Taiki Hirato

Taiki Hirato came through Kashima Antlers' academy and made the step up to the first team in 2016, the year the club won the J1 League and the Emperor's Cup. He was part of that squad and even travelled with the group named for the 2016 FIFA Club World Cup, where Kashima finished fourth — his senior debut came in the J.League Cup instead.

The breakthrough came away from Kashima. Loaned to FC Machida Zelvia in 2017, Hirato became a regular in J2, scoring his first professional goal against Gifu that July and finishing the season as the division's leading provider of assists. Alongside the loan spell he was capped by the Japan U-20 side, starting the M-150 Cup final against an Uzbekistan U-23 team. Machida made the move permanent in 2019, and across that spell Hirato made 137 J2 League appearances and scored 28 goals, his first coming against Fagiano Okayama that August. He grew into one of the team's key players as Machida established itself in the second division before going up to J1.

Kyoto Sanga signed him permanently in January 2023. He has since made 84 appearances for the club, with two goals to his name. Hirato was also included in Japan's U-23 squad for the Paris Olympics, though he has not been capped by the senior national team.