Wikipedia

Ao Tanaka

Ao Tanaka (田中碧, Tanaka Ao, born 10 September 1998) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for EFL Championship club Leeds United and the Japan national team.

Ao Tanaka
Tanaka in 2022
Personal information
Full name Ao Tanaka[1]
Date of birth (1998-09-10) 10 September 1998 (age 26)
Place of birth Miyamae-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[2]
Position(s) Central midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Leeds United
Number 22
Youth career
2001–2006 Saginuma SC
2007–2016 Kawasaki Frontale
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018–2022 Kawasaki Frontale 79 (8)
2021–2022 → Fortuna Düsseldorf (loan) 29 (1)
2022−2024 Fortuna Düsseldorf 55 (8)
2024– Leeds United 17 (0)
International career‡
2019–2021 Japan U23 18 (2)
2019– Japan 29 (8)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16:07, 13 December 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15 October 2024

Club career

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Kawasaki Frontale

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Raised for a decade in the youth ranks of hometown club Kawasaki Frontale, Tanaka made his J1 League debut in September 2018 against Consadole Sapporo, scoring his first professional goal just six minutes after he was subbed on.[3] As injuries struck the midfield options of Kawasaki Frontale during the 2019 season, he earned more starts with his club, participating in 24 J1 League matches throughout the season, accumulating 31 matches in total during the year, across 5 different competitions. As his performances continuously caught the eyes of many, and his manager's approval, he was then awarded the 2019 J.League Rookie of the Year Award in his first full professional season. With this feat, he is the only Kawasaki Frontale player ever to win this award.[4]

Fortuna Düsseldorf

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On 26 June 2021, after two and a half professional seasons with Kawasaki Frontale, he joined German 2. Bundesliga side Fortuna Düsseldorf on a year-long loan with an option to buy.[5]

On 28 April 2022, Fortuna Düsseldorf, satisfied with his club and national team performances, exercised the buy-out option in his club contract to acquire him, paying his release clause to get him officially signed for the club on 28 April 2022. He signed a three-year contract with the expiration date being 30 June 2025, encouraged by a sequence of game time with their first-team in the 2021–22 2. Bundesliga.[6]

Leeds United

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On 30 August 2024, Tanaka signed for EFL Championship club Leeds United on a four-year deal.[7] By November 2024 he had become a key player for the team, being described as "undroppable".[8]

International career

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Tanaka made his debut for the Japan national football team on 14 December 2019, in a 5–0 win against Hong Kong in the 2019 EAFF E-1 Football Championship.[9] In the summer of 2021, he was named in the 22-man squad for the 2020 Olympic Games alongside 2 Kawasaki Frontale ex-teammates, Kaoru Mitoma, and Reo Hatate. He started every match for Japan during the tournament.

Throughout the 2020 season, Tanaka established for a good reputation among the Kawasaki Frontale players, playing a total of more than 2500 minutes across all competitions, being a starter in most of the matches he played. His performances with the Kawasaki Frontale team also helped him earn caps with the Japan under-23 team, including a two-goal performance that helped the Japan under-23s earn a 3–2 win over the Brazil under-23 team in a friendly match at 14 October 2019.[10]

He played his first match in the AFC qualification tournament for the 2022 FIFA World Cup on 12 October 2021, where he scored his first international goal in a 2–1 home win against Australia.[11][12] On 1 November 2022, Tanaka was included in Japan's 26-man squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.[13]

On 1 December, he scored the winning goal in a 2–1 victory over Spain, which qualified his national team to the knockout stage as top of their group.[14] That goal sparked much dispute over its validity since the ball seemed to be out-of-play when Kaoru Mitoma assisted Tanaka. The dispute was only settled after the match when the Associated Press released a crucial evidence, the bird's eye photo of the ball, taken by Petr David Josek.[15][16] Josek revealed that a total of four agencies — AP, Reuters, AFP and Getty Images —[16] were approved to enter the suspended catwalk to take bird's eye photos, but the latter three missed the shot because they were at the opposite side of the pitch anticipating a Spanish goal instead.[15][16]

Personal life

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Tanaka is the childhood friend of fellow Japan international and former Kawasaki Frontale teammate, Kaoru Mitoma, who currently plays for English Premier League club, Brighton and Hove Albion. Both of them attended Saginuma elementary school in Kawasaki, Kanagawa, and promised to make Japan proud as a professional footballer.[17]

He used a Nambu iron kettle to get enough iron, which helped improve his anaemia.[18]

As of December 2022, he dated Airi Suzuki, a former member of the Japanese idol group Cute.[19]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of match played 27 November 2024[20][21]
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
Kawasaki Frontale 2018 J1 League 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 1
2019 J1 League 24 1 1 0 1 0 4[c] 1 31 2
2020 J1 League 31 5 2 1 5 0 — 38 6
2021 J1 League 20 1 0 0 0 0 1[d] 0 21 1
Total 79 8 3 1 6 0 6 1 94 10
Fortuna Düsseldorf (loan) 2021–22 2. Bundesliga 29 1 1 0 — — 30 1
Fortuna Düsseldorf 2022–23 2. Bundesliga 22 1 3 0 — — 25 1
2023–24 2. Bundesliga 30 7 4 1 — 2[e] 0 36 8
2024–25 2. Bundesliga 3 0 1 0 — — 4 0
Total 84 9 9 1 0 0 2 0 95 10
Leeds United 2024–25[22] Championship 14 0 0 0 0 0 — 14 0
Career total 177 17 12 2 6 0 8 0 203 20
  1. ^ Includes Emperor's Cup, DFB-Pokal, and FA Cup
  2. ^ Includes J. League Cup and EFL Cup
  3. ^ 4 appearances and 1 goal in AFC Champions League, 1 appearance in Japanese Super Cup
  4. ^ Appearance in Japanese Super Cup
  5. ^ Appearances in 2. Bundesliga promotion play-offs

International

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As of match played 15 October 2024[2]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Japan 2019 2 0
2021 3 1
2022 13 2
2023 6 3
2024 5 2
Total 29 8

Scores and results list Japan's goal tally first.

List of international goals scored by Ao Tanaka
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 12 October 2021 Saitama Stadium 2002, Saitama, Japan   Australia 1–0 2–1 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
2. 2 June 2022 Sapporo Dome, Sapporo, Japan   Paraguay 4–1 4–1 2022 Kirin Challenge Cup
3. 1 December 2022 Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan, Qatar   Spain 2–1 2–1 2022 FIFA World Cup
4. 9 September 2023 Volkswagen Arena, Wolfsburg, Germany   Germany 4–1 4–1 Friendly
5. 13 October 2023 Denka Big Swan Stadium, Niigata, Japan   Canada 1–0 4–1 Friendly
6. 4–0
7. 1 January 2024 Japan National Stadium, Tokyo, Japan   Thailand 1–0 5–0 Friendly
8. 21 March 2024 Japan National Stadium, Tokyo, Japan   North Korea 1–0 1–0 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

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Kawasaki Frontale

Individual

References

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  1. ^ "FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Squad list: Japan (JPN)" (PDF). FIFA. 15 November 2022. p. 16. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Japan National Team｜JFA｜Japan Football Association". www.jfa.jp.
  3. ^ J1デビュー弾の田中碧、どん欲な姿勢が実を結んだ瞬間「今までの人生で一番楽しかった時間」 (in Japanese). goal.com. 16 September 2018.
  4. ^ "2019 J.LEAGUE Awards" (in Japanese). J.LEAGUE. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  5. ^ "Fortuna verpflichtet Tanaka". kicker (in German). 26 June 2021. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
  6. ^ "Ao Tanaka signs a 3-year long contract with F95" (in German). Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  7. ^ "Ao Tanaka signs for Leeds United". www.leedsunited.com. 30 August 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  8. ^ Froston, Nancy. "How Ao Tanaka is making himself undroppable for Leeds" – via NYTimes.com.
  9. ^ "Ao Tanaka JFA Profile". JFA. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  10. ^ "U-22 Japan National Team comes from behind to win over Brazil". JFA. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  11. ^ "FIFA Match Center - Saudi Arabia vs Japan". FIFA. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  12. ^ "FIFA Match Center - Japan vs Australia". FIFA. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  13. ^ "Japan World Cup 2022 squad: Team announced for tournament in Qatar". FourFourTwo. 1 November 2022. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  14. ^ "Japan produce thrilling comeback to stun Spain and make World Cup last 16". The National News. 1 December 2022.
  15. ^ a b Fahey, Ciarán (2 December 2022). "AP photo catches key moment before Japan's World Cup goal". Associated Press News. Archived from the original on 22 December 2022.
  16. ^ a b c 齋藤裕 (4 December 2022). "三笘薫"奇跡の1ミリ"、あの証拠写真を撮影した外国人カメラマンに直撃取材「なぜ撮れた？」「地上50mからニッポンのゴールを待っていた」". Sports Graphic Number. Bungeishunju. Archived from the original on 22 August 2023.
  17. ^ "Japan team-mates went to school together and made World Cup promise in year book". www.mirror.co.uk. Mirror UK. 5 December 2022. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  18. ^ "Tanaka Aoi's love of "Nambu ironware" is trending on social media... Intake of iron is effective, and the area where it is produced is being approached for PR cooperation". Yomiuri Shimbun Online. 9 December 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  19. ^ "スペイン戦決勝点・田中碧、鈴木愛理との交際にプロゴルファー父・鈴木亨も強力サポート". News Post Seven. 2 December 2022. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  20. ^ Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing inc./日本スポーツ企画出版社, "J1&J2&J3選手名鑑ハンディ版 2018 (NSK MOOK)", 7 February 2018, Japan, ISBN 978-4905411529 (p. 13 out of 289)
  21. ^ Ao Tanaka at Soccerway. Retrieved 26 June 2021.  
  22. ^ "Games played by Ao Tanaka in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  23. ^ "L'équipe type du Tournoi Maurice Revello 2019". www.festival-foot-espoirs.com.
  24. ^ "Maurice Revello Tournament 2019 Best XI". Maurice Revello Tournament. 17 June 2019. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
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