Shintaro Nago

Shintaro Nago (名古 新太郎, Nago Shintarō, born April 17, 1996) who plays as a central midfielder for J1 League club Avispa Fukuoka.^[1]

Shintaro Nago
名古 新太郎

Personal information
Full name	Shintaro Nago
Date of birth	(1996-04-17) April 17, 1996 (age 29)
Place of birth	Osaka, Japan
Height	1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Avispa Fukuoka
Number	14
Youth career
1999–2004	Toyosato SC
2005–2010	Osaka Higashiyodogawa FC
2011–2013	Shizuoka Gakuen High School
College career
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2014–2017	Juntendo University
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2018–2024	Kashima Antlers	79	(6)
2021	→ Shonan Bellmare (loan)	19	(3)
2025–	Avispa Fukuoka	0	(0)
Medal record Kashima Antlers Winner AFC Champions League 2018
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:03, 23 December 2024 (UTC)

Playing career

Nago was born in Osaka Prefecture on April 17, 1996. In March 2018, it was announced he would be joining J1 League club Kashima Antlers for the 2019 season but in May 2018 Nago was confirmed as a designated special player for the remainder of the 2018 season.^[2][3] This would allow him to play for both Juntendo University and Kashima Antlers.

In August 2018, Nago made his debut for Kashima in a 4–2 league defeat to Nagoya Grampus.^[4]

Nago scored his first goal for the club in the quarter-finals of the 2019 J.League Cup, in a 3–2 victory over Urawa Reds.^[5]

In 2021, Nago was loaned out to J1 club Shonan Bellmare.^[6] He made nineteen appearances and scored three goals. His first goal was scored on his first start for the club in a 3–1 league win over Vegalta Sendai.^[7]

Nago continued to be a squad player for the following two seasons, only making 23 appearances across the 2022 and 2023. In the 2024 season he was afforded more game time under new manager Ranko Popović and paid him back with seven goals and assists in May and was unlucky not to win the Monthly MVP award.^[8]

Despite appearing in over forty matches for the club in the 2024, the most appearances he has made in his six seasons with Kashima, at the end of the season it was announced that he would be joining Avispa Fukuoka for the 2025 season.^[9]

Career statistics

As of end of 2024 season^[10][11]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			Cup		League Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Japan			League		Emperor's Cup		J.League Cup		Other		Total
Juntendo University	2015	–			1	1	–		–		1	1
Kashima Antlers	2018	J1 League	1	0	0	0	0	0	–		1	0
	2019	J1 League	15	0	5	0	3	1	6[a]	0	29	1
	2020	J1 League	8	0	–		1	0	0	0	9	0
	2022	J1 League	5	0	1	0	0	0	–		6	0
	2023	J1 League	14	1	1	0	2	0	–		17	1
	2024	J1 League	36	5	4	0	1	0	–		41	5
	Total		79	6	11	0	7	1	6	0	103	7
Shonan Bellmare (loan)	2021	J1 League	19	3	1	0	3	0	–		23	3
Career total			98	9	13	1	10	1	6	0	127	11

1. Appearances in the AFC Champions League