World Soccer - UK (2019-12)

Age 24 (16.01,95), Red Bull Salzburg
(Aut) & Japan

In a sentence
A pinball-like performer with the widest
radius of influence, he achieved the
extraordinary feat in his side’s 4-3
Champions League loss to Liverpool of
making the usually watertight Anfield
defence look distinctly ordinary.

What they say
Christoph Freund, Salzburg’s director
of sport: “Minamino is a very important
player for us and a super guy. Takumi has
developed into a real leader of the team.
He understands everything, makes great
runs and works hard when we’re not in
possession. He’s
an absolute
team player.”
Salzburg
coach Jesse
Marsch: “He has
an important
role to play in
our team. He
is very versatile,
he is effective in
all areas of the
attacking third.
Normally he’s a
calm, quiet guy,
but on the pitch he has a lot to say.”

Story so far
Born in Izumisano in the Osaka region
of southern Japan, he began to make
a name for himself in the junior ranks
of local club Sessel Kumatori. Inducted
into the academy of J.League team
Cerezo Osaka at 15, he made his first-
team debut two years later in the latter
stages of the 2012 season. The following
campaign he established himself as an
automatic starter and was voted the
league’s rookie of the year.
With the hype machine in overdrive,
the teenager could not quite live up to
expectations and was unable to prevent
a misfiring Cerezo – who also featured
Uruguayan forward Diego Forlan – from
slipping out of the top flight. Shortly
afterwards, a week before his 20th
birthday, Salzburg paid €750,000 for
his services and he has enjoyed many
prime-time moments in the Austrian city,
notably winning five straight domestic
league titles and a semi-final appearance
in the 2018 Europa League.
Previously used as an impact sub or

deployed as an attacking midfielder or

striker, new Salzburg coach Jesse Marsch

prefers him wide on the right, although

he also has used him as a number 10.

He made his Japan debut in 2015 and

then went three years without another

call-up before becoming a mainstay of

the national side.

The next step

With only 18 months left on his contract,

and in the absence of an extension,

Austrian champions Salzburg will have

no choice but to cash in next summer.

Strengths

Creative, quick-witted, great work ethic.

Weaknesses

Can be physically

outgunned. Prone

to putting speed

before precision.

WORDS: Nick Bidwell

3

THINGS YOU

DIDN’T KNOW

ABOUT MINAMINO

O He believes his best goals are those when

he cuts inside from the right flank and lets fly.

O Whenever he feels homesick he goes on

shopping expeditions to nearby Munich for

Japanese food.

O He draws inspiration from forwards of a

similar build – Aguero, Griezmann, Hazard

• but growing up his favourite player was
  Japanese attacking midfielder Yoichiro Kakitani.

“He has an important role to play in our team...

normally he’s a calm, quiet guy, but on the

pitch he has a lot to say” Salzburg coach Jesse Marsch

WI

NG

ER

S