Hiroki Itō (footballer, born 1999)

Hiroki Itō (伊藤 洋輝) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a centre-back and left-back for Bundesliga club Bayern Munich and the Japan national team.

Júbilo Iwata
After growing through Júbilo Iwata youth ranks, Hiroki Itō was promoted to the first team in 2018. He debuted as a pro in March 2018 in J. League Cup, and would soon make his first appearance in J1 League in August 2018. In 2019, he was loaned out to Nagoya Grampus, where he made nine appearances in all competitions.

VfB Stuttgart
In June 2021, Itō joined Bundesliga club VfB Stuttgart on loan, and was assigned to play for the second team in the Regionalliga Südwest. However, he was instantly promoted to the first team by coach Pellegrino Matarazzo, and started his first match in a 6–0 away win against BFC Dynamo in the DFB-Pokal. Afterwards that year, on 26 November, he scored his first Bundesliga goal in a 2–1 win over Mainz. On 20 May 2022, VfB Stuttgart exercised a purchase option which tied Itō to the club with a contract until June 2025.

In August 2023, he extended his contract with Stuttgart until June 2027. In the 2023–24 season, he played a crucial role in his club's runner-up finish and qualification to the Champions League.

Bayern Munich
On 13 June 2024, Itō signed for fellow Bundesliga club Bayern Munich until 2028, after they had triggered his release clause of an estimated €30 million.

International career
Itō played for the youth teams of Japan, including the U23 team during the 2018 AFC Championship, the U19 team in the 2018 AFC Championship, and the U20 team in the 2019 FIFA World Cup.

Itō made his debut for the senior Japan national team on 2 June 2022, during a 4–1 friendly win over Paraguay. Later that year, on 1 November, he was selected in 26-man squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

He scored his first goal for Japan against Peru on 20 June 2023 during the Kirin Challenge Cup. On 1 January 2024, he was called up for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup.

International

 * ''Scores and results list Japan's goal tally first.

Honours
Japan U19
 * AFC U-19 Championship third place: 2018

Individual
 * Bundesliga Rookie of the Month: November 2021