Sōta Kitano

Sōta Kitano
北野 颯太
Kitano with Red Bull Salzburg in 2025
Personal information
Full name Sōta Kitano
Date of birth (2004-08-13) 13 August 2004 (age 22)
Place of birth Wakayama, Japan
Height 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Red Bull Salzburg
Number 8
Youth career
2010–2013 Alma Futsal Club
2014–2016 Arterivo Yuasa
2017–2022 Cerezo Osaka
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020 Cerezo Osaka U-23 8 (0)
2022–2025 Cerezo Osaka 68 (8)
2025– Red Bull Salzburg 32 (7)
International career‡
2019 Japan U15 2 (0)
2019 Japan U16 6 (2)
2022–2023 Japan U20 19 (6)
2025– Japan 1 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 19:03, 10 October 2026 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals as of 14 November 2025 (UTC)

Sōta Kitano (北野 颯太, Kitano Sōta; born 13 August 2004) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Austrian Bundesliga club Red Bull Salzburg and the Japan national team.

Club career

On 25 October 2020, Kitano made his league debut against Gamba Osaka U-23. In doing so, he became the youngest player to debut in an official match at 16 years, 2 months and 12 days, a record formerly held by forward Yoichiro Kakitani.

On 18 February 2022, Kitano was registered as a type 2 player for J League matches. On 25 February 2022, he signed a professional contract with the club. Kitano scored his first professional goal against Kashima Antlers on 2 March 2022, scoring in the 12th minute. At 17 years, 6 months and 17 days old, he became the club's youngest player to score in an official match, breaking Takumi Minamino's record of 18 years, 2 months and 7 days old when he scored his first professional goal. He won the 2022 New Hero Award. On 6 June 2023, Kitano scored his first J1 goal against Vissel Kobe on 10 June 2023, scoring in the 90th+3rd minute. In July 2024, he trialled for two weeks with Dutch Eredivisie club Almere City, which was a turning point for him.

On 9 June 2025, Kitano signed a five-year contract with Austrian Bundesliga club Red Bull Salzburg.

International career

Kitano was called up to the Japan U20s on 7 February 2023 for the 2023 AFC U-20 Asian Cup.

Kitano was called up to the Japan U20s on 9 May 2023 for the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 15 October 2026
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup League cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Cerezo Osaka U-23 2020 J3 League 80————80
Cerezo Osaka 2022 J1 League 19000103——293
2023 J1 League 1223240——194
2024 J1 League 1821030——222
2025 J1 League 1940020——214
Total 68842193——9113
Red Bull Salzburg 2024–25 Austrian Bundesliga ————1010
2025–26 Austrian Bundesliga 25640—90—386
2026–27 Austrian Bundesliga 7121—60—152
Total 32761—15010548
Career total 108141031931501015321
  1. ↑ Includes Emperor's Cup, Austrian Cup
  2. ↑ Includes J.League Cup
  3. ↑ Appearances in FIFA Club World Cup
  4. ↑ Three appearances in UEFA Champions League, six appearances in UEFA Europa League
  5. ↑ Appearances in UEFA Europa League

International

As of match played 14 November 2025
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Japan 202510
Total10

Honours

Individual

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. ↑ "北野 颯太". Cerezo OSAKA (in Japanese). Retrieved 14 March 2022.
  3. ↑ "Cerezo Osaka II vs Gamba Osaka II 1–1: Summary". Soccerway. Perform Group. Archived from the original on 11 June 2025. Retrieved 11 June 2025.
  4. 1 2 Morita, Masayoshi (2 January 2023). "セレッソ大阪、そして日本サッカーの未来を担う18歳北野颯太。「日本をベスト８に導ける選手になりたい」" [18-year-old Sota Kitano, a key figure for Cerezo Osaka and the future of Japanese football: "I want to become a player who can lead Japan to the quarterfinals."]. web Sportiva (in Japanese). Shueisha. Archived from the original on 22 December 2024.
  5. ↑ "セレッソ大阪U-18所属選手 Jリーグ選手登録（2種）完了のお知らせ" [Cerezo Osaka U-18 player complete J.League registration (type-2)]. Cerezo Osaka (in Japanese). 18 February 2022. Archived from the original on 30 January 2023.
  6. ↑ "セレッソ大阪U-18 北野 颯太選手 プロ契約のお知らせ" [Cerezo Osaka U-18 player Sota Kitano signs professional contract]. Cerezo Osaka (in Japanese). 25 February 2022. Archived from the original on 28 April 2025. Retrieved 11 June 2025.
  7. ↑ "Ｃ大阪17歳ＦＷ北野颯太がプロ初得点、南野拓実超えクラブ最年少、ルヴァン杯史上４番目 - ルヴァン杯 : 日刊スポーツ" [Cerezo Osaka's 17-year-old forward Sota Kitano scores first professional goal – youngest in club history, surpassing Minamino, and fourth youngest in Levain Cup history]. Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 2 March 2022. Archived from the original on 19 December 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
  8. ↑ "【Ｃ大阪】18歳北野颯太のJ1初ゴールで劇的勝利「特に母には苦労をかけてきた」言葉詰まらせ - Ｊ１ : 日刊スポーツ" [Cerezo Osaka's dramatic win sealed by 18-year-old Sota Kitano's first J1 goal: "I've especially caused my mother a lot of worry," he says, choking up]. Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 10 June 2023. Archived from the original on 7 January 2025. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
  9. ↑ "Japanse speler Sota Kitano op stage in Almere" [Japanese player Sota Kitano on trial in Almere]. Almere City FC (in Netherlands Dutch). 5 July 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
  10. ↑ "「自分たち若い選手が引っ張っていく」C大阪浮上の"キーマン"北野颯太の変化とは" ["We young players have to lead": how key man Sota Kitano is driving Cerezo Osaka's rise]. サッカーキング [SoccerKing] (in Japanese). livedoor Co., Ltd. 7 October 2024. Archived from the original on 14 January 2025. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
  11. ↑ "Sota Kitano joins FC Red Bull Salzburg". Cerezo Osaka. 9 June 2025. Archived from the original on 10 June 2025. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
  12. ↑ "New Japanese signing for our Red Bulls". FC Red Bull Salzburg. 9 June 2025. Archived from the original on 9 June 2025. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
  13. ↑ "U-20 Japan National Team squad - AFC U20 Asian Cup Uzbekistan 2023 (3/1-18)". Japan Football Association. 15 February 2023.
  14. ↑ "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.
  15. ↑ Sōta Kitano at Soccerway
  16. ↑ "2・3月度「2025 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」「月間ベストセーブ賞」の各賞も決定！" [The "2025 Meiji Yasuda J.League KONAMI Monthly MVP" for February and March has been announced! The awards for "Best Goal of the Month", "Excellent Manager of the Month", "Young Player of the Month", and "Best Save of the Month" have also been decided!]. JLeague.jp (in Japanese). Japan Professional Football League. 15 April 2025. Retrieved 23 April 2025.