Yasuki Kimoto

Yasuki Kimoto (木本恭生, Kimoto, Yasuki; born 6 August 1993 in Fuji, Shizuoka) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a centre back or a defensive midfielder for J1 League club FC Tokyo.^[1]

Yasuki Kimoto
木本恭生

Personal information
Full name	Yasuki Kimoto
Date of birth	(1993-08-06) 6 August 1993 (age 32)
Place of birth	Fuji, Shizuoka, Japan
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s)	Centre back, defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team	FC Tokyo
Number	4
Youth career
2006–2008	Shizuoka Gakuen Junior High School
2009–2011	Shizuoka Gakuen High School
College career
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2012–2015	Fukuoka University
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2016–2021	Cerezo Osaka	103	(3)
2016	→ Cerezo Osaka U-23 (loan)	23	(1)
2021	Nagoya Grampus	32	(0)
2022–	FC Tokyo	79	(3)
Medal record Cerezo Osaka Winner J.League Cup 2017 Winner Emperor's Cup 2017
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 20:43, 30 April 2025 (UTC)

Career

Kimoto joined Cerezo Osaka from Fukuoka University in 2016 and was initially assigned to Cerezo Osaka U-23. He scored his first professional league goal on his first team debut for Cerezo Osaka, scoring the winning goal in the 90th+4th minute.^[2] On 18 March 2017, Kimoto made his J1 League debut against Sagan Tosu and assisted Kazuya Yamamura's winning goal.^[3] On 8 October 2017, in the second leg of the semi-finals of the J.League Cup, Kimoto scored in the 90th+5th minute to send Cerezo Osaka to the first ever final.^[4] A few weeks after the match, he was quoted as saying: "I want to win and keep playing in the games".^[5] Cerezo would go on to win the J League Cup.^[6]

On 24 December 2020, Kimoto was announced at Nagoya Grampus on a permanent transfer.^[7] On 15 May 2021, his Nagoya teammate and captain Yuichi Maruyama was injured against Shimizu S-Pulse, and Kimoto was substituted on as his replacement.^[8]

On 19 December 2021, Kimoto was announced at FC Tokyo on a permanent transfer.^[9] He joined the team that his role model, Masato Morishige, plays for. Kimoto said: "I don't think it's an easy wall to overcome. It will be difficult, but I need to use my footwork, which is my forte, to perform better than Morishige.".^[10]

Style of play

Kimoto can play as a center back or defensive midfielder, and is noted for his passing skills.^[11]

Club statistics

As of 24 July 2022.^[12][13][14]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			Cup		League Cup		Continental		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Japan			League		Emperor's Cup		J.League Cup		AFC		Total
Cerezo Osaka	2016	J2 League	1	1	1	0	–		–		2	1
	2017	J1 League	23	2	4	1	13	3	–		40	6
	2018		22	0	2	0	2	0	2	0	28	0
	2019		29	0	2	0	4	0	–		35	0
	2020		28	0	0	0	3	0	–		31	0
	Total		103	3	9	1	22	3	2	0	136	7
Cerezo Osaka U-23 (loan)	2016	J3 League	23	1	–		–		–		23	1
Nagoya Grampus	2021	J1 League	32	0	4	0	5	1	7	0	48	1
FC Tokyo	2022		21	1	2	0	1	0	–		24	1
Career total			179	5	15	1	28	4	9	0	231	10

Honours

Nagoya Grampus

• J.League Cup: 2021