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Ao Tanaka (田中碧, Tanaka Ao, born 10 September 1998) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Fortuna Düsseldorf, and the Japan national team.

Ao Tanaka

Personal information
Full name	Ao Tanaka[1]
Date of birth	(1998-09-10) 10 September 1998 (age 24)
Place of birth	Miyamae-ku, Kawasaki, Japan
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[2]
Position(s)	Midfielder
Club information
Current team	Fortuna Düsseldorf
Number	4
Youth career
2007–2016	Kawasaki Frontale
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2017–2022	Kawasaki Frontale	79	(7)
2021–2022	→ Fortuna Düsseldorf (loan)	29	(1)
2022−	Fortuna Düsseldorf	8	(0)
National team‡
2019–2021	Japan U23	18	(2)
2019–	Japan	15	(2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18 September 2022 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 17 November 2022 (UTC)

Club career

Raised for a decade in the Kawasaki Frontale youth ranks of his hometown, Tanaka made his J1 League debut in September 2018 against Consadole Sapporo, scoring his first professional goal just six minutes after he was subbed on.[3] As injuries struck the midfield options of Kawasaki Frontale during the 2019 season, he earned more starts with his club, participating in 24 J1 League matches throughout the season, accumulating 31 matches in total during the year, across 5 different competitions. As his performances continuously caught the eyes of many, and his manager's approval, he was then awarded the 2019 J.League Rookie of the Year Award , in his first full professional season. With this feat, he is the only Kawasaki Frontale player ever to win this award.[4]

Throughout the 2020 season, Tanaka established for a good reputation among the Kawasaki Frontale players, playing a total of more than 2500 minutes across all competitions, being a starter in most of the matches he played. His performances with the Kawasaki Frontale team also helped him earn caps with the Japan under-23 team, including a 2-goal performance that helped the Japan under-23s earn a 3−2 win over the Brazil under-23 team in a friendly match at 14 October 2019.[5]

On 26 June 2021, after two and a half professional seasons with Kawasaki Frontale, he joined German 2. Bundesliga side Fortuna Düsseldorf on a year-long loan with an option to buy.[6]

On 28 April 2022,Fortuna Düsseldorf, satisfied with his club and national team performances, exercised the buy-out option in his club contract to acquire him, paying his release clause to get him officially signed for the club on 28 April 2022. He signed a 3-year long contract with the expiration date being 30 June 2025, encouraged by a sequence of game time with their first-team in the 2021–22 2. Bundesliga.[7]

International career

Tanaka made his debut for the Japan national football team on 14 December 2019, in a 5-0 win against Hong Kong in the 2019 EAFF E-1 Football Championship.[8] In the summer of 2021, he was named in the 22-man squad for the 2020 Olympic Games alongside 2 Kawasaki Frontale ex-teammates, Kaoru Mitoma, and Reo Hatate. He started every match for Japan during the tournament.

He played his first match in the AFC qualification tournament for the 2022 FIFA World Cup on 12 October 2021, where he scored his first international goal in a 2-1 home win against Australia.[9][10] On 1 November 2022, Tanaka was included in Japan's 26-man squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.[11]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 17 November 2022[12][13]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National Cup[lower-alpha 1]		League Cup[lower-alpha 2]		Continental[lower-alpha 3]		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Kawasaki Frontale	2017	J1 League	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	2018	J1 League	4	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	1
	2019	J1 League	24	1	0	0	1	0	4	1	29	2
	2020	J1 League	31	5	2	1	5	0	–		38	6
	2021	J1 League	20	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	20	1
	Total		79	8	2	1	6	0	4	1	91	10
Fortuna Düsseldorf (loan)	2021–22	2. Bundesliga	29	1	1	0	—		—		30	1
Fortuna Düsseldorf	2022–23		13	1	2	0	—		—		15	1
Career total			121	10	5	1	6	0	4	1	136	12

International

As of match played 17 November 2022[2]

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Japan	2019	2	0
	2021	3	1
	2022	10	1
Total		15	2

International goals

Scores and results list Japan's goal tally first.

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	12 October 2021	Saitama Stadium 2002, Saitama, Japan	Australia	1–0	2–1	2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
2.	2 June 2022	Sapporo Dome, Sapporo, Japan	Paraguay	4–1	4–1	2022 Kirin Challenge Cup

Honours

Kawasaki Frontale

• J1 League: 2017, 2018, 2020
• Emperor's Cup: 2020
• J.League Cup: 2019
• Japanese Super Cup: 2019, 2021

Individual

• J.League Rookie of the Year: 2019
• J.League Best XI: 2020

References

External links

• Ao Tanaka at J.League (in Japanese)
• Profile at Kawasaki Frontale
• Profile at J. League Archived 18 September 2018 at the Wayback Machine

На других языках

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[de] Ao Tanaka

Ao Tanaka (jap. .mw-parser-output .Hani{font-size:110%}田中 碧, Tanaka Ao; * 10. September 1998 in Kawasaki, Präfektur Kanagawa) ist ein japanischer Fußballspieler.

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- [en] Ao Tanaka

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[es] Ao Tanaka

Ao Tanaka (田中 碧, Tanaka Ao?, Kanagawa, 10 de septiembre de 1998) es un futbolista japonés que juega como centrocampista en el Fortuna Düsseldorf de la 2. Bundesliga.[1][2]

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[fr] Ao Tanaka

Ao Tanaka (田中 碧, Tanaka Ao?), né le 10 septembre 1998, est un footballeur international japonais qui évolue au poste de Milieu de terrain au Fortuna Düsseldorf.

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[it] Ao Tanaka

Ao Tanaka (田中碧 Tanaka Ao?; Miyamae-ku, 10 settembre 1998) è un calciatore giapponese, centrocampista del Fortuna Düsseldorf in prestito dal Kawasaki Frontale e della nazionale giapponese.

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