Kōtarō Uchino

Kōtarō Uchino (内野 航太郎, Uchino Kōtarō; born 19 June 2004) is a Japanese footballer currently playing as a forward for Danish Superliga club Brøndby IF.

Kōtarō Uchino
内野 航太郎

Personal information
Date of birth	(2004-06-19) 19 June 2004 (age 21)
Place of birth	Kanagawa, Japan
Height	1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s)	Forward
Team information
Current team	Brøndby
Number	18
Youth career
	SCH FC
0000–2022	Yokohama F. Marinos
College career
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2023–2025	University of Tsukuba
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2025–	Brøndby	0	(0)
International career
2021	Japan U17
2022	Japan U18
2023–	Japan U19	4	(1)
Medal record Men's football Representing  Japan Asian Games 2022 Hangzhou Team AFC U-23 Asian Cup 2024 Qatar Team
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 17:04, 22 June 2023 (UTC)

Club career

Early career

Uchino began his career in the academy of Yokohama F. Marinos, where he established himself as a clinical goal-scorer, scoring twenty-one goals in the 2022 season, breaking the all-time record at that level for the number of goals scored in one league season.^[1] In July of the same year, as his performances impressed Marinos' board, he was registered for the first team as a "Type 2 player" (term used in Japan to say the player is currently eligible to play both for the U-18s and for the first-team).^[2]

Having spoken with Kosei Suwama and Ryotaro Tsunoda, who had both attended the University of Tsukuba, Uchino decided to commit to the university, rather than continue his career with Yokohama.^[1] He left Yokohama's youth academy having scored over thirty goals in his last two seasons, including appearances at the Prince Takamado U-18 Premier League, the top division for youth teams in the country.^[3]

University of Tsukuba

Uchino committed to study at the University of Tsukuba ahead of the 2023 season, and he immediately had an impact on the school's football team, scoring seven goals in his first six games.^[4] For his goal-scoring exploits, he was compared to both Shuhei Akasaki, who held the record for most goals as a university freshman with thirteen, as well as former University of Tsukuba alumni Kaoru Mitoma, who had also made a name for himself in Japan for his performances at university level.^[4] He scored in Tsukuba's 3–2 away loss to Briobecca Urayasu in the Emperor's Cup.^[5]

On 2024, he was the top scorer for his university at the Kanto University Football League, and joint-third overall, scoring 11 goals in 19 appearances.^[6] He scored the lone goal to tie the match for Tsukuba against the 2024 J1 League leaders at the time, Machida Zelvia. After the 1–1 draw at regulation time, Tsukuba was able to earn a giant-killing win on penalty shoot-out by 4–2, in which Uchino converted his penalty.^[7]

Brøndby

On 23 June 2025, Brøndby IF announced that Uchino would join from the University of Tsukuba on a contract running until June 2029, following a spring trial with the Danish Superliga club.^[8]

On 21 July 2025, he made his competitive debut, replacing Clement Bischoff midway through a 3–0 league win, becoming the second Japanese player to appear for Brøndby's first team.^[9][10]

International career

Having been routinely called up for youth team training camps, Uchino was called up to the Japanese under-19 side for the 2023 Maurice Revello Tournament.^[11] Buoyed by his performances for the University of Tsukuba football team, he stated that he wanted to score in every single game he played in.^[11] However, Japan failed to impress at the tournament, finishing tenth out of twelve teams, with Uchino scoring once in four games.

On 4 April 2024, Uchino was called up to the Japan U23 squad for the 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup.^[12]

Style of play

During his time in the Yokohama F. Marinos academy, Uchino grew frustrated with his teammates inability to pick him out with their passes.^[4] He began watching Shinzo Koroki as a reference for his movement, and developed a better understanding of attacking movement and how to escape his marker, allowing for his teammates to find him with their passes.^[4]

He notably studied the games of the University of Tsukuba football team before joining, to fully grasp the team's style of play.^[4] On his arrival at the university, he actively communicated with his new teammates, regardless of age, to inform them how he played, and how he would like the ball to be played into him.^[4]

He would also watch videos of Norway and Manchester City forward Erling Haaland, but would flip the videos in order to be able to copy his movement and style of play, as Haaland is left-footed, while Uchino favours his right foot.^[4]

Career statistics

Club

As of 11 June 2025.^[13]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National Cup		League Cup		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
University of Tsukuba	2023	–			1[a]	1	–		–		0	0	1	1
	2024	–			3[a]	1	–		–		0	0	3	1
	2025	–			2[a]	0	–		–		0	0	2	0
	Total		–		6	1	–		–		0	0	6	1
Brøndby	2025–26	Danish Superliga	0	0	0	0	–		0	0	–		0	0
Career total			0	0	6	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	6	1

Notes

1. Appearances in the Emperor's Cup

Honours

Japan U23

• AFC U-23 Asian Cup: 2024