Carlos Duke, a versatile player capable of playing as a winger and defender, will represent FC Hegelmann in the 2025 A Lyga season.
The 24-year-old midfielder has been training with the blue and whites since the start of preseason, taking part in friendly matches and leaving a positive impression on the coaching staff. Duke becomes the fourth Japanese player in FC Hegelmann’s history, following in the footsteps of Yukiyoshi Karashima, Misaki Sato, and Ryuga Nakamura.
“I knew where I was coming because I received good recommendations, both from Y. Karashima and other players who had played here. I want to thank the coaches and my teammates for giving me the opportunity to be part of this team,” Duke said in his first interview with the club.
Throughout his career, Duke has played 50 matches in Japan’s third division, scoring three goals and providing six assists, along with 16 appearances in the second division.
Before joining Hegelmann, he played in Latvia’s top-tier Virslīga during the 2024 season with Valmiera FC, where he made 13 league appearances and registered one assist. He also featured in two Latvian Cup matches.
Looking ahead to the upcoming season with Hegelmann, Duke is setting high ambitions and hopes to win trophies with the team. “I believe we have a really strong squad capable of winning trophies and even the championship. Let’s try to make that happen this season. Personally, I hope to make a significant contribution to the team’s success,” he stated.
Duke has also been called up to Japan’s U17 national team in the past.
At FC Hegelmann, he will wear the number 7 jersey.
As part of their preseason preparations, the blue-and-whites will play their next friendly match on February 8 at 11:00 AM in Kaunas against FA Šiauliai.
Source: https://fchegelmann.com/hegelmann-sudetyje-naujokas-is-japonijos-c-duke/