Sho Inagaki

1.1. Childhood and early education

Sho Inagaki was born on December 25, 1991, in Nerima, Tokyo, Japan. He began playing soccer at the age of four. During his elementary school years, he played for Oizumi Nishi Hurricane from 1998 to 2001, followed by South Yuve FC from 2002 to 2003. Upon entering junior high school in 2004, he joined FC Tokyo U-15 Musashi, a newly established youth academy.

1.2. Amateur career

During his time at FC Tokyo U-15 Musashi from 2004 to 2006, Inagaki was part of the team that reached the finals of the Prince Takamado Trophy U-15 in 2006, finishing as runners-up alongside teammates Kentaro Shigematsu, Teppei Usui, and Kazuma Umeuchi. Under the guidance of coach Takafumi Yamaguchi, and assistant coach Kenichi Amano, he developed crucial skills, particularly off-the-ball movement and ball touch, to compensate for his relatively smaller physique. Despite his efforts, he did not advance to the U-18 team.

In 2007, Inagaki enrolled in Teikyo High School. During his high school career, he experienced a growth spurt and, from his second year, was increasingly deployed as a defensive midfielder. He participated in the National High School Soccer Championship twice. In the 2008 tournament, his penalty kick miss contributed to the team's elimination in the first round. As captain in the 2009 tournament, he played with limited time due to a pre-tournament fracture, scoring one goal before the team was again eliminated in the first round.

In 2010, Inagaki entered Nippon Sport Science University, where he studied in the Faculty of Physical Education. He formed a strong midfield partnership with his senior, Junpei Arai, and under the guidance of coach Masaichi Suzuki, he learned to play more proactively and harness his strengths. In his second year, the team won the Kanto University Soccer League 2nd Division, earning promotion to the first division. In his fourth year, he became the team captain, inheriting the prestigious number 10 jersey from Mato Hirano. Despite his efforts as the team's central pillar, the team faced relegation back to the 2nd Division due to struggles in the attacking front.

2.1. Ventforet Kofu

Inagaki began his professional career with Ventforet Kofu, joining the club in 2014. He made his J.League debut on March 1, 2014, against Kashima Antlers at the National Stadium. His first official goal for the club came on August 20, 2014, in an Emperor's Cup third-round match against Kansai Gakuin University at Yamanashi Chugin Stadium. Known for his exceptional endurance and tenacious defense, he quickly became a valued player, often covering extensive ground across the pitch. On October 17, 2015, he scored his first J.League goal against Montedio Yamagata in the 62nd minute during the 2015 J1 League season. Although he primarily played as a shadow striker, Inagaki consistently expressed his preference for playing as a defensive midfielder.

2.2. Sanfrecce Hiroshima

Inagaki transferred to Sanfrecce Hiroshima for the 2017 season. He made his league debut for Sanfrecce on February 25, 2017, against Albirex Niigata. On November 18, 2017, he scored his first league goal for the club against Vissel Kobe. Under new manager Jan Jönsson, Inagaki adapted to a 4-1-2-3 formation, demonstrating his presence as an inside half. On November 26, 2017, he scored a crucial goal against FC Tokyo in the 33rd matchday, which helped secure the team's survival in the league.

In 2018, Inagaki established himself as a regular starter for Sanfrecce Hiroshima, showcasing his high ball interception ability and endless stamina. He played a significant role in the team's success, which saw them finish as runners-up in the J1 League. Despite a slow start in 2019 due to injury, he regained his regular position. In a match against Oita Trinita, he achieved a 100% pass success rate with 83 passes, the second-highest for either team in that match. This feat was particularly notable as it was the first time a J1 player recorded 80 or more passes with a 100% success rate since Kazuyuki Morisaki of Sanfrecce Hiroshima in May 2017.

2.3. Nagoya Grampus

Inagaki made a permanent transfer to Nagoya Grampus for the 2020 season. In his debut for Nagoya, he played against Vegalta Sendai on February 22, 2020. His first league goal for the club came on September 5, 2020, against Kashima Antlers. During the 2020 season, Inagaki played in all league matches, significantly contributing to Nagoya's minimal goals conceded record and helping the team secure a spot in the AFC Champions League for the first time in nine years.

On March 21, 2021, Inagaki scored the winning goal against Kashima Antlers in the 6th matchday, a performance that led to his additional call-up to the Japan national team. On August 25, 2021, he scored two goals against Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo, setting a new career high for goals in a single season.

Inagaki maintained a remarkable streak of consecutive appearances, having played in every match since joining Nagoya in 2020. On September 10, 2022, he reached his 100th consecutive appearance in a J1 League match against Vissel Kobe. He was only the third player in Nagoya Grampus history to achieve this milestone, following club legends Seigo Narazaki and Mitchell Langerak. In the 2023 season, he further extended this record, surpassing Seigo Narazaki's club record of 123 consecutive appearances to reach 139 matches. However, his impressive streak came to an end when he was suspended for the final match of the season due to accumulated yellow cards. His contributions were vital to Nagoya Grampus winning the J.League Cup in both 2021 and 2024.

3.1. Senior national team

On March 18, 2021, Sho Inagaki received his first call-up to the Japan national side for a friendly match against South Korea and a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Mongolia. He made his senior international debut on March 30, 2021, in the World Cup qualifier against Mongolia. In this match, he also scored his first two international goals, contributing to Japan's commanding 14-0 victory. He has made one appearance for the national team, scoring two goals.

3.2. International goals

6.1. Club

Updated as of December 25, 2024.

6.2. International

Updated as of March 30, 2021.