Kenji Nishioka

Kenji Nishioka
Personal information
Full name Kenji Manangan Nishioka[1]
Date of birth (2001-06-09) 9 June 2001
Place of birth Quezon City, Philippines
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Isenmulang Kalteng
Youth career
2008–2014 Omiya Taisei Sports Club
2014–2016 Club Yono
2017–2019 Seibudai High School
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020–2023 Josai University
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2024 Edo All United
2025–2026 Manila Digger 37 (17)
2026– Isenmulang Kalteng 0 (0)
International career‡
2026– Philippines 2 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 30 May 2026
‡ National team caps and goals as of 9 June 2026

Kenji Manangan Nishioka (西岡 健二, Nishioka Kenji; born 9 June 2001) is a Filipino footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Super League club Isenmulang Kalteng and the Philippines national team.

Personal life

Nishioka was born in Quezon City in Metro Manila, but played his youth football in Japan.

Youth career

Nishi first played youth football in Saitama, playing for Club Yono in his junior high school years. In 2017, he started playing for Seibudai High School, participating in the 2019 National High School Athletic Meet Soccer Tournament.[2][3][4]

After graduating in 2020, he entered Josai University and played for the school's football team,[5] including matches in the 2nd division of the Kantō Soccer League.[6][7]

Career

Edo All United

After graduating from college, Nishioka would play for Edo All United in the Kanto Soccer League's top division.[8] However, at the end of the year he left the club after his contract expired, looking for more playing time.[9]

Manila Digger

Nishioka would sign with Manila Digger of the Philippines Football League in his home country,[10] helping the team finish runner-up in the PFL[11][12] and qualify for the AFC Challenge League.

At the start of the 2025–26 season Nishioka became a first-team fixture,[13] playing for the team in their AFC Champions League Two playoff against Persib Bandung[14] and in the Challenge League. In the knockouts, he scored his first continental goal in a win over Dewa United.[15][16]

Isenmulang Kalteng

On 22 July 2026, Nishioka officially completed a transfer to Super League club Isenmulang Kalteng, marking his first venture into Indonesian football following his extensive career in Japan, and the Philippines.[17]

International career

Nishioka was born in the Philippines to a Filipino father and a Japanese mother. He was called up to the Philippines national team for a set of friendlies in June 2026.[18]

Honors

Manila Digger

References

  1. ↑ "Kenji Nishioka - Global Sports Archive". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 13 March 2026.
  2. ↑ "年間2敗の昌平、決勝戦も4得点の快勝で3度目の全国へ:埼玉". Gekisaka. 11 November 2022. Retrieved 13 March 2026.
  3. ↑ "[Rookie League]静岡学園が4ゴール、帝京に撃ち勝つ!:A group第7節". Gekisaka. 30 August 2017. Retrieved 13 March 2026.
  4. ↑ "[総体]出場校登録メンバー:西武台高(埼玉)". Gekisaka. 27 July 2019. Retrieved 13 March 2026.
  5. ↑ "[関東2部]城西大登録メンバー/22前期". Gekisaka. 1 April 2022. Retrieved 13 March 2026.
  6. ↑ "城西大学体育会サッカー部". JUFA Kanto. Retrieved 13 March 2026.
  7. ↑ "JR東日本カップ2022 第96回関東大学サッカーリーグ戦・2部第20節マッチレポート". JUFA Kanto. 4 November 2022. Retrieved 13 March 2026.
  8. ↑ "西岡 健二 選手 加入のお知らせ". Edo Magazine. 11 January 2024. Retrieved 13 March 2026.
  9. ↑ "西岡健二選手 契約満了のお知らせ". Edo Magazine. 27 November 2024. Retrieved 13 March 2026.
  10. ↑ "Welcome to the squad, Kenji!". Manila Digger FC on Facebook. 31 January 2025. Retrieved 13 March 2026.
  11. ↑ Saldajeno, Ivan (13 April 2025). "Manila Digger dominates Loyola in last dash to PFL title". Dugout PH. Retrieved 13 March 2026.
  12. ↑ Co, Adrian (15 April 2025). "Kaya-Iloilo blanks Stallion, bags 3rd straight PFL crown". Panay News. Retrieved 13 March 2026.
  13. ↑ de Guzman, Icko (31 August 2025). "Kaya-Iloilo, Manila Digger make statement with big Wins in PFL season opener". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved 13 March 2026.
  14. ↑ "Persib 2-1 Manila Digger - Global Sports Archive". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 13 March 2026.
  15. ↑ "QF (1st Leg): Manila Digger FC (PHI) 1-0 Dewa United FC (IDN)". Asian Football Confederation. 5 March 2026. Retrieved 13 March 2026.
  16. ↑ Saldajeno, Ivan (5 March 2026). "Kenji Nishioka's early goal enough to lift Manila Digger over Dewa in AFC Challenge League QF opener". Dugout PH. Retrieved 13 March 2026.
  17. ↑ "Japanese blood. Ours now. Kenji Nishikoka has completed his move to Adhyaksa FC from Manila Diggers FC" (in Indonesian). Instagram. 22 July 2026. Retrieved 22 July 2026.
  18. ↑ "Bero und Marshall verpassen die WM" [Bero and Marshall miss the World Cup] (in German). VfL Bochum. March 27, 2026. Retrieved March 28, 2026.
  19. ↑ Saldajeno, Ivan (May 31, 2026). "Manila Digger rules PFL after draw vs One Taguig in storm-delayed finale". dugout.ph. Retrieved May 31, 2026.
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