| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Yuto Kusaba | ||
| Date of birth | (2001-01-17) 17 January 2001 (age 23) | ||
| Place of birth | Osaka, Japan | ||
| Height | 1.71 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2019 | St.Andrews FC | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2019-2020 | Momoyama Gakuin University | ||
| 2020-22 | Basara Hyogo | ||
| 2023 | FC Zenshin | 10 | (8) |
| 2023 | Nairobi City Stars | 13 | (3) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:31, 26 Jun 2024 (UTC) | |||
Yuto Kusaba is a Japanese forward currently playing for Kenyan Premier League side Nairobi City Stars.
Career
Yuto featured for lower-tier sides in Japan including St. Andrews FC, Momoyama Gakuin University, and FC Basara Hyogo in the Kansai Soccer League between 2019 and 2023.
He then traveled to Kenya as a volunteer for an NGO in Embu, and it was while there that he joined fourth-tier side FC Zenshin. Yuto then moved to Nairobi City Stars in August 2023 from the Embu-based club but was locked out of participating in the top Kenyan topflight league after it emerged that International Transfer guidelines were never met when he first arrived in Kenya.
However, he completed his registration in the mid-transfer window in January 2024 and went on to debut for City Stars on Sunday 4 Feb with a substitute appearance against Shabana FC at the Kenyatta Stadium, Machakos.
He registered his maiden Kenyan Premier League goal after scoring an 85th minute penalty against Muranga SEAL at the Police Sacco Stadium on Saturday 13 Apr 2024. He scored a brace against KCB in the 2023-24 Premier league season ender at Utalii grounds on Sun 24 June 2024 to end the season with three goals.
References
- Pulse Sport, 14 Dec 2023 Yuto Kusaba reveals how ex-AC Milan cult hero Keisuke Honda inspired him to play in Kenya
- People Daily, 24 Aug 2023 Nairobi City Stars sign Japanese forward Yuto
- Pulse Sport, 13 Dec 2023 Japanese sensation Yuto Kusaba opens up on the struggles he faced before joining Nairobi City Stars
- Michezo Afrika, 27 Aug 2023 Nairobi City Stars sign Japanese Star
- The-Star, 4 Sep 2023 Japanese striker Yuto will not feature for the club in the first leg, says Korir
- The-Star, 9 Dec 2023 City Stars to complete signing of Japanese Kusaba in January
- Mozzart Sport, 7 Feb 2024 Japanese Yuto Kusaba delighted after making FKFPL debut last weekend
- Mozzart Sport, 13 Apr 20204 Kusaba scores debut goal as City Stars drown Seal