{{short description|Japanese footballer (born 2003)}} {{Western name order|Sakamoto Isa}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}} {{Infobox football biography |name = Isa Sakamoto <br> {{nobold|坂本 一彩}} |image = |image_size = |caption = |full_name = Isa Sakamoto<ref>{{cite web |url=https://fdp.fifa.org/assetspublic/ce89/pdf/SquadLists-English.pdf |title=FIFA U-20 World Cup Argentina 2023™ SQUAD LIST: Japan (JPN) |publisher=FIFA |page=15 |date=22 May 2023 |access-date=30 May 2023}}</ref> |birth_date = {{birth date and age|2003|8|26|df=y}} |birth_place = [[Kumamoto Prefecture|Kumamoto]], Japan |height = 1.74 m<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gamba-osaka.net/team/players/32/ |title=Isa Sakamoto |language=Japanese |publisher=Gamba Osaka |access-date=25 September 2022}}</ref> |position = [[Forward (association football)|Forward]] |currentclub = [[K.V.C. Westerlo|Westerlo]] |clubnumber = 13 |youthyears1 = |youthclubs1 = [[Gamba Osaka]] |years1 = 2020 |clubs1 = [[Gamba Osaka U-23]] |caps1 = 11 |goals1 = 3 |years2 = 2022– |clubs2 = [[Gamba Osaka]] |caps2 = 46 |goals2 = 11 |years3 = 2023 |clubs3 = → [[Fagiano Okayama]] (loan) |caps3 = 24 |goals3 = 4 |years4 = 2025 |clubs4 = → [[K.V.C. Westerlo|Westerlo]] (loan) |caps4 = 19 |goals4 = 6 |years5 = 2025– |clubs5 = [[K.V.C. Westerlo|Westerlo]] |caps5 = 38 |goals5 = 6 |nationalyears1 = 2021– |nationalteam1 = [[Japan national under-20 football team|Japan U20]] |nationalcaps1 = 19 |nationalgoals1 = 11 |club-update = 1 June 2026 |nationalteam-update = 15 March 2023, 12:44 (UTC) }}
{{nihongo|'''Isa Sakamoto'''|坂本 一彩|Sakamoto Isa|born 26 August 2003}} is a Japanese professional [[Association football|footballer]] who plays as a [[Forward (association football)|forward]] for [[Belgian Pro League]] side [[KVC Westerlo]].<ref>{{cite web |title=FW32 坂本 一彩 |url=https://www.gamba-osaka.net/team/players/32/ |website=ガンバ大阪オフィシャルサイト |access-date=20 March 2022 |language=ja}}</ref>
==Club career== Sakamoto made his professional debut for [[J3 League]] side [[Gamba Osaka U-23]], the reserve team of [[Gamba Osaka]] on 19 September 2020 against [[Vanraure Hachinohe]]. He came on as an 86th-minute substitute for [[Ko Ise]] as Gamba Osaka U-23 lost 2–3.<ref>{{cite web |title=Gamba Osaka U-23 2-3 Vanraure Hachinohe |url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2020/09/19/japan/j3-league/gamba-osaka-u23/vanraure-hachinohe/3278569/ |website=Soccerway}}</ref> Sakamoto scored his first goal for Gamba Osaka U-23 on 6 December 2020 against [[Azul Claro Numazu]]. He scored in the 87th minute from the penalty spot to give Osaka the 2–1 victory.<ref>{{cite web |title=Azul Claro Numazu 1–2 Gamba Osaka U-23 |url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2020/12/06/japan/j3-league/azul-claro-numazu/gamba-osaka-u23/3278702/ |website=Soccerway}}</ref>
In February 2021, Sakamoto was announced as a Type 2 player, meaning he was registered for both Gamba Osaka Youth and the first team.<ref>{{cite web |title=G大阪が昨季J1デビューの17歳MF中村仁郎ら4選手を2種登録 |url=https://web.gekisaka.jp/news/jleague/detail/?324501-324501-fl |website=ゲキサカ |access-date=7 January 2025 |language=ja |date=19 February 2021}}</ref> Although unused in the first team, he scored 15 goals in 13 appearances for the JFA U-18 Premier League. In September 2021, it was announced that Sakamoto would be promoted to the first team for the 2022 season.<ref>{{cite web |title=G大阪がユース所属のMF中村仁郎、FW坂本一彩と仮契約、来季昇格内定を発表 |url=https://web.ultra-soccer.jp/news/view?news_no=403582 |website=超ワールドサッカー！ |access-date=7 January 2025 |language=ja}}</ref>
Sakamoto made his debut for Gamba Osaka in March 2022, in a 2–2 [[J.League Cup]] draw with [[Oita Trinita]].<ref>{{cite web |title=2022 J League YBC Levain Cup 22/03/02 Oita Trinita - Gamba Osaka Results, Players |url=https://soccer-db.net/result/20220302004?la=e |website=Soccer D.B. Japan |access-date=7 January 2025 |language=en}}</ref> He made his J1 League debut in the following month, appearing as a 71st-minute substitute in a 1–1 draw with [[Kyoto Sanga]].<ref>{{cite web |title=2022 J1 League 22/04/06 Kyoto Sanga F.C. - Gamba Osaka Results, Players |url=https://soccer-db.net/result/20220406001?la=e |website=Soccer D.B. Japan |access-date=7 January 2025 |language=en}}</ref> In June, he scored his first goal for the club in a 2–0 league victory over [[Sanfrecce Hiroshima]].<ref>{{cite web |title=【Ｇ大阪】18歳坂本一彩プロ初得点「この試合だけで終われば意味がない」柱不在FW陣で存在感 - Ｊ１ : 日刊スポーツ |url=https://www.nikkansports.com/soccer/news/202206290001280.html |website=nikkansports.com |access-date=7 January 2025 |language=ja}}</ref> In his first season with Gamba, he made 15 appearances across all competitions, scoring 1 goal.
On 29 December 2022, Sakamoto moved on loan to [[J2 League]] club [[Fagiano Okayama]] for the 2023 season.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://www.fagiano-okayama.com/news/202212291300|title=坂本一彩選手 期限付き移籍加入のお知らせ|publisher=ファジアーノ岡山|date=2022-12-29|access-date=2022-12-29}}</ref> He scored on his debut in a 3–2 league victory over [[Júbilo Iwata]]. He made 26 appearances throughout the season, scoring 4 goals, before returning to his parent club for the 2024 season.<ref>{{cite web |title=坂本 一彩選手 期限付き移籍から復帰のお知らせ |url=https://www.gamba-osaka.net/news/index/no/16033/ |website=ガンバ大阪オフィシャルサイト |access-date=7 January 2025 |language=ja}}</ref>
On his return to Gamba, Sakamoto began the season largely used as a substitute, but throughout April he became a starter and scored three goals in the month. For this, he was awarded the Young Player of the Month award.<ref>{{cite web |title=Isa Sakamoto's amazing April wins him Young Player of the Month {{!}} News |url=https://www.jleague.co/news/j-league-young-player-of-the-month-april-isa-sakamoto-gamba-osaka/ |website=J.LEAGUE |access-date=7 January 2025 |language=en |date=14 May 2024}}</ref> He continued to participate in the majority of games, culminating in a flurry of goals at the end of the season where he was awarded his second Young Player of the Month award for November/December.<ref>{{cite web |title=11・12月度「明治安田Ｊリーグ KONAMI 月間MVP」を発表！「月間ベストゴール」、「月間優秀監督賞」「月間ヤングプレーヤー賞」も決定！：Ｊリーグ公式サイト（J.LEAGUE.jp） |url=https://www.jleague.jp/news/article/29619/ |website=Ｊリーグ.jp（日本プロサッカーリーグ） |access-date=7 January 2025 |language=ja}}</ref>
In January 2025, it was announced that Sakamoto would be leaving Gamba Osaka to join Belgian side [[K.V.C. Westerlo|Westerlo]].<ref>{{cite web |title=FW坂本がチームを離脱【Ｇ大阪】：Ｊリーグ公式サイト（J.LEAGUE.jp） |url=https://www.jleague.jp/news/article/30004 |website=Ｊリーグ.jp（日本プロサッカーリーグ） |access-date=7 January 2025 |language=ja}}</ref> The contract is a loan until the end of the 2024–25 season, then the transfer becomes permanent and a three-year contract with Westerlo will come into effect.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Westerlo|url=https://kvcwesterlo.be/2025/01/12/welcome-isa/|title=Welcome Isa!|date=12 January 2025|access-date=12 January 2025}}</ref>
==International career==
Sakamoto was called up to the Japan U-20 squad for the [[2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jfa.jp/news/00032072/|title=U-20日本代表メンバー FIFA U-20ワールドカップアルゼンチン2023|trans-title=Japan U-20 national team for the FIFA U-20 World Cup Argentina 2023|publisher=[[Japan Football Association]]|date=8 May 2023}}</ref>
==Career statistics== ===Club=== {{updated|24 May 2025}}.<ref name="soccerway">{{soccerway|issai-sakamoto/670995}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=2024 Isa Sakamoto Players |url=https://soccer-db.net/player/index/76882/2024?la=e |website=Soccer D.B. Japan |access-date=7 January 2025 |language=en}}</ref>
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center |+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition |- !rowspan=2|Club !rowspan=2|Season !colspan=3|League !colspan=2|National Cup{{efn|Includes [[Emperor's Cup]]}} !colspan=2|League Cup{{efn|Includes [[J.League Cup]]}} !colspan=2|Continental !colspan=2|Total |- !Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |[[Gamba Osaka U-23]] |[[2020 J3 League|2020]] |[[J3 League]] |11||3||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||11||3 |- |rowspan="3"|[[Gamba Osaka]] |[[2022 J1 League|2022]] |[[J1 League]] |9||1||2||0||4||0||colspan="2"|—||15||1 |- |[[2024 J1 League|2024]] |J1 League |37||10||5||1||1||0||colspan="2"|—||43||11 |- !colspan="2"|Total !46||11||7||1||5||0||colspan="2"|—||58||12 |- |[[Fagiano Okayama]] (loan) |[[2023 J2 League|2023]] |[[J2 League]] |24||4||2||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||26||4 |- |[[K.V.C. Westerlo|Westerlo]] (loan) |[[2024–25 K.V.C. Westerlo season|2024–25]] |[[Belgian Pro League]] |19||6||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||19||6 |- |rowspan="2"|Westerlo |[[2025–26 Belgian Pro League|2025–26]] |Belgian Pro League |0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||0||0||0||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !19||6||0||0||colspan="2"|—||0||0||19||6 |- !colspan=3|Career total !100||24||9||1||5||0||0||0||114||25 |}
{{notelist}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{J.League player}} *[https://www.gamba-osaka.net/team/players/32/ Profile at Gamba Osaka]
{{K.V.C. Westerlo squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sakamoto, Isa}} [[Category:2003 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Japanese men's footballers]] [[Category:Men's association football forwards]] [[Category:J1 League players]] [[Category:J2 League players]] [[Category:J3 League players]] [[Category:Belgian Pro League players]] [[Category:Gamba Osaka U-23 players]] [[Category:Gamba Osaka players]] [[Category:Fagiano Okayama players]] [[Category:KVC Westerlo players]] [[Category:Japanese expatriate men's footballers]] [[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Belgium]] [[Category:Japanese expatriate sportspeople in Belgium]] [[Category:21st-century Japanese sportsmen]]