1. Overview
Shota Aoki (青木 翔大Aoki ShōtaJapanese) is a Japanese professional football player who primarily plays as a forward. Born on August 11, 1990, in Atsugi, Kanagawa Prefecture, he is known for his strong ball-keeping ability, aggressive forward pressing, and his role as an offensive catalyst for his teams. Throughout his career, Aoki has played for several notable Japanese clubs, including Yokohama FC, AC Nagano Parceiro, FC Ryukyu, Azul Claro Numazu, Thespakusatsu Gunma, and Blaublitz Akita. In 2025, he returned to Thespakusatsu Gunma.
2. Early life and background
Shota Aoki was born on August 11, 1990, in Atsugi, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. His journey into football began at a young age, heavily influenced by his older brother, who also played the sport. This early exposure fostered his passion and led him to pursue football as his main interest from childhood.
2.1. Childhood and education
Aoki's early football development started at Mori-dai FC, where he played from 1997 to 2002 while attending Atsugi City Mori-dai Elementary School. He then moved to Footwork Club Junior Youth from 2003 to 2005, during his time at Atsugi City Tamagawa Junior High School. At the Footwork Club, located in Samukawa Town, he significantly honed his technical skills, even practicing with adult players from his second year of junior high school.
He attended Kashima Gakuen High School from 2006 to 2008. Despite not securing a regular starting position during his high school years, he was part of the team that achieved a notable third-place finish in the 87th National High School Football Championship during his final year. Following high school, Aoki enrolled in Toin University of Yokohama from 2009 to 2012. During his third year of university, he began participating in training sessions with Yokohama FC, a professional club. In his fourth year, he played a crucial role in helping the university's football team achieve promotion to Division 1 of the Kanto University Soccer League.
3. Club career
Shota Aoki's football career spans across various clubs in Japan, starting from his youth and university days, leading to his professional debut and progression through the J.League system.
3.1. Youth and university career
Aoki's foundational football experiences began at Mori-dai FC from 1997 to 2002. He continued his development at Footwork Club Junior Youth between 2003 and 2005, where he refined his technical abilities. His high school years at Kashima Gakuen High School (2006-2008) saw him contribute to a third-place finish in the 87th National High School Football Championship. He then played for Toin University of Yokohama from 2009 to 2012, helping them gain promotion to the Kanto University Soccer League Division 1. During his university tenure, he also began training with Yokohama FC, laying the groundwork for his professional transition.
3.2. Professional club career
Shota Aoki officially began his professional career in 2013 and has since played for multiple clubs, making significant contributions and experiencing both successes and challenges.
3.2.1. Yokohama FC and early loans (2013-2015)
Shota Aoki joined Yokohama FC in 2013, marking his professional debut. His first appearance for Yokohama FC was on March 20, 2013, in a match against Thespakusatsu Gunma. In July 2013, he was loaned to AC Nagano Parceiro, who were then competing in the JFL. During his loan spell, he contributed to Nagano Parceiro winning the Japan Football League title in 2013. He concluded his loan period with Nagano in December 2013.
In 2014, Aoki returned to Yokohama FC, but was subsequently loaned out again in February to FC Ryukyu, a club in the J3 League. He spent the entire 2014 season with FC Ryukyu, and his loan concluded in December of that year. Aoki rejoined Yokohama FC for the 2015 season. Across his two stints with Yokohama FC (2013 and 2015), he made 4 league appearances with no goals. For AC Nagano Parceiro, he played 12 league matches with no goals, and scored 1 goal in 4 cup appearances. With FC Ryukyu, he made 32 league appearances, scoring 7 goals, and played 2 cup matches without scoring.
3.2.2. Azul Claro Numazu (2016-2018)
In 2016, Shota Aoki made a permanent move to Azul Claro Numazu. This transfer was notable as he reportedly chose Numazu despite receiving offers from around eight other clubs, largely swayed by the strong enthusiasm of manager Ken Yoshida. He debuted for Azul Claro Numazu against FC Tokyo U-23 on March 11, 2018. His first goal for the club came on March 17, 2018, against Iwate Grulla Morioka, scoring in the 43rd minute.
During his time at Azul Claro Numazu, Aoki faced an injury setback in May 2018, suffering a right elbow joint dislocation during a match against Fujieda MYFC, which required a recovery period of one to two months. However, he made a strong return, scoring a skillful left-footed shot against Fujieda MYFC in the 24th match of the 2018 season. Throughout his tenure at Azul Claro Numazu, he accumulated 87 league appearances and scored 19 goals.
3.2.3. Thespakusatsu Gunma (2019-2021)
In 2019, Aoki transferred permanently to Thespakusatsu Gunma. He made an immediate impact, scoring a brace (two goals) on his debut against Blaublitz Akita on March 10, 2019, with goals in the 40th and 53rd minutes. Later that season, on September 18, 2019, he suffered a severe injury, a right anterior cruciate ligament rupture during a match against his former club Numazu, which sidelined him for an estimated eight months. Despite this significant injury, Aoki managed to achieve double-digit goals that season, playing a crucial role in Thespakusatsu Gunma's promotion to the J2 League. During his time with Thespakusatsu Gunma, his catchphrase was "Azure Soaring Horse" (蒼き翔け馬Japanese). He made 87 league appearances for the club, scoring 15 goals.
3.2.4. Blaublitz Akita (2022-2024)
Shota Aoki joined Blaublitz Akita on a permanent transfer in 2022, reuniting with former Azul Claro Numazu teammate Ryota Nakamura. His debut for Blaublitz Akita was on February 19, 2022, against Tochigi SC. He scored his first league goal for the club on April 3, 2022, in the 48th minute against Iwate Grulla Morioka. On April 24, 2022, he scored a "repayment goal" against his former club, Thespakusatsu Gunma, contributing to Blaublitz Akita's victory. By the end of the 2022 season, Aoki was the team's top scorer with five goals.
In 2023, Aoki was involved in a notable controversy during an 8th-round J2 League match against FC Machida Zelvia. He unleashed a powerful "Blue Lightning Shot" (青い稲妻シュートJapanese) from near the center line. However, the referees, including Yuudai Yamamoto and Makoto Bouzono, disallowed the goal, despite DAZN footage clearly showing the ball crossing the goal line. This incident was widely regarded as a major misjudgment. Later that season, in the 10th round match against Omiya Ardija, Aoki performed a skillful scissors move to evade defender Jinqi Urakami and delivered a superb assist, earning him the "Best Assist Award" from Satoshi Hojo of Weekly J2. Aoki's contract with Blaublitz Akita expired at the end of the 2024 season. He made 95 league appearances for Blaublitz Akita, scoring 11 goals.
3.2.5. Return to Thespakusatsu Gunma (2025-)
In 2025, Shota Aoki made a return to Thespakusatsu Gunma, where he was assigned jersey number 9. His rejoining of the club is expected to bolster their attacking capabilities.
4. Playing style
Shota Aoki is recognized for several distinctive characteristics in his playing style. He possesses strong ball-keeping ability, allowing him to maintain possession under pressure and link up play. His forward pressing is another key feature, as he actively engages in defending from the front, putting pressure on opposing defenders and goalkeepers. Furthermore, Aoki often functions as an offensive catalyst, initiating attacks and creating opportunities for his teammates through his movement and passing.
5. Club statistics
Updated as of December 31, 2024.
| Club performance | League | Cup | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Club | League | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Japan | League | Emperor's Cup | Total | |||||
| 2013 | Yokohama FC | J2 League | 3 | 0 | - | 3 | 0 | |
| 2013 | AC Nagano Parceiro | JFL | 12 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 16 | 1 |
| 2014 | Yokohama FC | J2 League | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | |
| 2014 | FC Ryukyu | J3 League | 32 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 34 | 7 |
| 2015 | Yokohama FC | J2 League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2016 | Azul Claro Numazu | JFL | 30 | 6 | - | 30 | 6 | |
| 2017 | J3 League | 27 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 28 | 6 | |
| 2018 | J3 League | 30 | 7 | - | 30 | 7 | ||
| 2019 | Thespakusatsu Gunma | J3 League | 24 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 26 | 10 |
| 2020 | J2 League | 33 | 2 | - | 33 | 2 | ||
| 2021 | J2 League | 30 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 32 | 3 | |
| 2022 | Blaublitz Akita | J2 League | 27 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 5 |
| 2023 | J2 League | 41 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 42 | 2 | |
| 2024 | J2 League | 27 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 30 | 5 | |
| 2025 | Thespakusatsu Gunma | J3 League | ||||||
| Career Total | 317 | 52 | 15 | 2 | 332 | 54 | ||
- J.League First Appearance:** March 20, 2013, J2 League 4th Round, against Thespakusatsu Gunma (at Shoda Shoyu Stadium Gunma).
- J.League First Goal:** March 9, 2014, J3 League 1st Round, against J-League Under-22 Selection (at Okinawa Comprehensive Athletic Park Athletics Stadium).
6. Honours
Shota Aoki has achieved several team and individual distinctions throughout his professional football career.
6.1. Club
- AC Nagano Parceiro**
- Japan Football League: 2013
- Thespakusatsu Gunma**
- J3 League: 2019 (runners-up)
6.2. Individual
- Kanto University Soccer League Division 2 Best XI: 2012
7. Personal life and trivia
Beyond his professional football career, Shota Aoki is known for various personal traits, anecdotes, and engagements in public activities.
7.1. Anecdotes and characteristics
Aoki has been given several nicknames by fans and teammates, including "Shota," "Ao" (青Japanese, meaning "blue," which is also his favorite color), and "Crouch," likely in reference to English footballer Peter Crouch due to a similar playing style or physical attribute. His favorite saying is "コツコツが勝つコツ" (Kotsukotsu ga katsu kotsuJapanese), which translates to "Steady efforts are the trick to winning." A distinctive habit observed during his matches is that he often clenches his right hand into a fist while keeping his left hand open. He was also prominently featured in the design of Blaublitz Akita's elevator decorations at AEON Mall Akita during its grand renewal, highlighting his popularity with the club.
7.2. Public activities
Shota Aoki has engaged in social contribution efforts beyond football. Notably, he participated in the "BB FARM Project," an agricultural initiative, alongside fellow player Tatsuya Koyanagi. This project involved cultivating and selling vegetables, demonstrating his involvement in community and environmental activities.
8. Controversy
In 2023, during an 8th-round match in the J2 League between Blaublitz Akita and FC Machida Zelvia, Shota Aoki was involved in a significant controversial incident. Aoki unleashed a powerful long-range shot, dubbed the "Blue Lightning Shot," from near the center line. Despite DAZN video footage clearly indicating that the ball had crossed the goal line, the referees, including Yuudai Yamamoto and Makoto Bouzono, disallowed the goal. This decision sparked widespread debate and was widely regarded as a major misjudgment that directly affected the outcome of the play.