There has never been such a prospect in Japanese historyCrazy talent born in 2009 "Winning World Cup, participating in UCL" goal

Aug 04, 2025

There has never been such a prospect in Japanese historyCrazy talent born in 2009 'Winning World Cup, participating in UCL' goal
사진=FC도쿄



At this point, Maki Kitahara, Japan's top prospect, is showing rapid growth.

Japanese media Chunichi signed a professional contract on the 4th 'FC Tokyo midfielder Kitahara on his 16th birthday as the youngest player in club history. The all-rounder on the pitch, with Belgium international midfielder Kevin de Bruyne (Napoli) as his role model, noted Kitahara's pace of development, saying he has incredibly strong confidence and determination to be a first-year high school student and does not hide his ambitions of winning J-League 1, participating in the World Cup and participating in the European Champions League (UCL).

Kitahara was born in 2009. He is three years younger than Yang Min-hyuk, Korea's top prospect. It is even more surprising that the young player born in 2009 has already made his debut in the first division. He was even older than his 16th birthday when he made his debut.
There has never been such a prospect in Japanese historyCrazy talent born in 2009 'Winning World Cup, participating in UCL' goal
사진=FC도쿄
Kitahara joined the Tokyo first team this season and made his debut against the Kashima Antlers in March. This was the youngest appearance in J-League 1 history. Kitahara made his J-League 1 debut at 15 years, 7 months, and 22 days. About two months later, Kitahara started against Sereo Osaka, setting a record for the youngest start in J-League 1 history. He has already played 10 first-team games this season, showing a rapid pace of development.




Mitsuki Ohara, Tokyo's general director, said of Kitahara's development "The growth is faster than we thought, and we are still watching with surprise."He showed great satisfaction. Director O'Hara said, "(He was) small, but he was a very good player with skill and tactical eye. I remember thinking I was looking forward to the future"I recalled the first time I saw Kitahara.
There has never been such a prospect in Japanese historyCrazy talent born in 2009 'Winning World Cup, participating in UCL' goal
사진=FC도쿄
Coach Yoma Yo-hyei, a reporter who coached Kitahara since he was young, said "He had a strong mentality. I was humble, but I had confidence. I think that's something that hasn't changed over and over again. Soccer IQ is high and smart. He has a humble and honest personality, and I think that is the driving force behind steady growth"Kitahara was able to develop rapidly.

If Kitahara can grow at the current pace, he will be a player who will lead Japanese soccer. Kitahara is already being called to the under-17 national team beyond Japan's under-15 national team. If he can establish himself as the ace of Tokyo, he could also be called up to the Japanese national team.

Kitahara is a second-line offensive midfielder. As a Japanese player, he has a quick understanding of the game and stable basic skills. His biggest advantage is his bold breakthrough ability and accurate passes from both feet. However, there are still many areas that need to be developed. Now that I was born in 2009, I have enough time to develop.






This article was translated by Naver AI translator.