KennedyEgbus Mikuni

Kennedy Egbus Mikuni (三國 ケネディエブス) is a Japanese footballer who plays as a centre-back for club Nagoya Grampus.

Early career
Mikuni began playing football at Aomori Yamada High School in Aomori, where he was scouted. Mikuni progressed both junior high and high school at Aomori between 2015 and 2018. In his first year at Aomori Yamada, he helped the school win the National Junior High School Soccer Tournament Final in 2015. Together with teammates Riku Danzaki, they were one of the key players to win the Outstanding Player Award of the tournament. Mikuni finished the tournament as the National Junior High School Soccer Tournament top scorer.

In the 2016 season, Mikuni played a small contributions for Aomori Yamada when the school won both the National High School Soccer Championship and Prince Takamado Trophy Championship. Having started out as a striker, Mikuni began playing in a centre–back defender in his third year at Aomori Yamada High School. Throughout 2017, his performance at Aomori Yamada was noticed by Web Gekisaka, who described him one of the players to watch.

In 2018, Mikuni helped the Aomori Yamada win Sanix Cup International Youth Tournament and National High School Soccer Championship Final. Following this, he was included for the National High School Soccer Championship Outstanding Player. Throughout 2018, his performance at Aomori Yamada, once again, was noticed by Web Gekisaka, who described him one of the players to watch.

Avispa Fukuoka
It was announced on 18 July 2018 that Mikuni would be joining Avispa Fukuoka ahead of the new season. He was given a number twenty shirt by the club.

Mikuni made his Avispa Fukuoka debut, starting the whole game, in the opening game of the season against FC Ryukyu but he conceded three goals, as the club lost 3–1. In a follow–up match against V-Varen Nagasaki, Mikuni made an improvement in his second appearance for Avispa Fukuoka when he helped the club kept a clean sheet, in a 0–0 draw. After missing two matches due to an injury, Mikuni returned to the starting line–up against Albirex Niigata and kept another clean, in a 2–0 win on 23 March 2019. He was given a first team chance under the management of Fabio Pecchia. In a match against Zweigen Kanazawa on 3 May 2019, Mikuni received a red card for a second bookable offence, in a 1–1 draw. He previously played uncharacteristically, such as, losing possessions and giving away the ball that saw him substituted at half time, in a 1–1 draw against Yokohama FC on 7 April 2019. After two months away, Mikuni made his first appearance for Avispa Fukuoka, playing 120 minutes, in a 2–1 win against Kagoshima United in the second round of the Emperor’s Cup. At the end of the 2019 season, he went on to make eleven appearances in all competitions. Following this, Mikuni briefly went on an invitational trial with Italian side Juventus U23 for two weeks.

At the start of the 2020 season, Mikuni had his contract renewed with Avispa Fukuoka. After being absent from the first team, he scored on his first appearance of the season, in a 1–1 draw against Ehime FC on 29 July 2020. This was followed up by setting up an equalising goal, in a 2–2 draw against Ventforet Kofu. In a match between Avispa Fukuoka and Mito HollyHock on 4 November 2020, Mikuni played briefly against his older brother, SteviaEgbus when he came on as a late substitute, as the club won 1–0. However, Mikuni made only five starts for Avispa Fukuoka and found his playing time from the substitute bench. Despite making nineteen appearances and scoring once in all competitions, he helped the club promoted to J1 League.

Ahead of the 2021 season, Mikuni had his contract renewed with Avispa Fukuoka. On 3 March 2021, he scored his first goal for the club, in a 3–2 lost against Consadole Sapporo in the group stage of the J. League Cup. Mikuni then made three starts, playing as a striker. By the time Mikuni left Avispa Fukuoka in May, he made four appearances and scoring once in all competitions.

Following his loan spell at Tochigi SC ended, Mikuni made his first appearance of the 2022 season for Avispa Fukuoka, starting a match and played 82 minutes, in a 1–0 lost against Yokohama F. Marinos on 10 September 2022. After making seven appearances in all competitions at the end of the 2022 season, he had his contract renewed with Avispa Fukuoka. Throughout the 2023 season, Mikuni made only twelve starts for Avispa Fukuoka and found his playing time from the substitute bench. He then helped the club qualify for the J. League Cup knockout stage after winning the two remaining matches of the group stage against Albirex Niigata and Kashiwa Reysol. In a match against Vissel Kobe on 25 June 2023, Mikuni suffered an injury and was substituted in the 39th minute, as Avispa Fukuoka lost 3–0. After being sidelined for three months, he returned from injury, coming on as a 51st minute substitute, in a 2–0 win against FC Tokyo, as the club advanced to the semi–finals of the J. League Cup. Mikuni played in both legs of the semi–finals of the J. League Cup against Nagoya Grampus, as he helped the club won 2–0 on aggregate to advance to the final. However, he was left out of the squad in the J.League Cup final, as Avispa Fukuoka won 2–1 against Urawa Red Diamonds to win the tournament. At the end of the 2023 season, Mikuni made twenty–eight appearances in all competitions.

Tochigi SC (loan)
On 21 May 2021, Mikuni has been loaned out to J2 League side Tochigi SC for the rest of the 2021 season.

He made his debut for the club, starting the whole and kept a clean sheet, in a 3–0 win against Matsumoto Yamaga on 23 May 2021. This was followed up by helping Tochigi SC keep two clean sheets in the next two matches. Since joining Tochigi SC, Mikuni started in the centre–back position for the next two months. However, he was dropped to the substitute bench for the rest of the 2021 season after the club went on winless run for three months. At the end of the 2021 season, Mikuni made twenty–four appearances in all competitions.

Mikuni had his contract renewed with Avispa Fukuoka and was loaned out to Tochigi SC for the 2022 season. He made five appearances for the club before returning to his parent club on 10 August 2022.

Nagoya Grampus
On 25 December 2023, it was announced that Mikuni joined J. League side Nagoya Grampus on a permanent transfer.

International career
Mikuni represented the Japan levels, when he was first called up to Japan U15 in February 2015 and appeared eight times.

In February 2016, Mikuni was called up to the Japan U16 squad, but did not play. Two years later, he was called up to the Japan U18 squad in June 2018. Mikuni made his Japan U18 debut, starting the whole game, in a 1–0 win against Czech Republic U18 on 14 June 2018. Two months later, he participated in the SBS Cup for Japan U18 side, where they finished as runners-up. On 4 September 2018, Mikuni scored in a friendly match, in a 2–0 win against Vietnam U19.

In October 2018, Mikuni was called up to the Japan U19 squad for the AFC U-19 Championship in Indonesia, becoming the only player from the High School Federation to be called up. He played three times for the Japan U19, as they made it through to the semi–finals and was eliminated by Saudi Arabia U19.

Having been called up to the Japan U20 squad and appeared in the practice match in April 2019, Mikuni was called up to the squad for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Poland. He played once in the tournament, in a 0–0 draw against Italy U20 on 29 May 2019, as Japan were eliminated in the Round of 16.

Personal life
Mikuni was born in Tokyo to a Nigerian father and a Japanese mother. He was the second of six children and the second son born to his parents. Mikuni is the younger brother of SteviaEgbus Mikuni and they once made a promise together of playing together one day.

Mikuni is good friends with Takefusa Kubo, having lived in Aomori.