Kaishu Sano
Japan
MID
Age
25
Appearances
0
Goals
0
About Kaishu Sano
Kaishu Sano is a midfielder in Japan's final 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup, named in Hajime Moriyasu's group. He is 25 at kick-off and has four caps for Japan so far. His club football is played in Germany, where he turns out for Mainz in the Bundesliga.
Japan are in Group F and start against the Netherlands at AT&T Stadium in Arlington on 14 June, having topped their AFC qualifying group. Sano is listed among Japan's midfielders in the 26 Moriyasu took to the finals, reaching the tournament early in his senior international career, with four caps to his name.
Japan are in Group F and start against the Netherlands at AT&T Stadium in Arlington on 14 June, having topped their AFC qualifying group. Sano is listed among Japan's midfielders in the 26 Moriyasu took to the finals, reaching the tournament early in his senior international career, with four caps to his name.
World Cup 2026 Stats
Appearances
0
Minutes played
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Key passes
0
Accuracy
0%
Playing Style
Sano is a defensive midfielder, the deeper-lying role he fills for Mainz in the Bundesliga. A holding midfielder's job sits in front of the back line — screening, tidying up and keeping the ball moving — rather than getting forward to finish chances.
That is the part of the pitch where Sano works for his club, the base of the midfield rather than its attacking end. He carries that holding-midfield brief into a Japan side that named him among its midfielders for the 2026 squad.
That is the part of the pitch where Sano works for his club, the base of the midfield rather than its attacking end. He carries that holding-midfield brief into a Japan side that named him among its midfielders for the 2026 squad.
World Cup History
Sano goes to the 2026 World Cup without a senior World Cup behind him, so a place in the matchday squad would be his first appearance at the tournament should he feature. His international career is still young, four caps in, and his standing rests on club football at Mainz rather than on past finals.
Japan came through their AFC qualifying group to reach the World Cup and are drawn in Group F with the Netherlands, Tunisia and Sweden. For the 25-year-old, 2026 is the tournament ahead of him rather than one he can look back on.
Japan came through their AFC qualifying group to reach the World Cup and are drawn in Group F with the Netherlands, Tunisia and Sweden. For the 25-year-old, 2026 is the tournament ahead of him rather than one he can look back on.
National Team
Japan
Tier 3
£17m
📋 Teammates (11)
View teamGoalkeepers
Midfielders
Forwards
Goal Rush Impact
Sano's part in Japan's Goal Rush pick is a defensive-midfield one: a deeper-lying role in the middle of the pitch rather than one geared to scoring at the far end. Japan's £17m outlay places them in Tier 3, a band that sits within the game's £200m card budget, and Group F lies ahead.
What Sano gives the side is that holding-midfield job, the deeper part of the midfield rather than its attacking end, the role he fills for Japan.
What Sano gives the side is that holding-midfield job, the deeper part of the midfield rather than its attacking end, the role he fills for Japan.
🏆 Goal Rush
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Sano at the 2026 World Cup
Sano is a 25-year-old Mainz midfielder, one of the names in Hajime Moriyasu's final 26 after Japan won their AFC qualifying group.
Picking Japan in Goal Rush
Japan share Group F with the Netherlands first up in Arlington, then two more group fixtures. Sano is a midfield pick in a £17m Japan side rated Tier 3.
Kaishu Sano World Cup 2026 FAQs
Japan's Goal Rush price is £17m, a Tier 3 valuation. Sano is a midfielder inside the final 26, so what his selection adds up to at that cost is his squad role and where he lines up.
Sano is a midfielder, a defensive midfielder by trade. That deeper role is the one he fills for Mainz in Germany's Bundesliga, and he is named among Japan's midfielders for 2026.
No — this is set to be Sano's first senior World Cup if he features. He has four caps for Japan and reaches the finals as part of Hajime Moriyasu's 26, drawn into Group F.
Sano's club is Mainz, where he plays in the German Bundesliga in a deeper midfield role. He is one of Japan's midfielders in the final 26 for the 2026 World Cup.
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