Daisuke Kobayashi (footballer)

Daisuke Kobayashi (小林 大介) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Philippines Football League club Loyola FC.

Youth career
Kobayashi was born in the city of Jōetsu in Niigata Prefecture. After graduating from Niigata High School, he played for the team of Hokuriku University.

Japan and Thailand
After graduating from Hokuriku, Kobayashi joined Artista Asama in the Japanese regional leagues in 2015. After one year, he joined lower tier Thailand side Nakhon Phanom, marking his first professional contract. He would transfer to Surat Thani in the Thai League 3 the year after before departing in 2018.

Cambodia
In 2018, he would go to Cambodia to sign for league heavyweights Svay Rieng as their AFC player quota. His good performances led to his contract getting extended twice, until he departed the club in 2022, joining rivals Phnom Penh Crown before leaving the club shortly after.

Trialing for Persija Jakarta
Kobayashi would leave Cambodia and try out for the first team of Liga 1 side Persija Jakarta, playing two matches in the President's Cup in 2022. However, he didn't make the cut, and rejoined the Cambodian league later that year with National Defense Ministry.

Loyola
After leaving Tiffy Army, Kobayashi would go to Japan to pursue coaching. In 2024, he signed with Philippines Football League side Loyola as one of their foreign reinforcements for the 2024 season.