Tatsuhiro Sakamoto (坂元 達裕, Sakamoto Tatsuhiro, born 22 October 1996) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a winger for EFL Championship club Coventry City.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 22 October 1996 | ||
| Place of birth | Tokyo, Japan | ||
| Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Winger | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Coventry City | ||
| Number | 7 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Aoba FC | |||
| –2011 | FC Tokyo | ||
| 2012–2014 | Maebashi Ikuei High School | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2015–2018 | Toyo University | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2019 | Montedio Yamagata | 44 | (7) |
| 2020–2022 | Cerezo Osaka | 66 | (8) |
| 2022 | → KV Oostende (loan) | 12 | (0) |
| 2022–2023 | KV Oostende | 30 | (0) |
| 2023– | Coventry City | 44 | (8) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2021– | Japan | 2 | (0) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 00:15, 11 November 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15 June 2021 | |||
Club career
editEarly career
editStarting out playing for Toyo University, Sakamoto was a specially designated player for Montedio Yamagata in the 2018 season.[1] Despite not making an appearance during this time, Sakamoto fully joined Montedio Yamagata for the 2019 season playing in the J2 League. Sakamoto appeared in every single league game that Montedio Yamagata played in the 2019 season, scoring seven goals in the process. The team also advanced into the second round of the promotion playoffs but were beaten 1–0 by Tokushima Vortis.[2]
Cerezo Osaka
editAfter a successful debut season in the J2 League, Sakamoto was signed by Cerezo Osaka for the 2020 season. He went on to appear in 33 of their 38 league games and cement himself as part of the team.
KV Oostende
editOn 5 January 2022, Sakamoto joined Belgian club KV Oostende on loan until the end of the season, with an option to buy.[3] This option was triggered later in 25 May, with Oostende signing him on a contract transfer lasting to 2025. [4]
Coventry City
editOn 10 July 2023, Sakamoto signed for EFL Championship team Coventry City in a three-year deal. The transfer fee was undisclosed.[5]
On 6 August, he made his debut for Coventry as a late substitute in a 2–1 loss at Leicester City.[6] He scored his first goal in English football in a 3–0 win at Millwall on 25 November, becoming the first Japanese player to score for Coventry.[7]
International career
editHe made his debut for Japan national football team on 7 June 2021 in a World Cup qualifier against Tajikistan.[8]
Career statistics
editClub
edit- As of match played on 23 November 2024[9]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Montedio Yamagata | 2019 | J2 League | 44 | 7 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 44 | 7 | ||
| Cerezo Osaka | 2020 | J1 League | 33 | 2 | – | 3 | 0 | – | 36 | 2 | ||
| 2021 | J1 League | 33 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | – | 40 | 6 | ||
| Total | 66 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 76 | 8 | ||
| KV Oostende (loan) | 2021−22 | Belgian First Division A | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 12 | 0 | ||
| KV Oostende | 2022–23 | Belgian First Division A | 30 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | – | 32 | 0 | ||
| Coventry City | 2023–24 | Championship | 30 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | 33 | 7 | |
| 2024–25 | Championship | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | 15 | 1 | ||
| Total | 44 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 48 | 8 | ||
| Career total | 196 | 23 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 212 | 23 | ||
- ^ Includes Emperor's Cup, Belgian Cup, FA Cup
- ^ Includes J.League Cup, EFL Cup
International
edit- As of match played 24 March 2023[10]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | 2021 | 2 | 0 |
| Total | 2 | 0 | |
References
edit- ^ "末吉 塁選手・坂元 達裕選手「JFA・Jリーグ特別指定選手」認定のお知らせ". モンテディオ山形 オフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). Retrieved 27 March 2021.
- ^ "Tokushima Vortis vs. Montedio Yamagata - 8 December 2019 - Soccerway". Soccerway. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
- ^ "NEW CREATIVE MIDFIELDER FROM JAPAN" (Press release). KV Oostende. 5 January 2022. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
- ^ "坂元 達裕選手 KVオーステンデに完全移籍のお知らせ" (in Japanese). 26 May 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
- ^ "Tatsuhiro Sakamoto joins Coventry City". Coventry City FC. 10 July 2023. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
- ^ "Leicester City 2-1 Coventry City - As it happened". The Guardian. 6 August 2023.
- ^ "Tatsuhiro Sakamoto: Coventry City midfielder's first goal will boost 'positive influence'". BBC Sport. 27 November 2023.
- ^ "Japan v Tajikistan game report". ESPN. 7 June 2021.
- ^ "Japan - T. Sakamoto - Profile with news, career statistics and history". Soccerway. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
- ^ "Tastuhiro Sakamoto". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
External links
edit- Tatsuhiro Sakamoto at J.League (archive) (in Japanese)
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