Shio Fukuda Explained

Shio Fukuda should not be confused with Sho Fukuda.

Shio Fukuda
Full Name:Shio Fukuda[1]
Birth Date:8 April 2004
Birth Place:Kanoya, Kagoshima, Japan
Height:1.78 m
Currentclub:Borussia Mönchengladbach
Clubnumber:13
Position:Forward
Youthyears1:–2016
Youthclubs1:Takayama FC
Youthyears2:2017–2019
Youthclubs2:Kamimura Gakuen Middle School
Youthyears3:2020–2022
Youthclubs3:Kamimura Gakuen High School
Clubs1:Borussia Mönchengladbach II
Years1:2023–2024
Caps1:21
Goals1:7
Clubs2:Borussia Mönchengladbach
Years2:2024–
Caps2:5
Goals2:0
Nationalyears1:2020
Nationalteam1:Japan U16
Nationalyears2:2020–2021
Nationalteam2:Japan U17
Nationalyears3:2021–2023
Nationalteam3:Japan U18
Nationalyears4:2023–
Nationalteam4:Japan U20
Nationalcaps4:3
Nationalgoals4:0
Nationalyears5:2023–
Nationalteam5:Japan U22
Nationalcaps5:1
Nationalgoals5:1
Club-Update:20 April 2024
Nationalteam-Update:06:10, 19 November 2023 (UTC)

is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a forward for Bundesliga club Borussia Mönchengladbach.

Club career

Fukuda was born in Kanoya City, Kagoshima Prefecture, and started his footballing career with Takayama FC.[2] He enrolled at the Kamimura Gakuen High School, and continued to play football for the school team. He was noted for his performances at the 2021 All Japan High School Soccer Tournament, where he was named as one of the best forwards.[2] He scored one goal and got one assist in a 3–2 loss as Kamimura Gakuen were knocked out by Teikyo Nagaoka High School in the second round.[3]

A noted goal-scorer, Fukuda regularly finished as one of the top scorers in each of the tournaments he played in.[4] [5] Following these good performances for the Kamimura Gakuen High School football team, Fukuda was included in The Guardian's "Next Generation" list for 2021.[6] [7]

In September 2021, Fukuda trained with J1 League side Kashima Antlers.[8]

On 27 October 2022, Fukuda was announced by Borussia Mönchengladbach as a new signing for their youth team, despite never playing for a professional club in Japan, signing for the club as a Kamimura Gakuen High School graduate. He joined the German club in January 2023, after the winter vacation period in Japan. Speaking about Fukuda, Mönchengladbach's academy director Mirko Sandmöller[9] stated: "We are pleased that Shio Fukuda has chosen us, even though he had numerous offers from the J1 League. He is a technically adept, agile and developable striker with great potential".[10] In January 2024, it was announced that he would play in the top team.[11]

International career

Fukuda has represented Japan on all youth categories up to under-19 level, selected multiple times for the national team while at Kamimura Gakuen's Middle and High School.[12]

Participated in the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup as a grade skipping, and on November 18, 2023, at the age of 19, he scored a goal for the Argentina national under-22 football team.[13]

Career statistics

Club

Club!rowspan="2"
SeasonLeagueNational cupLeague cupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Borussia Mönchengladbach II2023–24Regionalliga West217217
Borussia Mönchengladbach2023–24Bundesliga50000050
Total267000000267

Notes and References

  1. Web site: FIFA U-20 World Cup Argentina 2023™ SQUAD LIST: Japan (JPN) . FIFA . 15 . 22 May 2023 . 30 May 2023.
  2. Web site: 福田師王、冬も得点王取る 神村学園2年生のU18代表候補 全国高校サッカーが28日開幕. Kamimura Gakuen 2nd grade U18 representative candidate national high school soccer starts on the 28th. 12 December 2021. 1 February 2022. nishinippon.co.jp. Japanese.
  3. Web site: 神村学園の福田師王が衝撃ヘッドなど1G・1Aの活躍! しかし初戦敗退で号泣「まだ決めれる場面があった」【選手権2回戦】. 31 December 2021. 1 February 2022. soccerdigestweb.com. Japanese.
  4. Web site: プリンスリーグ九州の得点王はFW福田師王!プリンス九州得点ランキング. The top scorer in Prince League Kyushu is FW Fukuda! Prince Kyushu score ranking. 14 December 2021. 1 February 2022. yahoo.co.jp. Japanese.
  5. Web site: 日本代表チームの経験が逸材FWのすべてを変えた【福田師王/神村学園高校2年】. The experience of the Japanese national team changed all of the talented forwards [Fukuda Shio / Kamimura Gakuen High School 2nd year]. 29 December 2021. 1 February 2022. soccermama.jp. Japanese.
  6. Web site: Marcus. Christenson. Next Generation 2021: 60 of the best young talents in world football. 7 October 2021. 7 October 2021. www.theguardian.com. The Guardian.
  7. Web site: "超高校級ストライカー"が日本人で唯一選出 英紙が選ぶ「世界のヤングタレント60人」. "Super high school striker" is the only Japanese to be selected "60 young talents in the world" selected by the English newspaper. 8 October 2021. 1 February 2022. yahoo.co.jp. Japanese.
  8. Web site: 福田師王と鹿島アントラーズ. Shio Fukuda and Kashima Antlers. 12 September 2021. 1 February 2022. note.com. Japanese.
  9. Web site: MIRKO SANDMÖLLER IS BORUSSIA’S NEW YOUTH ACADEMY DIRECTOR. en. borussia.de. Borussia Mönchengladbach. 27 October 2022. 2 March 2022.
  10. Web site: U23: BORUSSIA SIGNS SHIO FUKUDA. 27 October 2022. 27 October 2022. de. borussia.de. Borussia Mönchengladbach.
  11. . NILS SCHMADTKE: “IT WAS A MASSIVE RELIEF”. Borussia Mönchengladbach. 2024-01-16. 2024-01-23.
  12. Web site: U18日本代表候補に神村学園FW福田師王、興国MF永長鷹虎ら27人選出. 27 U-18 Japan national team candidates, including Kamimura Gakuen FW Shio Fukuda and Kokoku MF Takatora Einaga. 10 November 2021. 1 February 2022. nikkansports.com. Japanese.
  13. Web site: Schedule/Result . 2023-11-24 . JFA.