Reiju Tsuruno
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 26 January 2001 | ||
| Place of birth | Tsunagi, Kumamoto, Japan | ||
| Height | 1.62 m (5 ft 4 in) | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Avispa Fukuoka | ||
| Number | 28 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| FC Villanova Minamata | |||
| 2016–2018 | Rissho University Shonan High School | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2019–2022 | Fukuoka University | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2023– | Avispa Fukuoka | 28 | (1) |
| 2025 | → Ehime FC (loan) | 22 | (1) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 11:07, 16 March 2026 (UTC) | |||
Reiju Tsuruno (鶴野 怜樹, Tsurono Reiju; born 26 January 2001) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a forward for J1 League club Avispa Fukuoka.
Tsurono's first youth club was FC Villanova Minamata, before going on to represent play for Rissho University Shonan High School.[1] He played 7 times for the school in the Japan High School Soccer Tournament and the Inter High School Championship between 2017 and 2018, scoring 3 goals.[2][3] He was named as one of the 35 outstanding players of the 2018 Inter High School competition.[4] In 2019, he joined the team at Fukuoka University and was described as an outstanding inter-high player.[5] In his first season, he played 21 times and scored 3 goals, although the majority of his appearances came from the bench.[6] In the 2021 season, it was announced that Tsurono would be joining Avispa Fukuoka for the 2023 season.[7] He was also approved to be a designated special player for the 2021 and 2022 seasons, meaning he could represent both Fukuoka University and Avispa Fukuoka.[8] He did not make any appearances for Avispa during his time as a designated special player. For Fukuoka University, he appeared 40 times and scored 11 goals.
Club career
Tsurono officially joined Avispa Fukuoka for the 2023 season and was given the number 28 shirt.[9] In March, he scored the winning goal on his debut for the club, in a 1–0 J.League Cup victory over Albirex Niigata.[10][11] Later that month, he made his J1 League debut, appearing as a second-half substitute in a dramatic 2–1 victory over Shonan Bellmare.[12] In April, he scored his first league goal in a 3–1 defeat to Kawasaki Frontale.[13]
In December 2024, it was announced that Tsurono would be joining J2 League club Ehime FC on loan for the 2025 season.[14] He only made 5 starts in his 25 appearances for the club, with his only goal coming in a 2–2 league draw with Sagan Tosu in May. At the end of the season, he returned to his parent club.[15]