Tatsuhiro Sakamoto

Tatsuhiro Sakamoto
Personal information
Date of birth (1996-10-22) 22 October 1996 (age 28)
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
0000–2011 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)
2022KV Oostende (loan) 12 (0)
2022–2023 KV Oostende 30 (0)
2023– Coventry City 49 (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

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.

Club career

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Early career

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Starting 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

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After 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

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On 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

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On 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

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He made his debut for Japan national football team on 7 June 2021 in a World Cup qualifier against Tajikistan.[8]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of match played on 14 December 2024[9]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
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 19 1 0 0 2 0 20 1
Total 49 8 2 0 3 0 0 0 53 8
Career total 201 23 4 0 11 0 0 0 217 23

International

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As of match played 24 March 2023[10]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Japan 2021 2 0
Total 2 0

References

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  1. ^ "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.
  2. ^ "Tokushima Vortis vs. Montedio Yamagata - 8 December 2019 - Soccerway". Soccerway. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  3. ^ "NEW CREATIVE MIDFIELDER FROM JAPAN" (Press release). KV Oostende. 5 January 2022. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  4. ^ "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.
  5. ^ "Tatsuhiro Sakamoto joins Coventry City". Coventry City FC. 10 July 2023. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  6. ^ "Leicester City 2-1 Coventry City - As it happened". The Guardian. 6 August 2023.
  7. ^ "Tatsuhiro Sakamoto: Coventry City midfielder's first goal will boost 'positive influence'". BBC Sport. 27 November 2023.
  8. ^ "Japan v Tajikistan game report". ESPN. 7 June 2021.
  9. ^ "Japan - T. Sakamoto - Profile with news, career statistics and history". Soccerway. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  10. ^ "Tastuhiro Sakamoto". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
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