 滉
Itakura with Ajax in 2026
Personal information
Full name Kō Itakura[1]
Date of birth (1997-01-27) 27 January 1997[1]
Place of birth Aoba-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[2]
Position(s)
Team information
Current team
 Ajax
Number 4
Youth career
2006–2014 Kawasaki Frontale
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015–2018 Kawasaki Frontale 7 (0)
2015 → J. League U-22 (loan) 2 (0)
2018 → Vegalta Sendai (loan) 24 (3)
2019–2022 Manchester City 0 (0)
2019–2021 → FC Groningen (loan) 56 (1)
2021–2022 → Schalke 04 (loan) 31 (4)
2022–2025 Borussia Mönchengladbach 75 (6)
2025– Ajax 14 (1)
International career‡
2013 Japan U16 2 (0)
2015–2017 Japan U20 8 (1)
2018–2021 Japan U23 24 (6)
2019– Japan 39 (2)
Medal record
Representing  Japan
Asian Games
2018 Jakarta-Palembang Team
AFC U-19 Championship
2016 Bahrain
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 24 January 2026
‡ National team caps and goals as of 18 November 2025

Ko Itakura (板倉 滉, Itakura Kō; born 27 January 1997)[α] is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a centre-back or defensive midfielder for Eredivisie club Ajax and the Japan national team.[3]

Known for his ball-playing ability, versatility, and defensive anticipation, Itakura began his career in the J1 League with Kawasaki Frontale before moving to Europe in 2019. After successful loan spells at FC Groningen and FC Schalke 04, he established himself in the Bundesliga with Borussia Mönchengladbach. In 2025, he became the first Japanese player in history to sign for Ajax.

Club career

Early career

Born in Yokohama, Itakura joined the youth academy of Kawasaki Frontale in 2006 at the primary school level. He progressed through the youth ranks, eventually making his senior debut on 6 August 2016 in a J1 League match against Ventforet Kofu, replacing Yu Kobayashi.[4] He was part of the squad that won the club's first-ever J1 League title in 2017, although his playing time was limited. To gain experience, he was loaned to Vegalta Sendai for the 2018 season, where he became a regular starter, scoring three goals in 24 league appearances and earning the "Tag Heuer Young Guns Award".[5]

Manchester City

In January 2019, Itakura signed for Premier League club Manchester City. He did not make a competitive appearance for the club, spending his entire contract duration on loan at other European clubs to secure a work permit and first-team football.[6]

Loan to FC Groningen

Immediately following his move to Manchester City, Itakura was loaned to Eredivisie side FC Groningen. He made his debut in the Dutch top flight during the 2019–20 season, quickly adapting to the technical demands of Dutch football. His loan was extended for the 2020–21 season, where he played every minute of the league campaign until suffering a minor injury late in the season. His performances, characterized by composure on the ball and defensive solidity, earned him the FC Groningen Player of the Year award for the 2020–21 season.[7]

Loan to Schalke 04

On 19 August 2021, Itakura joined 2. Bundesliga club FC Schalke 04 on a season-long loan with an option to buy for approximately €5 million.[8] He became a key figure in Schalke's defense, making 31 league appearances and scoring four goals. He played a crucial role in the club's immediate return to the Bundesliga as champions. Despite his desire to stay and his popularity among the fans, Schalke announced in May 2022 that they could not exercise the purchase option due to financial reasons.[9]

Borussia Mönchengladbach

In July 2022, Itakura signed a four-year contract with Borussia Mönchengladbach. He made an immediate impact but suffered a rupture of the medial collateral ligament in his knee in September 2022, which sidelined him until just before the 2022 FIFA World Cup.[10] He returned to club action in January 2023.

In the 2023–24 season, Itakura took on a more senior role in the defense. On 19 August 2023, he scored his first Bundesliga goal in a 4–4 draw against FC Augsburg. Two weeks later, on 2 September, he scored a header against defending champions FC Bayern Munich, securing a 1–0 lead in a match that eventually ended 1–2.[11] His performances earned him the club's Player of the Month award for August 2023.[12] Despite persistent ankle issues requiring surgery in October 2023, he remained a vital starter when fit.

Ajax

On 7 August 2025, Ajax announced the signing of Itakura on a four-year contract, making him the first Japanese footballer to play for the club's first team.[13][14] The move marked his return to the Eredivisie after four years in Germany.

Itakura was integrated into the starting lineup for the 2025–26 season, utilized primarily as a ball-playing centre-back in Ajax's system, which prioritizes building from the back—a style suited to his technical profile developed at Kawasaki Frontale. He made his UEFA Champions League debut for Ajax on 17 September 2025.[15] By January 2026, he had established himself as a regular starter, contributing one goal in 14 league appearances.

International career

Itakura was selected for the senior Japan national football team for 2019 Copa América and made his debut on 20 June 2019 in the game against Uruguay, as a starter.[16]

On March 29, 2021, he scored two goals against the Argentina national under-24 football team, and was also selected to represent Japan at the Tokyo Olympics, finishing in 4th place.[17]

In November 2022, he was selected for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Japan National team for the first time.[18] Participated in all group stage matches and became the first Asian team to win first place in an overseas World Cup group league, contributing to advance to the final tournament for two consecutive tournaments. His long ball was the starting point of the come-from-behind goal against Germany. He was also named in the first group stage best eleven by Spanish Marca and Italian Sky Sport.[19] The former named him one of the players to double his value in the World Cup and described him as "the most consistent performance of the entire tournament".[20]

On March 28, 2023, he served as captain for the first time in the second match of the second term of Moriyasu Japan against Colombia.[21]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 24 January 2026[22][23][24][1][25]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] Continental[c] Other[d] Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Kawasaki Frontale 2015 J1 League 0 0 0 0 0 0 – – 0 0
2016 J1 League 2 0 3 0 1 0 – 1 0 7 0
2017 J1 League 5 0 3 0 4 0 3 1 – 15 1
Total 7 0 6 0 5 0 3 1 1 0 22 1
Vegalta Sendai (loan) 2018 J1 League 24 3 4 0 4 0 – – 32 3
Manchester City 2018–19 Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 – 0 0
Groningen (loan) 2018–19 Eredivisie 0 0 0 0 – – – 0 0
2019–20 Eredivisie 22 0 1 0 – – – 23 0
2020–21 Eredivisie 34 1 1 0 – – 1 0 36 1
Total 56 1 2 0 – – 1 0 59 1
Schalke 04 (loan) 2021–22 2. Bundesliga 31 4 1 0 – – – 32 4
Borussia Mönchengladbach 2022–23 Bundesliga 24 0 1 0 – – – 25 0
2023–24 Bundesliga 20 3 2 0 – – – 22 3
2024–25 Bundesliga 32 4 2 1 – – – 34 5
Total 76 7 5 1 – – – 81 8
Ajax 2025–26 Eredivisie 14 1 1 0 – 6[e] 0 – 21 1
Career total 209 17 19 1 10 0 8 1 2 0 248 19
  1. ^ Includes Emperor's Cup, KNVB Cup, DFB-Pokal
  2. ^ Includes J.League Cup
  3. ^ Includes AFC Champions League
  4. ^ Includes J1 League Championship, Eredivisie European play-offs
  5. ^ Appearances in UEFA Champions League

International

As of match played 18 November 2025[26]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Japan 2019 3 0
2020 1 0
2021 1 1
2022 11 0
2023 6 0
2024 13 1
2025 4 0
Total 39 2

Scores and results list Japan's goal tally first.[26]

List of international goals scored by Kō Itakura
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 28 May 2021 Fukuda Denshi Arena, Chiba, Japan  Myanmar 10–0 10–0 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
2 19 November 2024 Xiamen Egret Stadium, Xiamen, China  China 2–0 3–1 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

Kawasaki Frontale

Vegalta Sendai

Schalke 04

Individual

  • Tag Heuer Young Guns Award: 2018[28]
  • Groningen Player of the Year: 2020–21[29]
  • Borussia's Player of the Month: August 2023
  • Japan Pro-Footballers Association Best XI: 2022, 2023, 2024[30]
  • IFFHS Asian Men's Team of the Year: 2024[31]

Notes

  1. ^ His given name is sometimes spelled Kou, based on the kana spelling, or Kō, based on Hepburn romanization.

References

  1. ^ a b c d Ko Itakura at Soccerway. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  2. ^ "Kō Itakura". Borussia Mönchengladbach. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  3. ^ "Kō Itakura". WorldFootball.net. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  4. ^ "2016 J1 League 2nd Stage Matchday 7: Kawasaki Frontale vs Ventforet Kofu". J.League Data Site. Retrieved 18 February 2026.
  5. ^ "Kō Itakura 『Tag Heuer Young Guns Award』". Vegalta. 17 December 2018.
  6. ^ "Akkoord FC Groningen met Manchester City over Japanner Itakura". FC Groningen (in Dutch). 14 January 2019. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
  7. ^ "Itakura Office Centre Speler van het Jaar" (in Dutch). FC Groningen. 21 May 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
  8. ^ "Kō Itakura joins Schalke on loan with an option to buy". FC Schalke 04. 19 August 2021.
  9. ^ "Great person and player – Schalke 04 bid farewell to Kō Itakura". FC Schalke 04. 31 May 2022.
  10. ^ "Ko Itakura's remarkable recovery from treatment table to pivotal role in Japan's win over Germany". ESPN. 24 November 2022.
  11. ^ "Match Report: Borussia Mönchengladbach 1-2 FC Bayern". FC Bayern Munich. 2 September 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2026.
  12. ^ "Borussias Spieler des Monats August gesucht". Borussia Mönchengladbach (in German). 5 September 2023.
  13. ^ "Ajax Sign Ko Itakura: A Familiar Face With a Big Job Ahead". Transfer Watcher. 7 August 2025. Retrieved 7 August 2025.
  14. ^ "Meet Ajax's first Japanese player: Ko Itakura". AFC Ajax. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  15. ^ "Ajax UEFA Champions League Profile". UEFA. Retrieved 18 February 2026.
  16. ^ "Uruguay v Japan game report". CONMEBOL. 20 June 2019.
  17. ^ "Saison Card Cup 2021". Japan Football Association. 29 March 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
  18. ^ "Samurai Blue (Japan National Team) squad - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™". 8 December 2022.
  19. ^ "Japan national team, Kō Itakura, followed by Spanish newspaper, Italian newspaper also selected as "Best Eleven" in World Cup Group League Round 1!(JP)". 8 December 2022.
  20. ^ 杯で価値が倍増した日本代表DF「アグレッシブさと生読みで良い守備」スパイン紙が高評価. Football Channel (in Japanese). 9 December 2022. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  21. ^ "Japan v Colombia game report". Japan Football Association. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  22. ^ J1&J2&J3選手名鑑ハンディ版 2018 (NSK MOOK) (in Japanese). Japan: Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing Inc. 7 February 2018. ISBN 978-4905411529.
  23. ^ 2017 J1&J2&J3選手名鑑 (NSK MOOK) (in Japanese). Japan: Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing inc. 8 February 2017. p. 28. ISBN 978-4905411420.
  24. ^ 2016J1&J2&J3選手名鑑 (in Japanese). Japan: Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing inc. 10 February 2016. p. 55. ISBN 978-4905411338.
  25. ^ Ko Itakura at WorldFootball.net
  26. ^ a b Ko Itakura at National-Football-Teams.com
  27. ^ "Schalke crowned 2021/22 Bundesliga 2 champions". Bundesliga. 15 May 2022.
  28. ^ "Kō Itakura 『Tag Heuer Young Guns Award』". Vegalta. 17 December 2018.
  29. ^ "Itakura Office Centre Speler van het Jaar" (in Dutch). FC Groningen. 21 May 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
  30. ^ "JPFA 日本プロサッカー選手会". ニュース：JPFA 日本プロサッカー選手会 (in Japanese). Retrieved 4 January 2025.
  31. ^ "IFFHS CONTINENTAL TEAMS 2024 - AFC MEN". IFFHS. 15 January 2025. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
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