Takato Yamamoto

Takato Yamamoto
山本 天翔
Personal information
Date of birth (2007-08-24) 24 August 2007
Place of birth Osaka Prefecture, Japan
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Borussia Dortmund II
(on loan from Gamba Osaka)
Number 43
Youth career
–2026 Gamba Osaka
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2025– Gamba Osaka 5 (0)
2026– → Borussia Dortmund II (loan) 0 (0)
International career‡
2025 Japan U18 6 (2)
2026– Japan U19 1 (1)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 30 May 2026
‡ National team caps and goals as of 9 June 2026

Takato Yamamoto (山本 天翔, Yamamoto Takato; born 24 August 2007), is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Regionalliga West club Borussia Dortmund II, on loan from J1 League club Gamba Osaka.

Early life

Yamamoto was born on 24 August 2007. Born in Osaka Prefecture, Japan, he is a native of the prefecture.

Club career

Gamba Osaka

As a youth player, Yamamoto joined the youth academy of Japanese side Gamba Osaka, where he captained their under-18 team and was promoted to the club's senior team in 2025. On 17 September 2025, he was first called up to the senior team during a 3–1 home win over Eastern in the AFC Champions League Two.[1] Gamba Osaka went on to win the competition that season. On 22 February 2026, he debuted for them during a 2–1 away win over Fagiano Okayama in the league.[2] Altogether, he made five league appearances for them during the 2026 season.[3]

Loan to Borussia Dortmund

Ahead of the 2026–27 season, he was sent on loan to German side Borussia Dortmund II, the reserve team of German Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund. Upon arriving at the club, he trained with their senior team and debuted and scored his first goal for them unofficially during a 3–1 away friendly win over Rot-Weiß Oberhausen.[4]

International career

Yamamoto is a Japan youth international and has represented Japan internationally at under-18 and under-19 levels. Altogether, he made six appearances and scored two goals while playing for the Japan national under-18 football team.

During the summer of 2026, he traveled as a training partner with the Japan national football team to help prepare the latter for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.[5] On 6 June 2026, he debuted and scored his first goal for the Japan national under-19 football team during a 3–1 away friendly win over the Mexico national under-20 football team.

Style of play

Yamamoto plays as a midfielder and is left-footed. Japanese news website footballista wrote in 2026 "while his left-footed playmaker status often overshadows it, his physical strength, stemming from his 177cm, 72kg frame, is also a major asset".[6]

References

  1. ↑ "来季昇格のＧ大阪ユース・山本天翔「ほっとしてる場合じゃない」躍動　宇佐美貴史も注目の18歳" [Gamba Osaka Youth's Takato Yamamoto, set for promotion next season, makes his mark: "No time to relax" - the 18-year-old drawing attention from Takashi Usami] (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 12 October 2025. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
  2. ↑ "G大阪で18歳デビューの逸材ボランチ…山本天翔は指揮官の後押し受けてJ選抜参加「自分の良さを出していくのは前提」" [A talented defensive midfielder who made his debut for Gamba Osaka at 18—Tentho Yamamoto joins the J.League Select Team with the manager's backing: "Showcasing my strengths is a given"] (in Japanese). Gekisaka. 12 March 2026. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
  3. ↑ Takato Yamamoto at WorldFootball.net
  4. ↑ "Takato Yamamoto wie einst Shinji Kagawa? Japaner überrascht selbst BVB-Trainer Niko Kovac" [Takato Yamamoto the next Shinji Kagawa? Japanese player surprises even BVB coach Niko Kovac] (in German). Ruhr Nachrichten. 20 July 2026. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
  5. ↑ "G大阪で飛躍した18歳…「個人的に好き」守田のプレーに学ぶU-19日本代表MF山本天翔がW杯同行へ" [The 18-year-old breakout star from Gamba Osaka—U-19 Japan midfielder Takato Yamamoto, who studies the playstyle of Morita (a player he personally admires)—is set to join the World Cup squad] (in Japanese). Gekisaka. 27 May 2026. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
  6. ↑ "青黒の未来を担い得るルーキーの現在地。ガンバ大阪・山本天翔と池谷銀姿郎が実感しているプロサッカー選手として生きていく日常の価値" [Where the rookies poised to shape the future of the "Blue and Black" stand today: Gamba Osaka’s Takato Yamamoto and Ginshiro Iketani on the true value of their daily lives as professional footballers] (in Japanese). footballista. 29 May 2026. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
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