Kaoru Mitoma

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Kaoru Mitoma
Personal information
Date of birth (1997-05-20) 20 May 1997 (age 24)
Place of birth Ōita, Japan[1]
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Winger
Club information
Current team
 Union SG
(on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion)
Number 14
Youth career
Saginuma SC
0000–2015 Kawasaki Frontale
2016–2019 University of Tsukuba
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018–2021 Kawasaki Frontale 50 (21)
2021– Brighton & Hove Albion 0 (0)
2021– → Union SG (loan) 2 (0)
National team‡
2018 Japan U21 3 (1)
2017–2021 Japan U23 9 (4)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 18 September 2021
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 23:12, 6 August 2021 (UTC)

Kaoru Mitoma (三笘 薫, Mitoma Kaoru, born 20 May 1997) is a Japanese footballer who plays as a winger for Union SG on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion.

Playing career[]

Early years[]

Born in Ōita, Mitoma grew up in the Kawasaki area and joined the Frontale academy at the U10 level. Offered a promotion from the U-18s to the senior team coached by Yahiro Kazama, he chose instead to matriculate to University of Tsukuba, a Japanese university football powerhouse who had recently produced Frontale stalwarts such as Shogo Taniguchi and Shintaro Kurumaya. Mitoma professed to feel unprepared to enter professional football at age 18, citing the struggles of fellow Kawasaki academy products Ko Itakura and Koji Miyoshi to win regular playing time with the senior squad.[2][3]

During his time at Tsukuba, Mitoma was selected to represent Japan at the 2017 and 2019 Universiade tournaments, as well as the 2018 Asian Games and the 2019 Toulon Tournament with the under-23 national team. Playing in the Kanto University Soccer League with Tsukuba, he was named to the all-league XI in his final three seasons while majoring in physical education. In addition, Tsukuba appeared in the 2016 and 2017 Emperor's Cup tournaments making an upstart run to the round of 16 in the latter edition, upsetting J.League clubs YSCC Yokohama, Vegalta Sendai (against whom Mitoma scored a brace), and Avispa Fukuoka along the way. While enrolled in college, Mitoma also occasionally joined Frontale's senior team for training sessions as a Special Designated Player starting in his sophomore year, appearing in a single J.League Cup match in 2019.[3]

Kawasaki Frontale[]

In July 2018, Mitoma agreed on a professional contract with Kawasaki Frontale senior team starting in 2020.[4] He made his official pro debut on the opening matchday of the 2020 J1 League and quickly established himself after the league resumed following the COVID-19 outbreak, becoming the first rookie to reach double digits in goals in the first division since Yoshinori Muto.[3]

Brighton & Hove Albion[]

On 10 August 2021, Mitoma joined Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion on a four-year deal, joining Union SG on loan for the first year.[5]

Career statistics[]

Club[]

As of 18 September 2021[6][7]
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
University of Tsukuba 2016 – 1 0 – – – 1 0
2017 4 2 – – – 4 2
Total – 5 2 – – – 5 2
Kawasaki Frontale 2018 J1 League 0 0 0 0 0 0 – – 0 0
2019 0 0 0 0 1 0 – – 1 0
2020 30 13 2 2 5 3 – – 37 18
2021 20 8 0 0 0 0 3 2 1[a] 2 24 12
Total 50 21 2 2 6 3 3 2 1 2 62 30
Brighton & Hove Albion 2021–22 Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Union SG (loan) 2021–22 Belgian First Division A 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
Career total 52 21 7 4 6 3 3 2 1 2 69 32
  1. ^ Appearances in Japanese Super Cup

Honours[]

Kawasaki Frontale

Individual

References[]

  1. ^ "三笘薫さん（サッカー）インタビュー". Players Japan. 25 December 2018. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  2. ^ Ando, Takahito (28 May 2018). "フロンターレ昇格を蹴って進学。筑波大・三笘薫、人生の選択について。". Sports Graphic Number (in Portuguese). Bungeishunjū. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Bontempo, Tiago (5 September 2020). "Mitoma, a sensação da J.League que só virou profissional aos 22 anos para 'garantir seu futuro' na faculdade". Globo Esporte (in Portuguese). Grupo Globo. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  4. ^ "三笘薫選手加入内定のお知らせ". Kawasaki Frontale. 13 July 2018.
  5. ^ "Mitoma signs for Albion". Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. 10 August 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  6. ^ Kaoru Mitoma at Soccerway. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
  7. ^ Kaoru Mitoma - Statistics (in Japanese)

External links[]

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