1. Overview
Yuto Suzuki (鈴木 雄斗Suzuki YutoJapanese) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a winger for J.League club Shonan Bellmare. Born on December 7, 1993, in Isogo-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, he stands 72 in (182 cm) tall and weighs 168 lb (76 kg). Suzuki is right-footed and is known by the nicknames ユウトYūtoJapanese and ラルフRarufuJapanese. His father, Yasuhito Suzuki, is a former professional footballer and a football coach. Suzuki's career has seen him contribute significantly to multiple J.League clubs, including winning the J2 League and securing promotion to J1 with Júbilo Iwata, where he also served as captain.
2. Early life and youth career
Yuto Suzuki's football journey began at a young age, heavily influenced by his father's background in the sport. His early development took place within the youth systems of prominent Japanese clubs.
2.1. Birth and family background
Yuto Suzuki was born on December 7, 1993, in Isogo-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. His father, Yasuhito Suzuki, was a professional footballer and subsequently became a respected football coach, which provided an early pathway for Yuto into the sport.
2.2. Youth club career
Suzuki's youth career saw him move through several notable football academies. From 2002 to 2003, he was part of the Oita Trinita U-12 team, attending Akino Kita Elementary School in Oita. He then transferred to Kashiwa Reysol's youth setup, playing for Kashiwa Reysol U-12 from 2004 to 2005 while at Hananoi Elementary School, and later for Kashiwa Reysol U-15 from 2006 to 2007 during his time at Tanaka Junior High School. In 2008, he joined Yokohama F. Marinos Junior Youth, attending Yokodai Daiichi Junior High School. He continued his development with Yokohama F. Marinos Youth from 2009 to 2011 while studying at Hitorizawa High School. Although he was registered as a Type 2 player for Yokohama F. Marinos in 2011, he did not make any appearances for the senior team. Despite his strong youth development, he was not promoted to the Yokohama F. Marinos top team.
3. Professional club career
Yuto Suzuki's professional career began in 2012, and he has since played for several clubs across the J.League, making significant contributions to each team.
3.1. Mito HollyHock
After not being promoted to the Yokohama F. Marinos senior squad, Yuto Suzuki joined Mito HollyHock in 2012, reportedly at the invitation of then-manager Tetsuji Hashiratani. He made his professional debut in the J2 League on April 8, 2012, during the 7th matchday against JEF United Chiba at K's Denki Stadium Mito. His first J.League goal came later that year on September 14, 2012, in a J2 match against Roasso Kumamoto, also at K's Denki Stadium Mito. Suzuki played for Mito HollyHock for four seasons until the end of 2015, consistently contributing to the team's efforts in the J2 League.
3.2. Montedio Yamagata
In December 2015, Suzuki completed a permanent transfer to Montedio Yamagata. During his two seasons with the club in 2016 and 2017, he became a key player. In the 2017 season, he was often deployed as a right wing-back, a role in which he excelled, making 31 league appearances and scoring 5 goals. His strong performances at Montedio Yamagata attracted attention from J1 League clubs.
3.3. Kawasaki Frontale
Suzuki joined Kawasaki Frontale in 2018, marking his move to the J1 League. He made an immediate impact, making his J1 League debut on May 12, 2018, against Kashiwa Reysol. Coming on as a substitute, he scored the winning goal, contributing to a crucial victory for Frontale. He played for Kawasaki Frontale for two seasons (2018 and 2019), before being sent on loan to other clubs.
3.4. Loan spells
During his tenure at Kawasaki Frontale, Yuto Suzuki experienced several loan spells to gain more playing time and experience. On July 20, 2019, he was loaned to Gamba Osaka for the remainder of the 2019 season. Concurrently, he also made an appearance for Gamba Osaka U-23 in the J3 League during his loan period. Following his time at Gamba Osaka, Suzuki was loaned to Matsumoto Yamaga FC on January 6, 2020. During his season with Matsumoto Yamaga in the J2 League, he played a significant role, making 41 league appearances and scoring 3 goals.
3.5. Júbilo Iwata
At the start of the 2021 season, Yuto Suzuki made a permanent move to Júbilo Iwata. This period proved to be highly successful for both Suzuki and the club. In the 2021 J2 League season, he featured in 41 out of 42 league matches, scoring 8 goals, which were instrumental in Júbilo Iwata winning the J2 League championship and securing promotion back to the J1 League. Despite the club's relegation to J2 in 2022, Suzuki remained a vital player. In the 2023 season, he demonstrated strong leadership by serving as the team captain, guiding Júbilo Iwata to another promotion to the J1 League. He played for Júbilo Iwata for three seasons, from 2021 to 2023.
3.6. Shonan Bellmare
In 2024, Yuto Suzuki transferred permanently to Shonan Bellmare, where he currently plays. He continues to contribute to the club's efforts in the J1 League.
4. National team career
Yuto Suzuki has represented Japan at various youth international levels, showcasing his potential from a young age. In 2010, he was a member of the U-17 Japan national team. He continued his progression through the national youth setup, being selected for the U-18 Japan national team in 2011.
5. Career statistics
This section details Yuto Suzuki's numerical statistical data for his club and national team career, including his appearances and goals in various competitions.
5.1. Club statistics
Updated as of December 9, 2024
| Club | Season | League | Apps | Goals | National Cup | Apps | Goals | League Cup | Apps | Goals | Continental | Apps | Goals | Other | Apps | Goals | Total | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | |||||||||||||||||||
| Mito HollyHock | 2012 | J2 League | 19 | 1 | Emperor's Cup | 1 | 0 | J.League Cup | 0 | 0 | - | - | 20 | 1 | |||||
| 2013 | 21 | 3 | Emperor's Cup | 1 | 0 | J.League Cup | 0 | 0 | - | - | 22 | 3 | |||||||
| 2014 | 20 | 1 | Emperor's Cup | 2 | 0 | J.League Cup | 0 | 0 | - | - | 22 | 1 | |||||||
| 2015 | 27 | 6 | Emperor's Cup | 4 | 3 | J.League Cup | 0 | 0 | - | - | 31 | 9 | |||||||
| Total | 87 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 95 | 14 | |||||||
| Montedio Yamagata | 2016 | J2 League | 21 | 2 | Emperor's Cup | 2 | 1 | J.League Cup | 0 | 0 | - | - | 23 | 3 | |||||
| 2017 | 31 | 5 | Emperor's Cup | 1 | 0 | J.League Cup | 0 | 0 | - | - | 32 | 5 | |||||||
| Total | 52 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 55 | 8 | |||||||
| Kawasaki Frontale | 2018 | J1 League | 18 | 1 | Emperor's Cup | 2 | 0 | J.League Cup | 2 | 0 | ACL | 1 | 1 | - | 23 | 2 | |||
| 2019 | 6 | 0 | Emperor's Cup | 0 | 0 | J.League Cup | 0 | 0 | ACL | 2 | 0 | - | 8 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 24 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 2 | |||||||
| Gamba Osaka (loan) | 2019 | J1 League | 3 | 0 | Emperor's Cup | 1 | 0 | J.League Cup | 1 | 0 | - | - | 5 | 0 | |||||
| Matsumoto Yamaga FC (loan) | 2020 | J2 League | 41 | 3 | Emperor's Cup | 1 | 1 | J.League Cup | 0 | 0 | - | - | 42 | 4 | |||||
| Júbilo Iwata | 2021 | J2 League | 41 | 8 | Emperor's Cup | 1 | 0 | J.League Cup | 0 | 0 | - | - | 42 | 8 | |||||
| 2022 | J1 League | 30 | 6 | Emperor's Cup | 3 | 0 | J.League Cup | 0 | 0 | - | - | 33 | 6 | ||||||
| 2023 | J2 League | 38 | 3 | Emperor's Cup | 0 | 0 | J.League Cup | 0 | 0 | - | - | 38 | 3 | ||||||
| Total | 109 | 17 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 113 | 17 | |||||||
| Shonan Bellmare | 2024 | J1 League | 37 | 2 | Emperor's Cup | 0 | 0 | J.League Cup | 1 | 0 | - | - | 38 | 2 | |||||
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | Emperor's Cup | 0 | 0 | J.League Cup | 0 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | |||||||
| Total | 37 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 2 | |||||||
| Career total | 353 | 41 | 19 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 376 | 48 | |||||||
Other official matches (J3 League)
| Club | Season | League | Apps | Goals | Total | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J.League U-22 Selection | 2014 | J3 League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Gamba Osaka U-23 (loan) | 2019 | J3 League | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |||
5.2. Individual achievements and records
Throughout his career, Yuto Suzuki has marked several significant milestones:
- J.League Debut**: April 8, 2012, in a J2 League match (Matchday 7) against JEF United Chiba, while playing for Mito HollyHock at K's Denki Stadium Mito.
- J.League First Goal**: September 14, 2012, in a J2 League match (Matchday 33) against Roasso Kumamoto, also at K's Denki Stadium Mito.
6. Honors
Yuto Suzuki has earned several significant team honors throughout his professional club career.
6.1. Club honors
- Kawasaki Frontale**
- J1 League: 2018
- FUJI XEROX SUPER CUP: 2019
- Júbilo Iwata**
- J2 League: 2021
7. Legacy and evaluation
Yuto Suzuki is recognized for his versatility and consistent performance as a midfielder and winger in the J.League. His career is highlighted by his significant contributions to club successes, including championships and promotions, demonstrating his value as both a player and a leader, particularly during his captaincy at Júbilo Iwata.