Ataru Esaka

Ataru Esaka
Personal information
Full name Ataru Esaka
Date of birth (1992-05-31) May 31, 1992 (age 32)
Place of birth Sanda, Hyōgo, Japan
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Attacking midfielder, winger
Team information
Current team
 Ulsan Hyundai
Number 31
Youth career
2008–2011 Kobe Koryo Gakuen High School
2011–2014 Ryutsu Keizai University
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015 Thespakusatsu Gunma 42 (13)
2016–2017 Omiya Ardija 65 (15)
2018–2021 Kashiwa Reysol 119 (31)
2021–2022 Urawa Red Diamonds 46 (7)
2023– Ulsan Hyundai 30 (4)
International career‡
2021– Japan 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 02:24, 14 January 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 25 March 2021

Ataru Esaka (江坂 任) (born May 31, 1992) is a Japanese football player who currently plays for Ulsan Hyundai in the K League 1.[1]

Early life

Ataru was born in Sanda. He went to the Kobe Koryo Gakuen High School and the Ryutsu Keizai University.

Career

Ataru made his debut for Thespakusatsu Gunma against Yokohama FC on the 8 March 2015.[2] He scored his first goal for the club against Roasso Kumamoto on the 15 March 2015, scoring in the 5th minute.[3]

Ataru made his debut for Omiya against Gamba Osaka on the 11 March 2016.[4] He scored his first goal for the club against Sagan Tosu on the 21 May 2016, scoring in the 74th minute.[5]

Ataru made his debut for Kashiwa against Vegalta Sendai on the 25 February 2018.[6] He scored his first goals, a brace, against Gamba Osaka on the 18 March 2018, scoring in the 8th and 18th minute.[7]

Ataru made his debut for Urawa against Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo on the 9 August 2021.[8] He scored his first goal for the club on the 14 August 2021 against Sagan Tosu, scoring a penalty in the 84th minute.[9]

Ataru made his debut for Ulsan against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors on the 25 February 2023.[10] He scored his first goal for the club on the 10 June 2023 against Jeju United, scoring in the 52nd minute.[11]

International career

He made his debut for Japan national football team on 25 March 2021 in a friendly against South Korea.[12]

Club statistics

Updated 12 December 2023[13][14][15]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Thespakusatsu Gunma 2015 J2 League 42 13 0 0 – – – 42 13
Omiya Ardija 2016 J1 League 31 8 3 0 8 2 – – 42 10
2017 34 7 2 1 2 1 – – 38 9
Total 65 15 5 1 10 3 0 0 0 0 80 19
Kashiwa Reysol 2018 J1 League 33 9 2 2 4 0 6 1 – 45 12
2019 J2 League 38 11 1 0 4 1 – – 43 12
2020 J1 League 32 9 – 4 2 – – 36 11
2021 16 2 0 0 3 0 – – 19 2
Total 119 31 3 2 15 3 6 1 0 0 143 37
Urawa Red Diamonds 2021 J1 League 16 5 4 1 4 1 – – 24 7
2022 30 2 2 0 3 1 7 1 1 2 43 6
Total 46 7 6 1 7 2 7 1 1 2 67 13
Ulsan Hyundai 2023 K League 1 21 3 2 0 – 6 1 – 29 4
Career total 293 69 15 4 32 8 19 3 1 2 361 86

Honours

Kashiwa Reysol

Urawa Red Diamonds

Ulsan Hyundai

References

  1. ^ "江坂 任選手 完全移籍加入のお知らせ | トップチームトピックス".
  2. ^ "ThespaKusatsu Gunma vs Yokohama - 8 March 2015". int.soccerway.com.
  3. ^ "Roasso Kumamoto vs ThespaKusatsu Gunma - 15 March 2015". int.soccerway.com.
  4. ^ "Gamba Osaka vs Omiya Ardija - 11 March 2016". int.soccerway.com.
  5. ^ "Sagan Tosu vs Omiya Ardija - 21 May 2016". int.soccerway.com.
  6. ^ "Vegalta Sendai vs Kashiwa Reysol - 25 February 2018". int.soccerway.com.
  7. ^ "Gamba Osaka vs Kashiwa Reysol - 18 March 2018". int.soccerway.com.
  8. ^ "Consadole Sapporo vs Urawa Reds - 9 August 2021". int.soccerway.com.
  9. ^ "Urawa Reds vs Sagan Tosu - 14 August 2021". int.soccerway.com.
  10. ^ "Ulsan vs Jeonbuk Motors - 25 February 2023". int.soccerway.com.
  11. ^ "Ulsan vs Jeju United - 10 June 2023". int.soccerway.com.
  12. ^ "Japan v South Korea game report". ESPN. 25 March 2021.
  13. ^ Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing inc./日本スポーツ企画出版社, "2017 J1&J2&J3選手名鑑 (NSK MOOK)", 8 February 2017, Japan, ISBN 978-4905411420 (p. 41 out of 289)
  14. ^ Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing inc./日本スポーツ企画出版社, "2016J1&J2&J3選手名鑑", 10 February 2016, Japan, ISBN 978-4905411338 (p. 130 out of 289)
  15. ^ Ataru Esaka at Soccerway. Retrieved 12 March 2016.