Hiroshi Kiyotake

2.1. Birth and Family

Kiyotake was born on November 12, 1989, in Ōita, Ōita Prefecture, Japan. He is the second of three brothers. His younger brother, Koki Kiyotake, is also a professional footballer, currently playing for Ococias Kyoto AC. The brothers have shared the pitch in professional matches, a notable instance being in January 2020, which Hiroshi described as a rare opportunity to play together again.

2.2. Youth Career and Education

Kiyotake's football journey began in elementary school, playing for the Meiji Kita SSC football club, where his father served as the coach. He then progressed through the youth ranks, joining Catheolla FC from 2002 to 2003, followed by Oita Trinita's U-15 team in 2004 while attending Oita Municipal Harakawa Junior High School. From 2005 to 2007, he played for Oita Trinita's U-18 team, during which he attended Oita Tomei High School.

In 2008, Kiyotake gained admission to Waseda University's School of Human Sciences e-school (distance learning program) in the Health and Welfare Science department, through a special recommendation for sports. This allowed him to pursue higher education while continuing his football career.

3.1. Oita Trinita

Kiyotake was promoted to the Oita Trinita first team in 2008, his debut professional year. He quickly earned opportunities as a "super-sub," making an impact from the bench. In his first season, he scored his first professional goal in the 20th match against Shimizu S-Pulse, equalizing the score from a 1-2 deficit. In 2009, he became a regular starter due to a string of injuries to key players, appearing in 23 matches and scoring 3 goals despite the team's struggles.

3.2. Cerezo Osaka (first spell)

In 2010, following Oita Trinita's relegation to J2 League and financial difficulties, Kiyotake transferred to Cerezo Osaka along with teammates Daisuke Takahashi and Hirofumi Uemoto. Initially, he had limited appearances due to recurring injuries. However, after the 2010 FIFA World Cup break, he established himself as a regular, forming a potent attacking trio (known as "three shadows") with Akihiro Ienaga and Takashi Inui, effectively filling the void left by Shinji Kagawa's transfer to Germany. Kiyotake later reflected on this period under manager Levir Culpi, stating he was "shocked by how free football could be" and that Culpi taught him the joy of the sport.

In 2012, Kiyotake inherited the prestigious number 8 jersey, previously worn by Shinji Kagawa, becoming Cerezo Osaka's new ace. On May 16, 2012, his full transfer to German Bundesliga club 1. FC Nürnberg was announced, effective July 1.

3.3. 1. FC Nürnberg

Kiyotake's move to Europe in 2012 saw him immediately integrated into the 1. FC Nürnberg starting lineup for the opening match of the season. On September 15, he scored his first goal for the club against Borussia Mönchengladbach, also providing two assists, contributing significantly to his team's victory. Throughout the season, he remained a regular starter, recording 10 assists, which ranked him fourth in the league.

In the 2013-14 season, Kiyotake continued to be a key player for Nürnberg. Despite his efforts, the team struggled from the start of the season and was ultimately relegated to the second division. He finished the season with 3 goals and 7 assists.

3.4. Hannover 96

On July 25, 2014, Kiyotake's transfer to Hannover 96 within the Bundesliga was announced. He quickly made an impact, scoring his first goal for Hannover on October 25 against Borussia Dortmund with a direct free-kick, earning him the official Bundesliga Man of the Match award. On March 7, 2015, he scored the opening goal against Bayern Munich, his fourth goal of the season. On May 23, in the final match of the season against SC Freiburg, which determined Hannover's survival in the top division, Kiyotake scored the crucial opening goal, securing the team's Bundesliga status.

For the 2015-16 season, Kiyotake was given the number 10 jersey at Hannover. However, his season was marred by injuries. On June 11, he was diagnosed with a metatarsal fracture in his right foot during a Japan national team training camp, leading to a long-term absence and surgery in Japan. He returned on September 12 in the fourth match against Borussia Dortmund, contributing to the opening goal. Despite his strong form after returning, with 3 goals and 4 assists, he suffered another injury during a national team match in November. He made his comeback on February 20, 2016, against FC Augsburg. Despite his individual performances, the team's overall form did not improve, and Hannover 96 was relegated to the second division after a draw against FC Ingolstadt 04 in the 31st match. In the final home game against TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, Kiyotake scored the winning goal, contributing to a victory. He finished the season with 5 goals and 6 assists.

3.5. Sevilla FC

Following Hannover's relegation, several clubs expressed interest in Kiyotake. His transfer was initially complicated by an 8.00 M EUR transfer fee set by Hannover. However, Hannover agreed to reduce the fee by 200.00 M JPY, facilitating his move. On June 10, 2016, his full transfer to La Liga club Sevilla FC was announced, with a four-year contract. He was assigned the number 14 jersey.

Kiyotake made his debut for Sevilla on August 9, 2016, starting in the 2016 UEFA Super Cup against Real Madrid. He played the full 120 minutes in a 2-3 loss after extra time. On August 20, in his La Liga debut against RCD Espanyol, he started as a right-sided midfielder in a 4-1-3-2 formation, scoring one goal and providing one assist. On November 2, he made his UEFA Champions League debut in the fourth group stage match against GNK Dinamo Zagreb, coming on as a substitute for Ganso. However, he struggled to secure consistent playing time throughout the season. With the impending arrival of Argentinian player Walter Montoya, Kiyotake, who occupied one of the non-EU player slots, was deemed surplus to requirements and informed he was no longer part of the team's plans.

3.6. Cerezo Osaka (second spell)

On January 28, 2017, Spanish newspaper "Marca" reported that Kiyotake's former club Cerezo Osaka, along with FC Tokyo, Vissel Kobe, and Sagan Tosu, were interested in signing him. On February 1, Cerezo Osaka officially announced his full transfer back to the club. He made his first start in the third match of the season against Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo and scored his first goal since returning in the ninth match against Kawasaki Frontale.

Over the next three years, Kiyotake was plagued by injuries. After being left out of the 2018 FIFA World Cup squad, he suffered a muscle strain in his first match, which led him to consider retirement. He recalled being told since childhood that "injured players are unreliable and difficult to use," feeling that he had become such a player. However, encouraged by his father and fellow footballer Atsuto Uchida, he decided to continue his career.

In 2020, Kiyotake completed a season without significant injuries. Under manager Miguel Ángel Lotina, who favored positional play where all players slide according to ball position, Kiyotake successfully utilized his individual skill in crucial moments. In the 12th match against Vegalta Sendai, he scored a no-look shot that surprised the opposing defenders. In the 16th match against Yokohama F. Marinos, he scored a looping mid-range shot. His goals in September and November were selected as "Goal of the Month." He also excelled as a playmaker, building attacks and drawing fouls with his precise through passes. He recorded a career-high 8 goals and 8 assists for the season. On December 31, he signed a multi-year contract with Cerezo Osaka until the 2023 season.

In 2022, under manager Akio Kogiku, Kiyotake was deployed as an attacking midfielder rather than a left-sided midfielder. While he contributed to the team's rhythm, he also delivered numerous decisive passes that led to goals. However, in the 18th match in June against Shimizu S-Pulse, he suffered a Lisfranc ligament injury in his left foot after a collision, forcing him out of action. This injury dashed his hopes of returning to the national team for the E-1 Championship in July. During his absence, the team shifted from a 4-2-3-1 to a 4-4-2 formation, adopting a high-press style of play and accumulating wins. Upon his return, Kiyotake struggled to adapt to being used as a substitute to change the game, feeling "out of place" when deployed as a second striker or defensive midfielder. In a season-ending friendly match against Zweigen Kanazawa, he started as a defensive midfielder, assisting the opening goal in the third minute and scoring a long-range shot from the halfway line in the 27th minute, demonstrating an all-around performance with sharp vertical passes.

Regarding the Lisfranc ligament injury, Kiyotake stated that it still causes him pain, especially after fatigue or on hard pitches. In 2023, he suffered a left hamstring injury on February 11, a week before the opening match, with an unknown recovery period. He only made a minimal 3 official appearances that season. On April 17, 2024, he made a long-awaited return to official matches in a League Cup game against Iwate Grulla Morioka. On December 19, 2024, Cerezo Osaka announced that Kiyotake's contract would not be renewed for the 2025 season.

3.7. Sagan Tosu (loan)

On July 7, 2024, it was announced that Kiyotake would join Sagan Tosu on a six-month loan from Cerezo Osaka. On December 19, his loan period with Sagan Tosu and his contract with Cerezo Osaka both expired, leading to his departure from both clubs.

3.8. Oita Trinita (return)

In 2025, Hiroshi Kiyotake made a full transfer back to Oita Trinita, his hometown club where he began his professional career, marking his return after 16 seasons. He was appointed captain for his first season back with the team.

4.1. Youth Teams

Kiyotake's international career began with the Japanese youth national teams. He played for the Japan U-20 team in 2009. He then progressed to the Japan U-22 team, participating in the London Olympics Asian Qualifiers in 2011. In the final Asian Qualification match against Malaysia on September 21 at Tosu Stadium, he was involved in all of Japan's goals, helping the team secure qualification for the Olympics.

In August 2012, Kiyotake was part of the Japan U-23 squad for the 2012 London Olympics. In the second group stage match against Morocco, he assisted Kensuke Nagai's winning goal. He played in all of Japan's matches at the tournament, but the team finished in fourth place, missing out on a medal.

4.2. Senior Team

Kiyotake made his debut for the senior national team on August 10, 2011, against South Korea at Sapporo Dome. He came on as a substitute for Shinji Okazaki in the 36th minute of the first half and contributed two assists to Japan's 3-0 victory. On September 2, he assisted Maya Yoshida's winning goal in a World Cup third-round qualifier against North Korea.

On November 14, 2012, Kiyotake scored his first international goal against Oman in a 2014 FIFA World Cup Asian fourth-round qualifier. He was called up for the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup squad on June 5, 2013.

On May 12, 2014, Kiyotake was selected for Japan's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. His only appearance in the tournament was an 8-minute cameo at the end of the third group stage match against Colombia. In December 2014, he returned to the national team for the 2015 AFC Asian Cup after the World Cup. He did not start any matches throughout the tournament, and Japan was eliminated in the quarterfinals.

In the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, Kiyotake increasingly started as an attacking midfielder in place of Shinji Kagawa. He scored the opening goal in the fifth final qualification match against Saudi Arabia. However, due to his lack of playing time at Sevilla, he was subsequently dropped from the squad for the seventh match against Iraq and was not selected for the final World Cup squad. His last appearance for the national team was on March 28, 2017, against Thailand.

6.1. Club Honours

Oita Trinita

• J.League Cup: 2008

Cerezo Osaka

• J.League Cup: 2017
• Emperor's Cup: 2017
• Japanese Super Cup: 2018

6.2. Individual Honours

• J.League Best Eleven: 2011
• J.League Excellent Player Award: 2011, 2020

7.1. Club Statistics

7.2. International Statistics

Scores and results list Japan's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Kiyotake goal.