{{Short description|Japanese footballer (born 1992)}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Kei Sano | fullname = Kei Sano | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1992|4|3|df=yes}} | birth_place = Ichinomiya, Aichi, Japan | height = 1.72 m<ref name="sano">{{cite web |url=https://m.caping.co.id/news/detail/12062851 |title=Profil Kei Sano Kandidat Kuat Gelandang Asing PSS Sleman: Kualitas Bintang Lima, Harga Kaki Lima? |website=caping.co.id |access-date=6 May 2023}}</ref> | position = Winger | currentclub = | clubnumber = | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = Aichi Kogyo University Meiden HS | youthyears2 = 2014–2015 | youthclubs2 = Aichi Gakuin University | years1 = 2020–2022 | clubs1 = St. Andrews | caps1 = 24 | goals1 = 8 | years2 = 2022–2023 | clubs2 = Sirens | caps2 = 23 | goals2 = 6 | years3 = 2023–2024 | clubs3 = PSS Sleman | caps3 = 15 | goals3 = 2 | years4 = 2023–2024 | clubs4 = → Sada Sumut (loan) | caps4 = 8 | goals4 = 2 | years5 = 2024–2025 | clubs5 = Kanchanaburi Power | caps5 = 28 | goals5 = 4 | club-update = 12 February 2025 }} '''Kei Sano''' ({{langx|ja| 佐野 渓}}; born 3 April 1992) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a winger.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pssleman.id/pertama-kali-bermain-di-indonesia-kei-sano-termotivasi-bekerja-lebih-keras/ |title=PERTAMA KALI BERMAIN DI INDONESIA, KEI SANO TERMOTIVASI BEKERJA LEBIH KERAS|publisher=pssleman.id (web Resmi Club PSS Sleman)|access-date=1 July 2023|date=1 June 2023|language=id}}</ref>
==Career== ===Early career=== Sano started his career when he entered college by joining Aichi Kogyo University Meiden HS. Then he joined Aichi Gakuin University from 2014 to 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://joglo.suara.com/read/2023/04/28/182847/pss-sleman-datangkan-pemain-baru-lagi-ini-profil-gelandang-jepang-kei-sano |title=PSS Sleman Datangkan Pemain Baru Lagi, Ini Profil Gelandang Jepang Kei Sano|date=28 April 2023 |language=id | accessdate=28 April 2023}}</ref>
After that, he had a vacuum from the world of football because he had to take up work outside of football's activities. Because of his love for the world of football, Sano decided to return in 2020. After a year of training, he tried his luck by migrating to Malta.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bola.com/indonesia/read/5274344/3-fakta-menarik-kei-sano-gelandang-anyar-pss-yang-ternyata-kembaran-pemeran-kamen-rider |title=3 Fakta Menarik Kei Sano, Gelandang Anyar PSS yang Ternyata Kembaran Pemeran Kamen Rider|date=May 2023 |language=id | accessdate=2 May 2023}}</ref>
===St. Andrews=== Ahead of 2021–21 season, Sano signed a contract with Maltese Challenge League club St. Andrews.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://asia9sports.com/3-fakta-unik-gelandang-baru-pss-sleman-kei-sano-kembaran-kamen-rider/ |title=3 Fakta Unik Gelandang Baru PSS Sleman Kei Sano: Kembaran Kamen Rider!|date=2 May 2023 |language=id | accessdate=2 May 2023}}</ref> He made his league debut on 7 February 2021, coming on as a substituted in a 2–1 lose against St. George's.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://m.aiscore.com/id/match-st-georges-st-andrews/9gklzir46djum7x |title=St. George's 2–1 St. Andrews|website=aiscore.com| accessdate=7 February 2021}}</ref> On 21 February 2021, He scored his first league goal for the team in a 2–3 away win against Pietà Hotspurs.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2021/02/21/malta/first-division/pieta-hotspurs-fc/saint-andrews-luxol-sc-/3456433/ |title=Pietà Hotspurs 2–3 St. Andrews|website=Soccerway| accessdate=21 February 2021}}</ref> He contributed with 24 appearances and scored 8 goals in all competitions.<ref name="sano">{{cite web |url=https://m.caping.co.id/news/detail/12062851 |title=Profil Kei Sano Kandidat Kuat Gelandang Asing PSS Sleman: Kualitas Bintang Lima, Harga Kaki Lima? |website=caping.co.id |access-date=6 May 2023}}</ref>
===Sirens=== Ahead of 2022–23 season, he was signed by Sirens alongside Gabriel Ventura, and Paulo Vyctor.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.maltafootball.com/2022/07/31/three-new-foreigners-for-sirens-2/ |title=Three new foreigners for Sirens|website=www.maltafootball.com|accessdate=31 July 2022}}</ref> He made his league debut on 19 August 2022, coming on as a starter in a 2–0 away lose over Birkirkara.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.maltafootball.com/2022/08/19/second-half-goals-hand-birkirkara-first-three-points/ |title=Second-half goals hand Birkirkara first three points|website=www.maltafootball.com|access-date=19 August 2022}}</ref> On 5 November 2022, Sano scored his first league goal for the club with scored a brace in Maltese Premier League, earning them a 2–0 home win over Gudja United.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.maltafootball.com/2022/11/05/kei-sano-hands-sirens-first-win/ |title=Kei Sano hands Sirens first win|website=www.maltafootball.com|access-date=5 November 2022}}</ref>
On 1 February 2023, Sano scored in a 3–3 draw over Valletta.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2023/02/01/malta/premier-league/sirens/valletta-fc/3977655/ |title=SIRENS VS. VALLETTA 3 - 3|date=1 February 2023 |access-date=1 February 2023 |website=Soccerway}}</ref> He then scored his fourth league goal for the club three days later, opening the scoring in a 1–2 home lose against Mosta.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://tvmnews.mt/sport/mosta-jdawru-telfa-frebha-kontra-sirens-biex-jitilghu-momentarjament-fir-raba-post/ |title=Mosta jdawru telfa f'rebħa kontra Sirens biex jitilgħu momentarjament fir-raba' post|date=4 February 2023 |access-date=4 February 2023 |website=tvmnews.mt|language=Maltese}}</ref> On 12 March 2023, Sano scored another brace for Sirens in a 2–1 home win against St. Lucia, In fact, with four matches to go, Sirens are fifth from bottom on 25 points, eleven ahead of Żebbuġ and fourteen ahead of St. Lucia.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.maltafootball.com/2023/03/12/kei-sano-puts-sirens-closer-to-safety/ |title=Kei Sano puts Sirens closer to safety|date=12 March 2023 |access-date=12 March 2023 |website=www.maltafootball.com}}</ref> He contributed with 23 league appearances, scored 6 goals during his 2022–23 season.
===PSS Sleman=== On 28 April 2023, Sano signed a contract with Liga 1 club PSS Sleman, he will join fellow new signings Jonathan Bustos and Esteban Vizcarra as well as new head coach Marian Mihail at the Maguwoharjo Stadium for the upcoming season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://football-tribe.com/asia/2023/04/29/pss-announce-signing-of-kamen-rider-gaims-twin-brother/|title=PSS Announce Signing of Kamen Rider Gaim's Twin Brother|date=29 April 2023|access-date=29 April 2023|website=football-tribe.com}}</ref> Sano made his Liga 1 debut on 1 July 2023 as a starter in a 0–1 away win over Bali United.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bali.idntimes.com/sport/soccer/ari-budiadnyana/laga-buruk-bali-united-di-liga-indonesia-perdana-c1c2 |title=5 Fakta Kekalahan Bali United dari PSS Sleman, Laga Buruk|publisher=bali.idntimes.com|accessdate=2 July 2023|date=2 July 2023}}</ref>
==Personal life== Kei Sano has a twin brother, Gaku Sano who is a Japanese actor, best known for his role as Kouta Kazuraba, the main character of the Kamen Rider series ''Kamen Rider Gaim''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.indosport.com/sepakbola/20230429/3-fakta-kei-sano-bintang-baru-pss-sleman-saudara-kembar-artis-jepang |title=3 Fakta Kei Sano, Bintang Baru PSS Sleman Saudara Kembar Artis Jepang|publisher=www.indosport.com|accessdate=29 April 2023|date=29 April 2023|language=Indonesian}}</ref>
==Career statistics== ===Club=== {{updated|18 December 2023}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/kei-sano/689875/ |title=Japan - K. Sano - Profile with news, career statistics and history|website=Soccerway|accessdate=1 July 2023}}</ref> {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center" |- !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|Cup !colspan="2"|Continental !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="3"|Total |- !Division !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals |- | rowspan="2" |St. Andrews |2020–21 |rowspan="1" valign="center"|Maltese Challenge League |5||1||2||0|| colspan="2" |–||0||0||7||1 |- |2021–22 |Maltese Challenge League |19||7||2||0||colspan="2"|–||0||0||21||7 |- | rowspan="1" |Sirens |2022–23 |rowspan="1" valign="center"|Maltese Premier League |23||6||2||1|| colspan="2" |–||0||0||25||7 |- | rowspan="1" |PSS Sleman |2023–24 |rowspan="1" valign="center"|Liga 1 |15||2||0||0|| colspan="2" |–||0||0||15||2 |- | rowspan="1" |Sada Sumut (loan) |2023–24 |rowspan="1" valign="center"|Liga 2 |6||2||0||0|| colspan="2" |–||0||0||6||2 |- ! colspan="3" | Career total !68!!18!!6!!1!!0!!0!!0!!0!!74!!19 |} ; {{Reflist|group=lower-alpha}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{Soccerway|689875}} * {{WorldFootball.net|kei-sano}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sano, Kei}} Category:1992 births Category:Living people Category:Japanese twins Category:Men's association football midfielders Category:Men's association football wingers Category:Japanese men's footballers Category:Japanese expatriate men's footballers Category:Japanese expatriate sportspeople in Malta Category:Japanese expatriate sportspeople in Indonesia Category:Japanese expatriate sportspeople in Thailand Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Malta Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Indonesia Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Thailand Category:Maltese Challenge League players Category:Maltese Premier League players Category:Liga 1 (Indonesia) players Category:Liga 2 (Indonesia) players Kei Sano Kei Sano Category:St. Andrews F.C. (Malta) players Category:Sirens F.C. players Category:PSS Sleman players Category:Sumut United F.C. players Category:Football people from Aichi Prefecture Category:Sportspeople from Ichinomiya, Aichi Category:21st-century Japanese sportsmen