Aoi Kizaki

Aoi Kizaki
Personal information
Date of birth (1998-03-13) 13 March 1998 (age 26)
Place of birth Saitama Prefecture, Japan
Height 1.61 m (5 ft 3 in)
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
 AFC Toronto
Youth career
TS Girls
Misugidai Together
Hanno Bruder [ja]
2010–2015 Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2018 Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies 24 (1)
2019–2020 Chifure AS Elfen Saitama 36 (3)
2021–2023 Sanfrecce Hiroshima Regina 27 (0)
2023–2024 Nippon TV Tokyo Verdy Beleza 15 (0)
2024 Sabah FA
2025– AFC Toronto 0 (0)
International career‡
2017 Japan U19 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of September 10, 2017

Aoi Kizaki (木﨑あおい, born 13 March 1998) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a defender for Northern Super League club AFC Toronto.

Early life

Kizaki began playing youth football with TS Girls, later joining Misugidai Together, Hanno Bruder, and then in 2010 joined the Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies.[1]

Club career

Ahead of the 2016 season, Kizaki was added to the senior roster of the Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies in the then first tier Nadeshiko League Division 1.[1] In 2017, she was converted to a full-back role, from her usually defensive midfield role.[2][3]

In January 2019, she joined Chifure AS Elfen Saitama in the then second tier Nadeshiko League Division 2.[4][5]

In January 2021, she joined Sanfrecce Hiroshima Regina in the new first tier WE League, which was established as a professional league for 2021.[6][7] Over her season and a half with the team, she played in every match.[8]

In February 2023, Kizaki transferred to Nippon TV Tokyo Verdy Beleza in the WE League.[9][10][11] In July 2024, it was announced that she would depart the club.[12]

In September 2024, she signed with Malaysia National Women's League club Sabah FA.[13][14][15]

In December 2024, Kizaki joined Canadian club AFC Toronto ahead of the inaugural Northern Super League season.[16][17]

International career

In September 2017, Kizaki was called up to the Japan U19 ahead of a set of three friendlies.[18] In April 2018, she was called up to the Japan U20 camp, as an injury replacement for Nanami Kitamura.[19] In December 2020, she was called up to the Japan senior team for a training camp.[20]

Career statistics

As of October 9, 2024[21][22]
Club Season League Domestic Cup League Cup Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies 2016 Nadeshiko League Division 1 0 0 1 0 5 0 – 6 0
2017 14 1 4 0 10 0 – 28 1
2018 10 0 2 0 6 0 – 18 0
Total 24 1 7 0 21 0 0 0 52 1
Chifure AS Elfen Saitama 2019 Nadeshiko League Division 2 18 1 4 0 8 0 – 30 1
2020 18 2 2 0 – – 20 2
Total 36 3 6 0 8 0 0 0 50 3
Sanfrecce Hiroshima Regina 2021–22 WE League 20 0 2 0 – – 22 0
2022–23 7 0 2 0 4 0 – 13 0
Total 27 0 4 0 4 0 0 0 35 0
Nippon TV Tokyo Verdy Beleza 2022–23 WE League 12 0 0 0 0 0 – 12 0
2023–24 3 0 2 0 2 0 – 7 0
Total 15 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 19 0
Sabah FA 2024 Malaysia National Women's League 0 0 0 0 – 3 0 3 0
Career total 102 4 19 0 35 0 3 0 159 4

References

  1. ^ a b "浦和レッズレディースユース所属の４選手 昇格内定のお知らせ" [Four players from Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies Youth have been promoted]. Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies (in Japanese). 30 December 2015.
  2. ^ 松原渓 (Kei Matsubara) (9 June 2021). "WEリーグのダークホースとなるか。サンフレッチェ広島レジーナと技巧派サイドバック、木﨑あおいの魅力" [Will they become the dark horse of the WE League? Sanfrecce Hiroshima Regina and the charm of the skillful fullback, Aoi Kizaki]. Yahoo Japan (in Japanese).
  3. ^ 佐藤亮太 (Ryota Sato) (12 April 2023). "S広島Rから東京NBへの電撃移籍から2ヵ月。 DF木?あおい が語る経緯と順応できた理由" [Two months have passed since the sudden transfer from S.Hiroshima R to Tokyo NB. Defender Aoi Kigawa talks about the circumstances and how she was able to adapt]. Reds Press (in Japanese).
  4. ^ "木崎あおい選手 移籍のお知らせ" [Announcement of Aoi Kizaki's transfer]. Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies (in Japanese). 7 January 2017.
  5. ^ "木崎 あおい選手 2019シーズン新加入のお知らせ" [Announcement of new addition of Kizaki Aoi for the 2019 season]. Chifure AS Elfen Saitama (in Japanese). 7 January 2019.
  6. ^ "木﨑 あおい 選手　移籍のお知らせ" [Announcement of transfer of Aoi Kizaki]. Chifure AS Elfen Saitama (in Japanese). 4 January 2021.
  7. ^ "福元美穂選手・木﨑あおい選手　ちふれASエルフェン埼玉より完全移籍加入のお知らせ" [Announcement of permanent transfer of Miho Fukumoto and Aoi Kizaki from Chifure AS Elfen Saitama]. Sanfrecce Hiroshima Regina (in Japanese). 4 January 2021.
  8. ^ 湊昂大 (Takahiro Minato) (24 April 2023). "東京NBの木﨑あおい、移籍後初の古巣対決「戦いにくかった」… 広島サポ歓迎で同僚から「愛されすぎ」" [Tokyo NB's Aoi Kizaki, first match against her former club since her transfer: "It was difficult to fight"... Hiroshima fans welcome her, and her teammates say she's "too loved"]. Soccer King (in Japanese).
  9. ^ "木﨑あおい選手 日テレ・東京ヴェルディベレーザへ完全移籍のお知らせ" [Announcement of Aoi Kizaki's permanent transfer to Nippon TV Tokyo Verdy Beleza]. Sanfrecce Hiroshima Regina (in Japanese). 9 February 2023.
  10. ^ "木﨑あおい選手、完全移籍加入のお知らせ" [Announcement of Aoi Kizaki's permanent transfer to the team]. Nippon TV Tokyo Verdy Beleza (in Japanese). 9 February 2023.
  11. ^ 早草紀子 (Noriko Hayakusa) (3 March 2023). "ベレーザ逆転Vへの切り札、木﨑あおいが決意「もう本当に発見の毎日です」。広島から獲得した左サイドバック、WEリーグ再開初戦で古巣ちふれと対戦へ" [Aoi Kizaki, the trump card for Beleza's comeback victory, is determined: "Every day is a new discovery." The left-back acquired from Hiroshima will face his former club Chifure in the first match of the WE League restart.]. Sakanowa (in Japanese).
  12. ^ "木﨑あおい 選手 との契約について" [Regarding the contract with Aoi Kizaki]. Nippon TV Tokyo Verdy Beleza (in Japanese). 3 July 2024.
  13. ^ "木﨑あおい 選手 Sabah FA Womenへ所属決定のお知らせ" [Announcement of Aoi Kizaki joining Sabah FA Women]. Nippon TV Tokyo Verdy Beleza (in Japanese). 25 September 2024.
  14. ^ "東京NB退団のDF木﨑あおいがマレーシアに挑戦！ 浦和の下部組織出身で、EL埼玉、S広島Rでもプレー" [Defender Aoi Kizaki, who left Tokyo NB, is trying out for Malaysia! She is from Urawa's youth academy and has also played for Europa League Saitama and S. Hiroshima R.]. Yahoo Japan (in Japanese). 25 September 2024.
  15. ^ "ベレーザで活躍した木﨑あおいがマレーシアのサバに加入決定!" [Aoi Kizaki, who played for Beleza, has joined Malaysia's Sabah!]. Sakanowa (in Japanese). 25 September 2024.
  16. ^ John Molinaro (5 December 2024). "AFC Toronto adds Japan's Aoi Kizaki to its roster". TFC Republic.
  17. ^ John Jacques (5 December 2024). "AFC Toronto Adds Japanese Talent Aoi Kizaki". Northern Tribune.
  18. ^ "U-19日本女子代表　中国遠征（9/6～15）メンバー・スケジュール【NSWI Cup CFA International Women's Youth Football Tournament Duyun 2017】" [U-19 Japan Women's National Team China Tour (September 6–15) Members and Schedule [NSWI Cup CFA International Women's Youth Football Tournament Duyun 2017]]. Japan Football Association (in Japanese). 30 August 2017.
  19. ^ "U-20日本女子代表　フランス遠征（4/1～9） 選手変更のお知らせ" [U-20 Japan Women's National Team: Player changes for France tour (April 1–9)]. Japan Football Association (in Japanese). 28 March 2018.
  20. ^ "なでしこチャレンジトレーニングキャンプ（12.7～9＠高円宮記念JFA夢フィールド）メンバー・スケジュール" [Nadeshiko Challenge Training Camp (12.7-12.9 @ Takamadonomiya Memorial JFA Dream Field) Members and Schedule]. Japan Football Association (in Japanese). 3 December 2020.
  21. ^ Aoi Kizaki at Soccerway
  22. ^ "Aoi Kizaki WE League stats". WE League (in Japanese).