Shoma Sato (footballer)

Sato played youth football for his high school, Yonezawa Chuo HS,^[5][4] as well as for Yonezawa Phoenix and Abeeca Yonezawa.^[6] At the age of 19, he played for the U21 of lower league team SC Sagamihara.^[7]

Sato left Sagamihara and played professionally for a number of lower tier Japanese sides. From 2018 to 2019, he played for the challengers team of Thespa Kusatsu.^[8]

After returning to Japan two years later, he played for one season at FC Awaji-shima where he made 7 appearances,^[9][10] playing for Vonds Ichihara the following season.^[11]

In between his stints at Japanese clubs, Sato signed his first professional contract abroad with Albirex Niigata of the Singapore Premier League,^[12][5][13] a club then composed of mostly Japanese nationals.^[14] Albirex ended the season as champions of the 2020 Singapore Premier League, though Sato remained on the bench for most of the season and didn't play a competitive match, before departing early the next year.^[15]

Sato next played in Austria, signing for Austrian fourth-tier side Favoritner AC where he scored two goals.^[16] After a brief spell, he had a more successful stint with FC Bisamberg, making 18 appearances across two seasons.^[17][18][19]

In 2024, Sato left Austria to sign a contract in the Philippines. He signed with Davao Aguilas, a club returning to the PFL for the first time in 6 years.^[20][21] He made his first start in a 1–0 win over Mendiola, scoring his first goal for the club in a 1–0 win against Manila Digger.^[22][23]

• Shoma Sato at Soccerway