FILE–Japan’s Masato Kudo. AFP PHOTO / KAZUHIRO NOGI (Photo by KAZUHIRO NOGI / AFP)
Former Japan international Masato Kudo, a J-League champion who also had stints in Major League Soccer and Australia, has died aged 32 after a short illness.
The striker, who was now with Tegevajaro Miyazaki in Japan’s third tier, died on Friday having been in intensive care following brain surgery.
Kudo won the J-League with Kashiwa Reysol in 2011 and earned four caps for his country, scoring twice.
He also played for Vancouver Whitecaps in the MLS and Brisbane Roar in the A-League.
Tegevajaro called him “a very successful player” who had “no arrogance and a great attitude of cherishing his teammates, club and supporters”.
Along with the entire Japanese football community, we mourn the passing of Masato Kudo and wish to express our most heartfelt condolences to his family and friends. pic.twitter.com/H1IQmogF2v
— J.LEAGUE Official EN (@J_League_En) October 22, 2022
Brisbane coach Warren Moon said: “He had such a wonderful personality and always turned up to training every morning with a beaming smile on his face.
“He will be greatly missed and our hearts go out to his wife and young daughter at this sad time.”
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