Yoshinori Muto

The native form of this personal name is Muto Yoshinori. This article uses Western name order when mentioning individuals.

Yoshinori Muto (武藤 嘉紀, Mutō Yoshinori, born 15 July 1992) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a forward or a winger for Vissel Kobe.

Yoshinori Muto

Muto playing for Japan at the 2018 FIFA World Cup
Personal information
Full name	Yoshinori Muto[1]
Date of birth	(1992-07-15) 15 July 1992 (age 32)
Place of birth	Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan
Height	1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)[2]
Position(s)	Forward, winger
Team information
Current team	Vissel Kobe
Number	11
Youth career
1996–2004	Buddy SC
2005–2010	FC Tokyo
College career
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2011–2013	Keio University
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2013–2015	FC Tokyo	51	(23)
2015–2018	Mainz 05	66	(20)
2018–2021	Newcastle United	25	(1)
2020–2021	→ Eibar (loan)	26	(1)
2021–	Vissel Kobe	111	(34)
International career‡
2014–2019	Japan	29	(3)
Medal record Representing  Japan AFC Asian Cup 2019 United Arab Emirates
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 8 December 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 1 February 2019

Muto started his career with J1 League club FC Tokyo in 2013 who he played with for three seasons. In May 2015, he signed for German club Mainz 05 where he amassed 72 appearances and scored 23 goals before moving to Premier League club Newcastle United in August 2018.

Club career

FC Tokyo

As a child, Muto joined FC Tokyo's youth system, where he kept developing until 2010. He then enrolled in the Faculty of Economics of Keio University but kept playing football, for Keio's team. Despite an injury which sidelined him, in his first season with Keio he won the "Rookie of the Year" title.^[3]

In 2012 and 2013, FC Tokyo included him in their roster as a "Special Designated Player",^[4] an option that allows J-League clubs to field university players without a professional contract. However, he got on the pitch just once, at the end of a match in July 2013.

In 2014, he signed his first professional contract with FC Tokyo^[5] and was given the shirt number 14. Coach Massimo Ficcadenti decided to use him from the first league round and, at the end of the season, Muto reached 33 appearances and scored 13 goals, matching the top debut record in the Japanese first division.^[6] At the end of the season, he was part of the J-League's Best XI.^[7]

Muto graduated from Keio University in March 2015, and the following month was subject to a bid by Chelsea.^[8] In April, he was elected as March's MVP (Player of the Month) in the J-League.^[9]

Mainz 05

On 30 May 2015, Muto joined Bundesliga club Mainz 05 on a four-year contract until 2019.^[10] On 31 October 2015, he scored a hat-trick for the first time in his career and also became the second Japanese player after Naohiro Takahara to score a hat-trick in the Bundesliga, in his team's 3–3 draw against FC Augsburg.^[11]

Newcastle United

Premier League club Newcastle United announced on 27 July 2018 that they had reached a deal to sign Muto, pending him being granted a UK work permit.^[12] He was granted the work permit on 2 August, officially becoming a Newcastle player on a four-year contract as part of a £9.5 million fee.^[13] Muto's first goal for Newcastle came in a 3–2 away loss to Manchester United at Old Trafford.^[14]

Eibar (loan)

On 16 September 2020, Muto was loaned out to Spanish club Eibar for the 2020–21 season.^[15]

Vissel Kobe

On 7 August 2021, Vissel Kobe announced that they signed Muto.^[16]

International career

Muto made his debut for Japan on 5 September 2014 in a 2–0 friendly defeat to Uruguay at the Sapporo Dome, replacing Yusuke Minagawa after 58 minutes.^[17] Four days later at Yokohama's Nissan Stadium he scored his first international goal, coming on as a half-time substitute against Venezuela and scoring the first goal of a 2–2 draw six minutes later.^[18]

As a substitute, Muto played all of Japan's matches at the 2015 AFC Asian Cup in Australia, ending with defeat to the United Arab Emirates in the quarter-finals.^[19]

On 31 May 2018, he was named in Japan's final 23-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.^[20]

On 20 December 2018 he has been called up for the 2019 Asian Cup replacing the injured Takuma Asano.^[21]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 8 December 2024

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National cup[a]		League cup[b]		Continental		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
FC Tokyo	2013	J1 League	1	0	0	0	0	0	—		1	0
	2014	J1 League	33	13	0	0	5	1	—		38	14
	2015	J1 League	17	10	—		4	2	—		21	12
	Total		51	23	0	0	9	3	—		60	26
Mainz 05	2015–16	Bundesliga	20	7	1	0	—		—		21	7
	2016–17	Bundesliga	19	5	0	0	—		2[c]	1	21	6
	2017–18	Bundesliga	27	8	3	2	—		—		30	10
	Total		66	20	4	2	—		2	1	72	23
Newcastle United	2018–19	Premier League	17	1	0	0	1	0	—		18	1
	2019–20	Premier League	8	0	1	0	1	1	—		10	1
	Total		25	1	1	0	2	1	—		28	2
SD Eibar (loan)	2020–21	La Liga	26	1	2	2	—		—		28	3
Vissel Kobe	2021	J1 League	14	5	—		—		—		14	5
	2022	J1 League	26	6	2	0	—		3[d]	1	31	7
	2023	J1 League	34	10	4	1	1	0	—		39	11
	2024	J1 League	37	13	3	0	0	0	3[d]	0	43	13
	2025	J1 League	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Total		111	34	9	1	1	0	6	1	127	36
Career total			278	79	16	5	12	4	8	2	314	90

1. Includes DFB-Pokal, FA Cup, Copa del Rey, Emperor's Cup
2. Includes J.League Cup, EFL Cup
3. Appearances in UEFA Europa League
4. Appearances in AFC Champions League

International

As of match played 28 June 2018^[22]

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Japan	2014	6	1
	2015	12	1
	2016	1	0
	2017	2	0
	2018	4	0
	2019	4	1
Total		29	3

As of match played 17 January 2019^[22]

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

List of international goals scored by Yoshinori Muto

No.	Date	Venue	Cap	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	9 September 2014	Nissan Stadium, Yokohama, Japan	2	Venezuela	1–0	2–2	Friendly
2	13 October 2015	Azadi Stadium, Tehran, Iran	17	Iran	1–1	1–1	Friendly
3	17 January 2019	Khalifa bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates	27	Uzbekistan	1–1	2–1	2019 AFC Asian Cup

Honours

Club

Vissel Kobe

• J1 League: 2023,^[23] 2024^[24]
• Emperor's Cup: 2024^[25]

Individual

• J.League Player of the Year: 2024^[26]
• J.League Best XI: 2023,^[27] 2024^[28]

References

1. "2018/19 Premier League squads confirmed". Premier League. 3 September 2018. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
2. "2018 FIFA World Cup: List of players" (PDF). FIFA. 14 July 2018. p. 15. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 June 2018.
3. "【ソッカー男子】開幕前取材、第3弾 武藤嘉紀編" (in Japanese). Keio Sports Press. 3 May 2011.
4. "武藤嘉紀選手（慶應義塾大学）「ＪＦＡ・Ｊリーグ特別指定選手」承認のお知らせ" (in Japanese). FC Tokyo. 26 June 2012. Archived from the original on 2 March 2014.
5. "武藤嘉紀選手(慶應義塾大学)来季新加入内定のお知らせ" (in Japanese). FC Tokyo. 12 December 2013. Archived from the original on 22 December 2013.
6. "Chelsea scout out Muto". Marca. 9 April 2015.
7. Orlowitz, Dan. "Yasuhito Endo awarded 2014 J-League MVP; FC Tokyo and Gamba Osaka spearhead Best XI". Football Channel Asia.
8. "Yoshinori Muto: Chelsea make bid for Japanese striker". BBC Sport. 9 April 2015. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
9. "Muto named Coca-Cola MVP winners in March". JLeague Sport. 11 April 2015. Archived from the original on 19 April 2015. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
10. "Mainz 05 sign Yoshinori Muto". Mainz 05. 30 May 2015. Archived from the original on 31 May 2015. Retrieved 30 May 2015.
11. "Muto hits hat-trick in Mainz draw". The Japan Times. 1 November 2015. Archived from the original on 9 December 2015. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
12. Ryder, Lee (27 July 2018). "Newcastle United confirm they have all but sealed the transfer of Yoshinori Muto". Evening Chronicle. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
13. Dale, James (2 August 2018). "Yoshinori Muto signs for Newcastle after work permit granted". Sky Sports. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
14. Smyth, Rob (6 October 2018). "Manchester United 3-2 Newcastle United: Premier League – as it happened". The Guardian.
15. "Muto loaned out to Eibar". nufc.co.uk. 16 September 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
16. "FW武藤嘉紀選手 完全移籍加入のお知らせ" (in Japanese). Vissel Kobe. 7 August 2021. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
17. "Japan 0–2 Uruguay: Cavani on target for Celeste". Goal.com. 5 September 2014. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
18. West, Harry (9 September 2014). "Japan 2–2 Venezuela: Kawashima mistake costs Aguirre maiden win". Goal.com. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
19. "Asian Cup 2015: UAE complete shock win over Japan to reach semi-final after penalty shootout dramatics". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 23 January 2015. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
20. "Football – Nishino opts for experienced Japan squad for World Cup". Reuters. 31 May 2018. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
21. "Muto gets Asian Cup call". Newcastle United Football Club. 18 December 2018. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
22. "Yoshinori Muto". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
23. "神戸が悲願の初優勝！井出、武藤のゴールで名古屋に競り勝つ【速報：明治安田J1第33節】". J.League. Retrieved 25 November 2023.
24. "神戸が連覇＆2冠達成! 磐田は1年でJ2降格決定…得点王は24発アンデルソン・ロペス／J1最終節". Soccer King (in Japanese). 8 December 2024. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
25. "G大阪vs神戸の試合結果・データ(天皇杯:2024年11月23日)". J.League (in Japanese). Retrieved 23 November 2024.
26. "武藤嘉紀がJリーグMVP初受賞 神戸から2年連続2人目、リーグ連覇＆2冠獲得の立役者に". Football Zone (in Japanese). 10 December 2024. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
27. "2023年Jリーグベスト11は神戸と浦和が最多タイ4名！ 大迫勇也や西川周作ら". GOAL. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
28. "2024年のJリーグベストイレブンが決定!! 連覇神戸から最多3人、広島・G大阪・鹿島は2人ずつ". Gekisaka (in Japanese). 10 December 2024. Retrieved 10 December 2024.

External links

• Yoshinori Muto – FIFA competition record (archived)
• Yoshinori Muto at National-Football-Teams.com
• Yoshinori Muto at J.League (archive) (in Japanese)
• Yoshinori Muto at Soccerway