Kodai Sano
Personal information
Full name Kodai Sano[1]
Date of birth (2003-09-25) 25 September 2003[1]
Place of birth Tsuyama, Okayama, Japan
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)[1]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 NEC Nijmegen
Number 23
Youth career
FC Viparte
0000–2021 Yonago Kita HS
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022–2023 Fagiano Okayama 48 (5)
2023– NEC Nijmegen 3 (0)
International career‡
2023– Japan U20 11 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:00, 7 October 2023 (WIB)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 27 May 2023

Kodai Sano (佐野 航大, Sano Kodai, born 25 September 2003) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Eredivisie club NEC Nijmegen.

Club career

A graduate of the Yonago Kita High School,[2][3] Sano signed his first professional contract with J2 League side Fagiano Okayama in October 2021.[4][5]

He made his professional debut for the club during the 2022 season, scoring three goals in 28 league matches.[3]

On 14 August 2023, Fagiano Okayama announced that they reached an agreement with Dutch side NEC Nijmegen for the transfer of Sano on a permanent deal;[3][6] the deal was made official three days later, as the player signed a five-year contract with the Eredivisie club.[7][8] In the process, Sano became NEC's second Japanese-born signing of the season, following Koki Ogawa.[8]

He made his debut for the club on 16 September 2023, coming on as a substitute for Rober in the 59th minute of a 4–0 league loss to PSV.[9]

International career

Sano has represented Japan at under-20 level, having taken part in both the 2023 AFC U-20 Asian Cup and the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup.[10]

Personal life

Sano is the younger brother of fellow professional footballer Kaishu Sano.[4]

Career statistics

Club

As of 7 October 2023
Club Season League National Cup[lower-alpha 1] League Cup[lower-alpha 2] Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Fagiano Okayama 2022 J2 League 28300001[lower-alpha 3]0293
2023 20 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 21 2
Total 48 5 1 0 0 0 1 0 50 5
NEC Nijmegen 2023–24 Eredivisie 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
Career total 515100010535
Notes
  1. ↑ Appearances in the Emperor's Cup and the KNVB Cup.
  2. ↑ Appearances in the J. League Cup.
  3. ↑ Appearances in the J1 League promotion-relegation playoffs.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "FIFA U-20 World Cup Argentina 2023™ SQUAD LIST: Japan (JPN)" (PDF). FIFA. 22 May 2023. p. 15. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
  2. ↑ "インハイ優秀選手33名発表!劇的Vの青森山田からMF松木やCB丸山ら最多8名選出!". ゲキサカ (in Japanese). 22 August 2021. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 "岡山、U-20日本代表MF佐野航大のナイメヘン移籍を発表". DAZN (in Japanese). 14 August 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  4. 1 2 "兄とJで戦う夢実現へ。米子北高MF佐野航大が岡山内定!". ゲキサカ (in Japanese). 13 October 2021. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  5. ↑ "佐野航大選手（米子北高校） 来季新加入内定のお知らせ". Fagiano Okayama (in Japanese). 13 October 2021. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  6. ↑ "佐野航大選手 NECナイメヘン（オランダリーグ1部）へ完全移籍のお知らせ". Fagiano Okayama (in Japanese). 14 August 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  7. ↑ "Kodai Sano nieuwe aanwinst N.E.C." NEC Nijmegen (in Dutch). 17 August 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  8. 1 2 "NEC haalt met Sano tweede Japanner binnen". RTL Nieuws (in Dutch). 17 August 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  9. ↑ "PSV kent tegen NEC zorgeloze generale voor weerzien met Arsenal". Voetbal International (in Dutch). 16 September 2023. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  10. ↑ "佐野航大がNECナイメヘンと正式契約、テクニカル・ディレクターが才能発掘の経緯を語る「U-20W杯で…」". ゲキサカ (in Japanese). 18 August 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
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