Kimito Nono
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 26 March 2002 | ||
| Place of birth | Ibaraki, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture, Japan | ||
| Height | 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Position | Right back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | D.C. United | ||
| Number | 2 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Osaka Dreams | |||
| Valentia FC | |||
| –2016 | Sagan Tosu | ||
| 2017–2019 | Ohzu High School | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2020–2023 | Kwansei Gakuin University | 55 | (9) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2024–2026 | Kashima Antlers | 77 | (12) |
| 2026– | D.C. United | 0 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 13:18, 31 July 2026 (UTC) | |||
Kimito Nono (濃野 公人, Nono Kimito; born 26 March 2002) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a right back for Major League Soccer club D.C. United.[1]
Early life
[edit]Nono was born in Ibaraki, Osaka and his father would often take him to watch Gamba Osaka matches. Whilst at elementary school, he moved to Chikushino, Fukuoka and joined Sagan Tosu U-15.[2]
Youth career
[edit]Despite playing for Sagan Tosu's U-15 side, Nono decided to attend Ohzu High School to continue his footballing journey rather than move up to Tosu's U-18s. At this time, his position was as a forward. In 2019, he scored six goals in 17 appearances in the Prince Takamado Trophy JFA U-18 Football League.[3]
Nono received an offer from Kwansei Gakuin University, which he accepted. In his first year, he moved first to right-midfield, before settling in the right-back position at the start of his second year. From then on, Nono was a regular player for the university team.[4] The team finished as winners of the JUFA Kansai League in both 2021 and 2022. At the end of his time at the university, he had 64 appearances and scored 10 goals across all competitions.[5]
Club career
[edit]Kashima Antlers
[edit]Nono received two offers from J1 League clubs.[6] In June 2023, it was announced that he would be joining J1 League team Kashima Antlers for the 2024 J1 League season.[7] Nono made his debut for the club on the opening game of the season in a 3–0 league victory over Nagoya Grampus.[8][9] He became the first college graduate rookie since 1993 to be named in the starting lineup of the opening game for a Kashima side.[10] In April 2024, he scored his first goal for the club, an 85th-minute winner in a 1–0 league win over Kyoto Sanga.[11][12] In his first appearance in the J.League Cup, Nono was sent off in extra time in a 2–1 victory over Vanraure Hachinohe.[13] After scoring two goals in a 3–2 defeat to Shonan Bellmare on 28 September 2024, he picked up a knee injury which ruled him out for the remainder of the season.[14] Despite missing the last two months of the season, his nine goals in thirty-one appearances meant Nono was selected in the 2024 J.League Best XI.[15] He was the first university graduate rookie since Kaoru Mitoma in 2020 to be inducted into the Best XI.[16]
Ahead of the 2025 season, Nono stated he wanted to continue his goalscoring form and was aiming for a double digit goal tally.[17] Nono retained his place as the first-choice right-back until he picked up an injury in April following a J.League Cup match against Renofa Yamaguchi, which ruled him out for two months. By June, he was starting to be eased back into the starting XI and by July he was once again starting most games at right-back.[18] He finished the season making 32 appearances across all competitions, scoring 2 goals and helping Kashima win their first league title since 2016.
In 2026, Nono played almost every game for Kashima in the J1 100 Year Vision League and his performances gained him a place in the Regional Round East Best Eleven[19] He scored 2 goals in 19 appearances as Kashima finished runners-up in the competition.
D.C. United
[edit]In July 2026, it was announced that Nono would be joining MLS club D.C. United on a three-year contract, occupying one of their international roster slots. There he would be linking up with former Kashima Antlers manager René Weiler.[20]
Career statistics
[edit]Club
[edit]- As of 31 July 2026[21]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Kashima Antlers | 2024 | J1 League | 31 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 36 | 9 |
| 2025 | J1 League | 27 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 32 | 2 | |
| 2026 | J1 (100) | 19 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 2 | |
| Total | 77 | 12 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 87 | 13 | ||
| D.C. United | 2026 | MLS | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career total | 77 | 12 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 87 | 13 | ||
- ↑ Includes Emperors Cup
- ↑ Includes J.League Cup
Honours
[edit]Club
[edit]Kashima Antlers
Individual
[edit]- J.League Best XI: 2024[23]
- J1 100 Year Vision League Regional Round East Best Eleven: 2026[19]
References
[edit]- ↑ "KIMITO NONO | Kashima Antlers Player". J.LEAGUE. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
- ↑ "関学DF濃野公人はなぜ鹿島入りを決断したのか。常勝軍団の"立ち返る場所"に魂が震えた。「一番大切にしてきたものがここにはある」 | サッカーダイジェストWeb". www.soccerdigestweb.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 18 April 2024.
- ↑ "Soccer D.B. : 2019 Kimito Nono Result by Season". soccer-db.net. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
- ↑ "関学DF濃野公人はなぜ鹿島入りを決断したのか。常勝軍団の"立ち返る場所"に魂が震えた。「一番大切にしてきたものがここにはある」 | サッカーダイジェストWeb". www.soccerdigestweb.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 18 April 2024.
- ↑ "Soccer D.B. : Kimito Nono All-Time Record". soccer-db.net. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
- ↑ "関学DF濃野公人はなぜ鹿島入りを決断したのか。常勝軍団の"立ち返る場所"に魂が震えた。「一番大切にしてきたものがここにはある」 | サッカーダイジェストWeb". www.soccerdigestweb.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 18 April 2024.
- ↑ "濃野 公人選手の2024シーズン加入内定について | 鹿島アントラーズ オフィシャルサイト". 鹿島アントラーズ オフィシャルサイト | KASHIMA ANTLERS (in Japanese). Retrieved 18 April 2024.
- ↑ "【鹿島】大卒ルーキーＤＦ濃野公人開幕スタメン「地に足つけて鹿島で結果を残せるように」 - Ｊ１ : 日刊スポーツ". nikkansports.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 18 April 2024.
- ↑ "Nagoya Grampus vs. Kashima Antlers - 23 February 2024 - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
- ↑ "濃野公人が行き詰まったときに見返す「最高潮のとき」。自らの域を逸脱したことで得られたものとは。". スポーツナビ (in Japanese). Retrieved 18 April 2024.
- ↑ "【鹿島】大卒新人DF濃野公人のプロ初得点＆鹿島1800号で京都に競り勝ち連敗ストップ - Ｊ１ : 日刊スポーツ". nikkansports.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 18 April 2024.
- ↑ "Kashima Antlers vs. Kyoto Sanga - 13 April 2024 - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
- ↑ "鹿島DFが警告2枚→退場 接触シーンの判定にファン疑問「イーブン」「先に触ってる」". www.football-zone.net (in Japanese). 18 April 2024. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
- ↑ "濃野 公人選手の負傷について". www.antlers.co.jp (in Japanese).
- ↑ "【公式】２０２４Ｊリーグアウォーズ特設サイト". Ｊリーグ.jp (in Japanese).
- ↑ "「来季は自分がチームを引っ張る」鹿島DF濃野公人がプロ1年目でベストイレブン受賞！". サッカーキング (in Japanese). 10 December 2024. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ↑ "鹿島ＤＦ濃野公人、今季目標は「二桁ゴール」「昨季を超えていく」昨季は９得点でベストイレブン受賞". スポーツ報知 (in Japanese). 10 February 2025. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
- ↑ "【鹿島】前節広島戦で2カ月ぶり復帰の濃野公人、21日の町田戦勝利へ闘志。「相手の長所に立ち向かい、上回っていく」 - サッカーマガジンWEB" [[Kashima] Kimito Kono, who returned to action in the previous match against Hiroshima after a two-month absence, is determined to win against Machida on the 21st. "We will confront the opponent's strengths and surpass them."] (in Japanese). Retrieved 31 July 2026.
- 1 2 "Instagram".
- ↑ "D.C. United Signs Japanese Midfielder/Defender Kimito Nono from Kashima Antlers | DC United". dcunited. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
- ↑ "Soccer D.B. : 2024 Kimito Nono Result by Season". soccer-db.net. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
- ↑ "明治安田J1リーグの順位表". J. League (in Japanese). Retrieved 6 December 2025.
- ↑ "2024年のJリーグベストイレブンが決定!! 連覇神戸から最多3人、広島・G大阪・鹿島は2人ずつ". Gekisaka (in Japanese). Retrieved 10 December 2024.
External links
[edit]- Kimito Nono at Soccerway
- Profile at Kashima Antlers
- Profile at jleague.jp
- 2002 births
- Living people
- Football people from Osaka Prefecture
- Japanese men's footballers
- Men's association football defenders
- Kwansei Gakuin University alumni
- J1 League players
- Major League Soccer players
- Kashima Antlers players
- D.C. United players
- Japanese expatriate men's footballers
- Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States
- Japanese expatriate sportspeople in the United States
- 21st-century Japanese sportsmen