Biography
Who is Ritsu Dōan?
Early life and youth development
Born in Amagasaki, Japan, Ritsu Dōan attended Urakaze Elementary and Odaminami Junior High. As a young student, he played for Urakaze FC and trained at Vissel Kobe. He later joined the youth squad at Nishinomiya SS.
Upon starting junior high, he received interest from major clubs including Cerezo Osaka, Nagoya Grampus Eight, and Vissel Kobe. He ultimately chose the Gamba Osaka junior youth system. While playing there in 2012, his team secured a national treble at the U-15 level. Coaches at the academy saw him as a versatile midfielder. His style drew comparisons to Akihiro Ienaga due to his strong build and left-footed technique.
Professional club career
He began his senior career with J1 League club Gamba Osaka in 2015. His debut happened in May during an AFC Champions League match against FC Seoul. By 2016, he frequently appeared for the reserve squad in the J3 League. In 2017, he signed a loan agreement with the Dutch club FC Groningen. This move became permanent in 2018. During that season, he equaled the teenage goal-scoring record previously set by Arjen Robben at the club.
Ritsu signed a five-year contract with PSV Eindhoven in 2019. He later spent the 2020-21 season on loan at Arminia Bielefeld in the Bundesliga. His debut there resulted in a draw against Eintracht Frankfurt, and he scored his first goal against Bayern Munich. He joined SC Freiburg in 2022. By the 2024-25 season, he became the top scorer for his team with 10 Bundesliga goals. On August 7, 2025, he signed a contract to play for Eintracht Frankfurt until 2030.
International football achievements
Ritsu started representing Japan at the youth level, especially playing for the under-20 team during the 2017 U-20 World Cup. He appeared in four matches and recorded three goals. His senior national team debut occurred in September 2018 against Costa Rica. He scored his first goal for the senior team just one month later in a game against Uruguay.
He represented his country at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Against Germany, he entered the match as a second-half substitute and scored an equalizer. Japan went on to win that game 2-1. He repeated this impact against Spain in the final group stage match, scoring the tying goal after being subbed on. These victories helped Japan progress as group winners. In 2026, he was named to the national squad for the FIFA World Cup. His international honors include an AFC U-19 Championship win and a runner-up finish at the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. He also received individual recognition, such as being named the AFC Youth Player of the Year in 2016.
Birthday and age
Ritsu Dōan was born on June 16, 1998, which makes Ritsu 28 years old today. That birthday falls under the Gemini sign. Ritsu shares the date with 34 other famous people.
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