Shinta Karl Appelkamp

Shinta Karl Appelkamp was born in Setagaya, Tokyo, and holds dual citizenship in Germany and Japan. He started out in Japanese youth football with Victoria Meguro FC and then Mitsubishi Yowa SC before the family's move to Germany in 2015, when he joined Fortuna Düsseldorf's academy. He worked his way up through the club's youth sides, captaining both the U19 and U21 teams, and made his first appearances for Fortuna Düsseldorf II in the Regionalliga West.

Appelkamp signed his first professional contract with Fortuna Düsseldorf in July 2020 and made his senior debut that September. Over his time with the first team he scored 21 league goals in Düsseldorf colours. In the 2025/26 season the club was relegated to the 3. Liga, and that June Appelkamp left on a free transfer, joining SpVgg Greuther Fürth in the 2. Bundesliga on a two-year deal with an option for a further season.

On the international stage, Appelkamp came through Japan's youth setup, representing the country at U17 and U18 level. In 2021 he switched allegiance to Germany and won two caps for the U21s. He was part of the Germany squad that won the 2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, though he did not feature in any of the tournament matches.