Takuma Asano Explained

Takuma Asano
浅野 拓磨
Full Name:Takuma Asano[1]
Birth Date:10 November 1994[2]
Birth Place:Komono, Mie, Japan
Height:1.73 m[3]
Position:Forward
Currentclub:Mallorca
Clubnumber:11
Youthclubs1:Perna SC
Youthyears2:2007–2009
Youthclubs2:Happu Junior High School
Youthyears3:2010–2012
Youthclubs3:Yokkaichi Chuo Kogyo High School
Years1:2013–2016
Clubs1:Sanfrecce Hiroshima
Caps1:60
Goals1:13
Years2:2014–2015
Clubs2:J.League U-22 (loan)
Caps2:3
Goals2:0
Years3:2016–2019
Clubs3:Arsenal
Caps3:0
Goals3:0
Years4:2016–2018
Clubs4:VfB Stuttgart (loan)
Caps4:41
Goals4:5
Years5:2018
Clubs5:VfB Stuttgart II (loan)
Caps5:2
Goals5:1
Years6:2018–2019
Clubs6:Hannover 96 (loan)
Caps6:13
Goals6:0
Years7:2019–2021
Clubs7:Partizan
Caps7:56
Goals7:22
Years8:2021–2024
Clubs8:VfL Bochum
Caps8:83
Goals8:12
Years9:2024–
Clubs9:Mallorca
Caps9:0
Goals9:0
Nationalyears1:2014–2016
Nationalteam1:Japan U23
Nationalcaps1:14
Nationalgoals1:6
Nationalyears2:2015–
Nationalteam2:Japan
Nationalcaps2:52
Nationalgoals2:9
Club-Update:7 July 2024
Nationalteam-Update:21 March 2024

is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a forward for La Liga club Mallorca and the Japan national team.

Asano's younger brother Yuya is also a professional footballer, currently playing for J1 League side Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo.

Club career

Sanfrecce Hiroshima

After attending Yokkaichi Chuo Technical High School, Asano joined Sanfrecce Hiroshima at the age of 18 in January 2013. He went on to win the J1 League in his debut season, making one appearance in the process.

Asano went on to win the Japanese Super Cup in 2014, while starting to break into the squad for the J1 League. He helped the side lift the league title for a second time in 2015, this time adding nine goals in 34 appearances. Due to his performances, Asano was named the J1 League Rookie of the Year.[4]

Arsenal

On 3 July 2016, Asano was announced as Arsenal's second signing of the season, subject to a medical and international clearance.[5] Manager Arsène Wenger described him as "a talented young striker and very much one for the future".[6] However, Asano was refused a work permit to play in the Premier League.[7]

Loan to VfB Stuttgart

On 26 August 2016, Asano was loaned out to VfB Stuttgart until the end of the season with an option for a further year.[8] He made his debut in a 2–1 home loss to 1. FC Heidenheim two weeks later. On 9 April 2017, Asano scored a brace to give his side a 2–0 win over Karlsruher SC. He helped the team win the 2. Bundesliga and take promotion to the top flight.

On 22 June 2017, the loan deal with Stuttgart was extended for another season.[9]

Loan to Hannover 96

On 23 May 2018, Asano was sent on season-long loan to Bundesliga side Hannover 96.[10]

Partizan

On 1 August 2019, Asano completed his move to Serbian club Partizan.[11] He signed a three-year contract and was given the number 11 shirt, while becoming the first Japanese player in club history.[12]

Asano scored on his debut in an eventual 3–1 home win over Turkish club Yeni Malatyaspor in the first leg of the Europa League third qualifying round. He entered the field at the beginning of the second half instead of Filip Stevanović and scored his first goal for the club in the 67th minute.[13] Partizan eliminated Yeni Malatyaspor and then the Norwegian Molde, thus qualifying for the Group L of the Europa League, with Manchester United, AZ Alkmaar and Astana as their opponents. Asano played in all European matches for Partizan this season and was also the scorer in the draw with AZ in Alkmaar (2–2) and in the victory over Astana (4–1) in Belgrade.[14] [15] Partizan finished on second place in the Serbian SuperLiga, behind Red Star, and Asano scored four goals in 23 league games. He also appeared in four games in the Serbian Cup, scoring two goals, both in the quarter-final match against Radnik Surdulica.[16] However, Partizan did not manage to win the trophy in the Cup, as they were defeated by Vojvodina in the final game after a penalty shoot-out.[17]

In the 2020/21 season Partizan did not qualify for the group stage of the Europa League. After eliminating the Latvian RFS and the Romanian Sfîntul Gheorghe, the club was defeated by the Belgian Charleroi in the third round. Asano appeared in all three European matches (only played one match each due to the pandemic), did not score a goal but recorded an assist to Seydouba Soumah for the only goal in the 2–1 away defeat against Charleroi after extra time.[18] Having scored 18 goals in 33 league matches for Partizan in the ongoing championship, Asano announced on 2 May 2021 that he had rescinded his contract with the club.[19]

VfL Bochum

On 23 June 2021, VfL Bochum 1848 announced the club have signed Asano who was on free agent.[20] Asano made his debut for The Blues on 14 August in the first game of the Bundesliga season in a 1–0 defeat against Wolfsburg.[21] The Japanese international scored his first goal at the Ruhrstadion on January 22, 2022 in a 2–2 draw against FC Köln.[22] On 2 April 2022 Asano played an excellent game scoring two goals in Bochum's 2–1 away win against Hoffenheim.[23]

On 30 July 2022 Asano scored a goal in the first round of the 2022–23 DFB-Pokal in a 3–0 win against Viktoria Berlin.[24] Takuma Asano netted his first Bundesliga goal since April as Bochum fire five past Hoffenheim. The dominant hosts made it three before the break as Asano chased through the Hoffenheim defence to slot past Baumann - with Antwi-Adjei providing his third assist of the game.[25] In the final round of the 2022–23 Bundesliga season, Asano helped his team avoid relegation play-offs by scoring and providing an assist in a 3–0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen. Bochum thus finished the season in 14th position, two points ahead of 16th-placed VfB Stuttgart.[26]

At the start of the 2023–24 Bundesliga, Takuma Asano scored twice in Bochum's 2–2 draw with FC Augsburg. The lightning-fast Asano scored in front of 27,422 spectators in first-half stoppage time to make it 1–1 and also scored in the 64th minute to make it 2–2.[27] After 5 draws and 4 defeats, Takuma Asano scored twice against Darmstadt 98 to give Bochum their first win of the Bundesliga season.[28] On February 18, 2024, Asano scored his seventh goal of the season, and first in seven career meetings with Bayern.[29] He left Bochum at the end of the 2023–24 season.[30]

Mallorca

On 6 July 2024, Asano joined Spanish side Mallorca by signing a two-year contract.[31]

International career

Youth

At youth level, Asano won a gold medal at the 2016 AFC U-23 Championship, scoring a brace against South Korea to give his side a 3–2 win in the final. He also represented Japan at the 2016 Summer Olympics, netting two goals in the tournament, as the team exited in the group stage.[32]

Senior

On 7 May 2015, Asano was invited by Japan manager Vahid Halilhodžić for a two-day training camp.[33] He was subsequently called up to the team for the upcoming 2015 EAFF East Asian Cup.[34] Asano scored his first goal for Samurai Blue in a 7–2 win over Bulgaria at the 2016 Kirin Cup.[35]

In March 2018, manager Vahid Halilhodžić left out Asano and Yosuke Ideguchi for friendly matches with Mali and Ukraine in preparations for the 2018 World Cup due to lack of playing time at club level, commenting, "It makes me sad that Asano and Ideguchi are not playing. They were the heroes of our qualifying game against Australia. They haven't been chosen this time, and if things continue the way they are, there is a chance that they won't be chosen for the World Cup".[36] In May, Asano was named in Japan's preliminary squad for the World Cup, but failed to make the final cut.[37]

In his first match in the 2022 World Cup, Asano scored a goal in the 83rd minute to give Japan an upset victory over Germany.[38]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational cupLeague cupContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Sanfrecce Hiroshima2013J1 League105000000060
2014J1 League11000206011201
2015J1 League3495454414818
2016J1 League14400004311198
Total601310474103639327
J.League U-22 (loan)2014J3 League2020
2015J3 League1010
Total3030
VfB Stuttgart (loan)2016–172. Bundesliga26410274
2017–18Bundesliga15130181
Total41540455
VfB Stuttgart II (loan)2017–18Regionalliga Südwest2121
Hannover 96 (loan)2018–19Bundesliga13021151
Partizan2019–20Serbian SuperLiga23442103379
2020–21Serbian SuperLiga331843304021
Total56228500133007730
VfL Bochum2021–22Bundesliga27340313
2022–23Bundesliga25321274
2023–24Bundesliga2961120327
Total811272208914
Career total257533112742368332578

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year!National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals
Japan201530
201672
201771
201810
201921
202020
2021102
202292
202371
202440
Total529

Scores and results list Japan's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Asano goal.

List of international goals scored by Takuma Asano
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
13 June 2016Toyota Stadium, Toyota, Japan7–27–22016 Kirin Cup
26 September 2016Rajamangala Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand2–02–02018 FIFA World Cup qualification
331 August 2017Saitama Stadium 2002, Saitama, Japan1–02–02018 FIFA World Cup qualification
415 October 2019Pamir Stadium, Dushanbe, Tajikistan3–03–02022 FIFA World Cup qualification
530 March 2021Fukuda Denshi Arena, Chiba, Japan12–014–02022 FIFA World Cup qualification
615 June 2021Panasonic Stadium Suita, Suita, Japan5–15–12022 FIFA World Cup qualification
72 June 2022Sapporo Dome, Sapporo, Japan1–04–12022 Kirin Challenge Cup
823 November 2022Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan, Qatar2–12–12022 FIFA World Cup
99 September 2023Volkswagen Arena, Wolfsburg, Germany3–14–1Friendly

Honours

Sanfrecce Hiroshima

VfB Stuttgart

Japan U23

Individual

Notes and References

  1. Web site: FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Squad list: Japan (JPN) . . 16 . 15 November 2022 . 15 November 2022.
  2. Web site: FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2015: List of Players: Sanfrecce Hiroshima . FIFA . 6 . 11 December 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151211024602/http://fifadata.com/document/FCWC/2015/pdf/FCWC_2015_SquadLists.pdf . 11 December 2015 . dead.
  3. Web site: Takuma Asano - Player Profile - Football. Japan Football Association.
  4. Web site: Arsenal agree deal for Japan forward . arsenal.com . 3 July 2016 . 3 July 2016.
  5. Web site: Arsenal to sign Takuma Asano from Japan's Sanfrecce Hiroshima . skysports.com . 3 July 2016 . 3 July 2016.
  6. Web site: Arsenal sign Japanese striker Takuma Asano from Sanfrecce Hiroshima . theguardian.com . 3 July 2016 . 3 July 2016.
  7. Web site: New Arsenal signing Asano refused work permit . goal.com . 21 August 2016 . 18 October 2019 . 18 October 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191018220020/https://www.goal.com/en/news/11/transfer-zone/2016/08/21/26741872/new-arsenal-signing-asano-refused-work-permit . dead .
  8. Web site: Takuma Asano kommt von Arsenal . vfb.de . 26 August 2016 . 26 August 2016.
  9. Web site: Asano's loan at Stuttgart is extended . arsenal.com . 22 June 2017 . 22 June 2017.
  10. Web site: Asano to join Hannover 96 on loan . arsenal.com . 23 May 2018 . 8 June 2018.
  11. Web site: Takuma Asano leaves Arsenal: Japan striker joins Partizan Belgrade. standard.co.uk. Evening Standard. 4 August 2019. 1 April 2021.
  12. Web site: ASANO, KUVAR I SARADNICI: Prvi Japanac u istoriji Partizana stigao sa brojnom ekipom . Serbian . novosti.rs . 3 August 2019 . 3 August 2019.
  13. Web site: Partizan (SRB) 3-1 Yeni Malatyaspor (TUR) . uefa.com . 8 August 2019 . 8 August 2019.
  14. Web site: AZ vs. Partizan. Soccerway.com. 28 November 2019.
  15. Web site: Partizan vs. Astana. Soccerway.com. 12 December 2019.
  16. Web site: Asano score twice in Cup quarter-final. Soccerway.com. 3 June 2020.
  17. Web site: Vojvodina vs. Partizan 2–2 (PEN 4–2). Soccerway.com. 24 June 2020.
  18. Web site: Charleroi vs. Partizan 2–1. Soccerway.com. 24 September 2020.
  19. https://www.nippon.com/en/news/kd761491963126333440/ Soccer: Asano terminates Partizan contract over unpaid salary
  20. Web site: VfL sign Takuma Asano. VfL Bochum 1848. 23 June 2021. 2 September 2021. 10 November 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221110170354/https://www.vfl-bochum.de/en/news/overview/pro/vfl-sign-takuma-asano/. dead.
  21. Web site: WOLFSBURG VS. BOCHUM 1 - 0. Soccerway.com. 14 August 2021.
  22. Web site: BOCHUM VS. FC COLOGNE 2 - 2. Soccerway.com. 22 January 2022.
  23. Web site: HOFFENHEIM VS. BOCHUM 1 - 2. Soccerway.com. 2 April 2022.
  24. Web site: VIKTORIA BERLIN VS. BOCHUM 0 - 3. Soccerway.com. 30 July 2022.
  25. Web site: BOCHUM VS. HOFFENHEIM 5 - 2. Soccerway.com. 4 February 2023.
  26. Web site: BOCHUM VS. BAYER LEVERKUSEN 3 - 0. Soccerway.com. 27 May 2023.
  27. Web site: AUGSBURG VS. BOCHUM 2 - 2. Soccerway.com. 2 September 2023.
  28. Web site: DARMSTADT VS. BOCHUM 1 - 2. Soccerway.com. 3 November 2023.
  29. Web site: BOCHUM VS. BAYERN MUNICH 3 - 2. Soccerway.com. 18 February 2024.
  30. Web site: VfL Bochum. VfL verabschiedet 10 Profis. VfL says goodbye to 10 professionals. 31 May 2024. 2 July 2024. de.
  31. Web site: Takuma Asano joins RCD Mallorca . RCD Mallorca . 6 July 2024 .
  32. Web site: Asano's Japan knocked out of Rio 2016 . dailycannon.com . 11 August 2016 . 18 October 2019.
  33. Web site: 大久保嘉人ら28人日本代表候補合宿メンバー/一覧 . Japanese . nikkansports.com . 7 May 2015 . 7 May 2015.
  34. Web site: EAFF東アジアカップ2015(8/2~9@中国/武漢) SAMURAI BLUE(日本代表)メンバー・スケジュール . Japanese . jfa.jp . 23 July 2015 . 25 July 2015.
  35. Web site: Japan 7 Bulgaria 2: Kagawa at the double in dominant win . yahoo.com . 3 June 2016 . 18 October 2019 . 18 October 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191018220021/https://sports.yahoo.com/news/japan-7-bulgaria-2-kagawa-130000577.html . dead .
  36. Web site: Halilhodzic reveals roster for upcoming friendlies . japantimes.co.jp . 15 March 2018 . 15 March 2018.
  37. Web site: Asano cut from Japan World Cup squad despite making preliminary list of 27 . dailycannon.com . 31 May 2018 . 18 October 2019.
  38. News: Associated Press . 2022-11-23 . Japan gets 2 late goals to beat Germany 2-1 at the World Cup . en . NPR . 2022-11-23.
  39. Web site: Igrač kola: Raspoloženi Takuma Asano odličan u trijumfu nad Inđijom. 28 February 2021 . www.superliga.rs. 1 March 2021.
  40. [:ja:日本プロサッカー選手会#JPFAアワード|Japan Pro-Footballers Association awards]