Kento Misao

Kento Misao (三竿 健斗, Misao Kento, born 16 April 1996) is a Japanese professional footballer who will play as a defensive midfielder or a centre back for Belgian Pro League club OH Leuven[2]

Kento Misao
Misao playing for Kashima Antlers in 2018
Personal information
Full name Kento Misao[1]
Date of birth (1996-04-16) 16 April 1996
Place of birth Musashino, Tokyo, Japan
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Defensive midfielder, centre back
Team information
Current team
 OH Leuven
Number 17
Youth career
2009–2014 Tokyo Verdy Youth
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015 Tokyo Verdy 39 (0)
2016–2022 Kashima Antlers 182 (4)
2023 Santa Clara 17 (0)
2023– OH Leuven 4 (0)
International career
2013 Japan U17 2 (0)
2017– Japan 6 (0)
Medal record
Kashima Antlers
WinnerAFC Champions League2018
WinnerJ1 League2016
Runner-upJ1 League2017
WinnerEmperor's Cup2016
Representing  Japan
AFC U-23 Championship
Gold medal – first place2016 Qatar
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 13 October 2023

Club career

Converted to a central midfielder during his time in Tokyo Verdy's youth ranks,[3] after a short trial he was fully promoted to first team of Verdy in 2015.[4]

In January 2016, Misao signed for Kashima Antlers.

He was chosen as one of the candidates for award 2018 Asian Footballer of the Year.[5]

After consistently good seasons at Kashima Antlers, he experienced a different role on his last season with the club. Since Mitsuo Ogasawara's retirement on 2018, he started several matches wearing the captain's armband, despite the relatively young age for a player to be named captain. On 2022, due to many problems regarding the back-line underperformances at the start of the season, Misao had to switch his position, playing as a center-back for the most part of the season.

After showcasing his versatility and consistency at the Antlers, Misao was considered by Santa Clara as "a polivalent midfielder, who despite having better defensive proficiency, can also play in less defensive roles in the midfield."[6] In December 2022, the then 26-year old Misao was announced for them as a 2022–23 new mid-season signing, coming in an initial transfer period of one season and a half, with an option to extend his contract for another two seasons.[7]

International career

In October 2013, Misao was elected for the Japan U-17 national team, as part of the 2013 U-17 World Cup squad. He featured in 2 matches in the tournament.

In May 2018, he was named in Japan's preliminary squad for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.[8] However, Japan's manager Akira Nishino did not select Misao into the final 23-player squad.[9]

Career statistics

Club
As of match played 28 May 2023[10][11][12][13]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup League Cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Tokyo Verdy 2015 J2 League 39020–––410
Kashima Antlers 2016 J1 League 403030–1[lower-alpha 1]0110
2017 261202030–331
2018 2603100110–401
2019 280202080–400
2020 301002010–331
2021 3402070––430
2022 3324061––433
Total 1814161221230102436
Santa Clara 2022–23 Primeira Liga 1700000––170
Career total 2374181221230103016
  1. Appearances in the J.League Championship

International
Japan national team[14]
YearAppsGoals
201710
201850
Total60

Personal life

His elder brother Yuto is also a professional footballer.[15]

References
  1. "FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2016: List of Players: Kashima Antlers" (PDF). FIFA. 14 December 2016. p. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 December 2017.
  2. "Japan - K. Misao". Soccerway. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
  3. co.,Ltd, FromOne. "96ジャパンのタレント三竿健斗、兄・雄斗（湘南）から受ける刺激「早く自分もあの舞台に」 | サッカーキング". サッカーキング (in Japanese). Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  4. "東京ヴェルディユースより来季トップチーム昇格選手内定のお知らせ | 東京ヴェルディ / Tokyo Verdy". www.verdy.co.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  5. "AFC Annual Awards Oman 2018 nominees announced". www.the-afc.com. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  6. "Prometo dar tudo". Clube Desportivo Santa Clara (in Portuguese). 12 December 2022. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  7. "Bem vindo, Kento Misao". Clube Desportivo Santa Clara (in Portuguese). 12 December 2022. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  8. "World Cup 2018: All the confirmed squads for this summer's finals in Russia".
  9. "Akira Nishino names Japan's final World Cup squad | Goal.com". Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  10. Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing inc./日本スポーツ企画出版社, "2017 J1&J2&J3選手名鑑 (NSK MOOK)", 8 February 2017, Japan, ISBN 978-4905411420 (p. 10 out of 289)
  11. Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing inc./日本スポーツ企画出版社, "2016J1&J2&J3選手名鑑", 10 February 2016, Japan, ISBN 978-4905411338 (p. 44 out of 289)
  12. "Japan - K. Misao - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway". uk.soccerway.com. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  13. "Soccer D.B. : 2022 Kento Misao Result by Season". Soccer D.B. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  14. Japan National Football Team Database(in Japanese)
  15. FIFA.com. "2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ - Players - Kento MISAO - Kento Misao - FIFA.com". www.fifa.com. Archived from the original on 19 November 2018. Retrieved 19 November 2018.


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