Japan's NXT: Kento Shiogai

Kento Shiogai in action for NEC.

One of the many Japanese rising stars on the European stage, it has become almost laughable that Kento Shiogai has barely any links to a bigger club in a bigger league. Kento Shiogai, the 20-year-old Tokyo-born striker, currently plays his football at NEC Nijmegen in the Dutch top division, the Eredivisie.

His rise exploded during his time at Kokugakuin Kugayama High School, where he stood out as one of Japan’s brightest stars during the 2023 All Japan High School tournament, before going to Keio University to study Political Science and Law and playing for their football team, whom he lead to promotion in the Kanto University league with 15 goals.

This led to his signing with Japanese giant Yokohama F Marinos in 2024, where Kento got his first taste of professional football, making his debut as a substitute in a 2-0 win against Gamba Osaka. Later that same year, after only 7 appearances and 1 goal for Yokohama, Kento Shiogai got a somewhat early move to Europe, joining NEC Nijmegen on a 4-year contract in August of 2024.

It is at NEC Nijmegen where his young career has really taken off. Across the 2024-2025 season, Kento only mustered 4 goals and 1 assist in 26 games for NEC, however, at only 19 years old, his talent was undeniable. Fast forward to today, where Kento, as of January 2026, has already bested his previous season’s goal record with 7 goals in 12 games, nailing down a regular starting spot for NEC.

His playstyle is intense and bullish, often tracking back to win a ball and spring attacks with accurate passing to his wingers. In the box, he displays strength with agility to boot, along with a killer instinct and a sweet strike. He is a pacey player who can burst past his defender, reminding me slightly of Son Heung Min in the earlier stages of his career when he played as a striker.

A move to a bigger European side, potentially in the Bundesliga or even the Premier League, could definitely be on the cards for Shiogai, and with 7 goals in 12 games, scouts will no doubt be watching with a keen eye to see just how high his goal tally will be by the end of the season.