Isa Sakamoto

The native form of this personal name is Sakamoto Isa. This article uses Western name order when mentioning individuals.
Isa Sakamoto
坂本 一彩
Personal information
Full name Isa Sakamoto[1]
Date of birth (2003-08-26) 26 August 2003 (age 21)
Place of birth Kumamoto, Japan
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)[2]
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Gamba Osaka
Number 13
Youth career
Gamba Osaka
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020 Gamba Osaka U-23 11 (3)
2022–2024 Gamba Osaka 46 (11)
2023 → Fagiano Okayama (loan) 24 (4)
International career‡
2021– Japan U20 19 (11)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 13:54, 7 January 2025 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct 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 J1 League side Gamba Osaka.[3]

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.[4] 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.[5]

In February 2021, Sakamoto was announced as a Type 2 player, meaning he was registered for both Gamba Osaka Youth and the first team.[6] 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.[7]

Sakamoto made his debut for Gamba Osaka in March 2022, in a 2–2 J.League Cup draw with Oita Trinita.[8] He made his J1 League debut in the following month, appearing as a 71st-minute substitute in a 1–1 draw with Kyoto Sanga.[9] In June, he scored his first goal for the club in a 2–0 league victory over Sanfrecce Hiroshima.[10] 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.[11] 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.[12]

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.[13] 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.[14]

In January 2025, it was announced that Sakamoto would be leaving Gamba Osaka.[15]

Career statistics

Club

As of 7 January 2025.[16][17]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup[a] League Cup[b] Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Gamba Osaka U-23 2020 J3 League 11 3 — — — — 11 3
Gamba Osaka 2022 J1 League 9 1 2 0 4 0 15 1
2024 J1 League 37 10 5 1 1 0 43 11
Total 46 11 7 1 5 0 58 12
Fagiano Okayama (loan) 2023 J2 League 24 4 2 0 — — 26 4
Career total 81 18 9 1 5 0 95 19
  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. ^ Isa Sakamoto at Soccerway
  17. ^ "2024 Isa Sakamoto Players". Soccer D.B. Japan. Retrieved 7 January 2025.


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