Japanese striker surprises Bundesliga

Shuto Machino shines in the Bundesliga this season.

In the early morning of May 5, Machino scored from the penalty spot, contributing to Holstein Kiel's 3-1 victory at Augsburg in round 32 of the Bundesliga.

Hero

This is Holstein Kiel's second consecutive win in the Bundesliga, helping them climb from bottom to second-to-last place, and at the same time revive their hopes of staying in the league.

Holstein Kiel currently has 25 points after 32 rounds, just 1 point behind the 16th-placed team (play-off position for relegation) Heidenheim. Previously, Holstein Kiel seemed to have to catch the train back to the Second Division early when they were at the bottom of the Bundesliga rankings for a long time.

However, Kiel showed a strong will to avoid relegation. And Japanese striker Machino is a great inspiration for the German club.

In a challenging season for newcomers Holstein Kiel, Machino has been a big bright spot. The Japanese striker has scored 11 Bundesliga goals this season, an impressive tally for a player playing for a team struggling at the bottom of the table.

Machino's ability to score at crucial moments, including a memorable double against Borussia Mönchengladbach in round 31, or a strike in round 32, played a key role in Kiel's relegation battle.

Joining Kiel from the J1 League in the summer of 2023, Machino scored just five goals in the team's promotion campaign to Bundesliga 2 last season. The striker born in 1999 doubled his goal tally in Germany's top flight this season, attracting great attention.

Phenomena

Kicker called Machino a "phenomenon", considering the Japanese player a star with incredible progress in the 2024/25 Bundesliga. Over the years, many stars from the land of the rising sun have made their names in the Bundesliga, but Machino's case is special in many aspects .

Shuto Machino brother 1

Machino is expected to help Japan solve the problem of strikers.

Japanese football has long been lacking in producing quality strikers. While the "Blue Samurai" have many famous names in the Bundesliga in the midfield and defense positions, Japanese football has had difficulty in the striker position.

Therefore, Machino's impressive performance in the Bundesliga this season brings a lot of promise to the Japanese team. In the context of Japan setting high goals for the 2026 World Cup, they need new winds in the attack, instead of depending on Mitoma, Minamino or Ueda.

“Shuto is a real goalscorer with excellent finishing ability with his right foot, left foot and header. He has an instinct for scoring in the box and has a great team spirit,” Kiel head coach Marcel Rapp praised Machino.

With just two rounds left in the Bundesliga this season, Holstein Kiel still has a lot to do in the relegation battle. However, regardless of the team's results at the end of the season, Machino is still a name that attracts a lot of attention from bigger clubs.

Wolfsburg, Gladbach and even Stuttgart are interested in Machino and could make an offer for him this summer. It could be a big step forward for the Japanese striker's career.

Source: https://znews.vn/tien-dao-nhat-ban-khien-bundesliga-ngo-ngang-post1550907.html