Kosuke Kimura, the first Japan-born player in America's Major League Soccer, will begin his seventh pro season on Sunday as the newest member of a star-studded New York Red Bulls team seeking its first MLS Cup championship.
The 28-year-old defender, who was drafted in 2007 by the Colorado Rapids and helped the team win a championship in 2010, joined the Red Bulls last December after five months with the Portland Timbers.
"When I heard about this chance, I instantly decided to put in a couple years here, maybe more, to win the league (championship) again," Kimura told Kyodo News at a media event ahead of his Red Bulls debut. "There's a really good fan base here and the organization itself really, really wants to win. They have to get the cup."