Keito Nakamura: The Goalscorer Stepping Up in Mitoma’s Absence
With Kaoru Mitoma out injured, Keito Nakamura took his chance against the Netherlands, scoring Japan's first goal of the tournament
Keito Nakamura is 25 and has only played for Japan since 2023, but in that short time, he’s scored 10 goals in 25 caps. On Sunday he added the most important one yet: a deflected strike past the Netherlands’ Bart Verbruggen that gave Japan their first goal of the 2026 World Cup and pulled the Samurai Blue level on the way to a 2-2 draw.
From Chiba to Reims
Nakamura (中村敬斗) was born on July 28, 2000, in Abiko, Chiba. He came through Gamba Osaka’s academy and made his senior debut in 2018, then took the long way through Europe: loan spells at FC Twente and Sint-Truiden, a move to LASK in Austria, and finally a transfer to Stade de Reims in 2023.
Reims is where it clicked. In 2024-25 he scored 12 goals with three assists across all competitions, finishing as the club’s top scorer even as Reims fought relegation all season. The club rejected offers from Beşiktaş and Villarreal for him last summer, and at 25, he is expected to move on this year. A strong World Cup will only raise the bidding.
A Different Kind of Left Winger
The temptation is to call Nakamura a straight replacement for Mitoma. He isn’t: Mitoma beats defenders with dribbling, and Nakamura’s defining trait is finishing plays. He cuts inside from the left and shoots with his right foot, and his goalscoring instinct is what sets him apart. Swapping one for the other doesn’t restore what Japan lost so much as it changes what Japan is.
The international numbers make the case for him. He has 10 goals in 25 caps for Japan, a strong return for a player often used as a substitute or, as against the Netherlands, in a more defensive wing-back role than suits him. He was arguably Japan’s best player in a recent 1-0 win over England, deployed deep, and now manager Hajime Moriyasu faces a decision: keep him there, or push him forward where his shooting does the most damage.
In his own words, the job is simple. “As a winger, my job is to dribble through the lines and get goals and assists,” he said earlier this year.
