Isa Sakamoto

Isa Sakamoto
坂本 一彩
Personal information
Full name Isa Sakamoto
Date of birth (2003-08-26) 26 August 2003 (age 23)
Place of birth Kumamoto, Japan
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position Forward
Team information
Current team
 Westerlo
Number 13
Youth career
Gamba Osaka
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020 Gamba Osaka U-23 11 (3)
2022– Gamba Osaka 46 (11)
2023 → Fagiano Okayama (loan) 24 (4)
2025 → Westerlo (loan) 19 (6)
2025– Westerlo 38 (6)
International career‡
2021– Japan U20 19 (11)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 1 June 2026
‡ National team caps and goals as of 15 March 2023, 12:44 (UTC)

Isa Sakamoto (坂本 一彩, Sakamoto Isa; born 26 August 2003) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a forward for Belgian Pro League side KVC Westerlo.

Club career

Sakamoto made his professional debut for J3 League side Gamba Osaka U-23, the reserve team of Gamba Osaka on 19 September 2020 against Vanraure Hachinohe. He came on as an 86th-minute substitute for Ko Ise as Gamba Osaka U-23 lost 2–3. Sakamoto scored his first goal for Gamba Osaka U-23 on 6 December 2020 against Azul Claro Numazu. He scored in the 87th minute from the penalty spot to give Osaka the 2–1 victory.

In February 2021, Sakamoto was announced as a Type 2 player, meaning he was registered for both Gamba Osaka Youth and the first team. Although unused in the first team, he scored 15 goals in 13 appearances for the JFA U-18 Premier League. In September 2021, it was announced that Sakamoto would be promoted to the first team for the 2022 season.

Sakamoto made his debut for Gamba Osaka in March 2022, in a 2–2 J.League Cup draw with Oita Trinita. He made his J1 League debut in the following month, appearing as a 71st-minute substitute in a 1–1 draw with Kyoto Sanga. In June, he scored his first goal for the club in a 2–0 league victory over Sanfrecce Hiroshima. In his first season with Gamba, he made 15 appearances across all competitions, scoring 1 goal.

On 29 December 2022, Sakamoto moved on loan to J2 League club Fagiano Okayama for the 2023 season. He scored on his debut in a 3–2 league victory over Júbilo Iwata. He made 26 appearances throughout the season, scoring 4 goals, before returning to his parent club for the 2024 season.

On his return to Gamba, Sakamoto began the season largely used as a substitute, but throughout April he became a starter and scored three goals in the month. For this, he was awarded the Young Player of the Month award. He continued to participate in the majority of games, culminating in a flurry of goals at the end of the season where he was awarded his second Young Player of the Month award for November/December.

In January 2025, it was announced that Sakamoto would be leaving Gamba Osaka to join Belgian side Westerlo. The contract is a loan until the end of the 2024–25 season, then the transfer becomes permanent and a three-year contract with Westerlo will come into effect.

International career

Sakamoto was called up to the Japan U-20 squad for the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

Career statistics

Club

As of 24 May 2025.
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Continental Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Gamba Osaka U-23 2020 J3 League 113———113
Gamba Osaka 2022 J1 League 912040—151
2024 J1 League 37105110—4311
Total 46117150—5812
Fagiano Okayama (loan) 2023 J2 League 24420——264
Westerlo (loan) 2024–25 Belgian Pro League 196———196
Westerlo 2025–26 Belgian Pro League 0000—0000
Total 19600—00196
Career total 1002491500011425
  1. ↑ Includes Emperor's Cup
  2. ↑ Includes J.League Cup

References

  1. ↑ "FIFA U-20 World Cup Argentina 2023™ SQUAD LIST: Japan (JPN)" (PDF). FIFA. 22 May 2023. p. 15. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
  2. ↑ "Isa Sakamoto" (in Japanese). Gamba Osaka. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  3. ↑ "FW32 坂本 一彩". ガンバ大阪オフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). Retrieved 20 March 2022.
  4. ↑ "Gamba Osaka U-23 2-3 Vanraure Hachinohe". Soccerway.
  5. ↑ "Azul Claro Numazu 1–2 Gamba Osaka U-23". Soccerway.
  6. ↑ "G大阪が昨季J1デビューの17歳MF中村仁郎ら4選手を2種登録". ゲキサカ (in Japanese). 19 February 2021. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
  7. ↑ "G大阪がユース所属のMF中村仁郎、FW坂本一彩と仮契約、来季昇格内定を発表". 超ワールドサッカー！ (in Japanese). Retrieved 7 January 2025.
  8. ↑ "2022 J League YBC Levain Cup 22/03/02 Oita Trinita - Gamba Osaka Results, Players". Soccer D.B. Japan. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
  9. ↑ "2022 J1 League 22/04/06 Kyoto Sanga F.C. - Gamba Osaka Results, Players". Soccer D.B. Japan. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
  10. ↑ "【Ｇ大阪】18歳坂本一彩プロ初得点「この試合だけで終われば意味がない」柱不在FW陣で存在感 - Ｊ１ : 日刊スポーツ". nikkansports.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 7 January 2025.
  11. ↑ "坂本一彩選手 期限付き移籍加入のお知らせ" (Press release). ファジアーノ岡山. 29 December 2022. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  12. ↑ "坂本 一彩選手 期限付き移籍から復帰のお知らせ". ガンバ大阪オフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). Retrieved 7 January 2025.
  13. ↑ "Isa Sakamoto's amazing April wins him Young Player of the Month | News". J.LEAGUE. 14 May 2024. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
  14. ↑ "11・12月度「明治安田Ｊリーグ KONAMI 月間MVP」を発表！「月間ベストゴール」、「月間優秀監督賞」「月間ヤングプレーヤー賞」も決定！：Ｊリーグ公式サイト（J.LEAGUE.jp）". Ｊリーグ.jp（日本プロサッカーリーグ） (in Japanese). Retrieved 7 January 2025.
  15. ↑ "FW坂本がチームを離脱【Ｇ大阪】：Ｊリーグ公式サイト（J.LEAGUE.jp）". Ｊリーグ.jp（日本プロサッカーリーグ） (in Japanese). Retrieved 7 January 2025.
  16. ↑ "Welcome Isa!". Westerlo. 12 January 2025. Retrieved 12 January 2025.
  17. ↑ "U-20日本代表メンバー FIFA U-20ワールドカップアルゼンチン2023" [Japan U-20 national team for the FIFA U-20 World Cup Argentina 2023]. Japan Football Association. 8 May 2023.
  18. ↑ Isa Sakamoto at Soccerway
  19. ↑ "2024 Isa Sakamoto Players". Soccer D.B. Japan. Retrieved 7 January 2025.