*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20 July 2024 @ 05:58(AEST)
Atsushi Kawata (河田 篤秀, Kawata Atsushi, born September 18, 1992) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a forward for J2 League club Sagan Tosu.[1]
In the 2016 S.League season, Kawata was part of the team which completed an unprecedented sweep of all four of the league's major trophies.[5] As a result, he was named the 2016 S.League Player of the Year, scoring 20 goals and contributing 8 assists in all competitions.[6][7]
Albirex Niigata
After a stellar 2016 season in Singapore, Kawata earned a move back to parent club, Albirex Niigata for the 2017 J1 League season.[8]
He scored his first goal for the club against Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo on 23 September 2017.[9] In the match, he scored twice and this was the first time he started a match for the team. He also scored on 21 October 2017 against Júbilo Iwata.
Tokushima Vortis
On 6 January 2019, Kawata moved to J2 League club, Tokushima Vortis.[10] On 8 June 2019, he scored his first goal for the club against Machida Zelvia scoring the only goal in the match. On 24 August 2019, Kawata scored a 7-minute hat-trick in a league match against FC Ryukyu which resulted in a 6–1 win. He ended the 2019 season with 33 appearances scoring 14 goals and contributing 4 assists in all competitions.
Kawata was featured more often in the 2020 J2 League season where he would go on to make 39 appearances and scoring 9 goals in all competitions. Despite he scoring much lesser than the previous season, Kawata would go on to help Tokushima Vortis become the 2022 J2 League Champions thus promoting them to the top tier of the Japan football division, the J1 League. He also helped them to a semi-finals cup run in the 2020 Emperor's Cup which they lost 2–0 to Gamba Osaka.
Kawata goes on to have a bad start playing in the 2021 J1 League where he found himself scoring 1 goal in 24 matches. Midway throughout the season, Tokushima Vortis announced that will leave the club to venture for new challenges. In his time with Tokushima Vortis, he had played over 94 matches scoring 24 goals and contributing 4 assists in all competitions with the club.
Omiya Ardija
On 21 July 2021, Kawata joined J2 League club, Omiya Ardija on a permanent deal. On 9 August 2021, he make his debut for the club against his former club, Albirex Niigata in a 2–2 draw. In the next game, he went on to score his first goal for the club against Blaublitz Akita. He went on to finished the season finding his form scoring 7 goals in 19 appearances for the club. He went on to make 64 appearances scoring 14 goals and contributing 3 assists in all competitions in his 2 years stay at Omiya Ardija.
Sagan Tosu
On 28 March 2023, Kawata find himself transferring to J1 League club, Sagan Tosu donning the no.9 jersey which was previously worn by former 2010 FIFA World Cup winner, Fernando Torres. On 1 April 2023, he made his debut for the club in a match against FC Tokyo where he would go on to grab a win at the last kick of the game scoring in the 90+5 injury time from Jakub Slowik error.
