Who is Shūto Machino? | OneFootball

Shuto Machino: Who is Holstein Kiel’s striker from the city of ninjas?

Shūto Machino has made quite the impression in front of goal for Bundesliga new boys Holstein Kiel. bundesliga.com has more on the Japan international...

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Data correct as of 1 May 2025

Shūto Machino

Age: 25 (born 30 September 1999)Club: Holstein KielPosition: Striker Country: Japan (six caps / three goals)

It was Machino's father who encouraged his son's early passion for football, coaching the youngster as part of the primary school football team alongside his older brother. Machino’s love for the game only grew, and his talent became evident at boyhood clubs Nakase SS and FC Avenida Sol.

His professional footballing journey began in 2018, when he signed for Yokohama F. Marinos. He was on their books for two years without making a senior appearance, instead gaining experience on loan with third-tier side Giravanz Kitakyushu, where he eventually won the league title in 2019. Seventeen goals and 11 assists later, Machino was ready to make the jump back to the JLeague, joining Shonan Bellmare where his star continued to rise. In just shy of 100 games for the club he netted 28 times – form that caught the eye of the Japan national team.

Machino was selected for the East Asian Championships in 2022 and went on to lift the trophy for his country, before featuring at the FIFA World Cup and moving to Kiel sixth months later. He has since made 59 appearances in all competitions in a Holstein shirt, helping the them gain promotion to the German top tier for the first time in their history at the end of the 2023/24 season. Unfortunately for Kiel, they are in serious danger of relegation back to the second tier, but Machino has been their shining light with 10 Bundesliga goals.

Plays a bit like: Jonas Wind

Both Machino and Wolfsburg's Jonas Wind have a strong physical presence and a willingness to press from the front, allowing them to bring their teammates into the game. As well as having an eye for goal, they’re both eager to get involved with the build-up play and are more than comfortable dropping deeper when required.

Did you know?

Machino’s journey to the Bundesliga began in the city of Iga, Japan, also know as ‘the city of ninjas’. He is still well connected to his roots and currently holds the position of tourism ambassador for the city, a role he took up in 2022 and takes great pride in: “I did the ninja pose as a goal celebration to give something back to my hometown," the forward explained. "I was also entrusted with the important role of tourism ambassador, so I want to keep scoring goals and contribute to the development and promotion of Iga.”

What they’re saying

"Shūto is a true goalscorer with a great finish, both with his right foot, his left foot, and with his head. He also has the right instinct to score in the box. Furthermore, his mentality is that of an absolute team player." - Kiel head coach Marcel Rapp

"This transfer is obviously a great story for Holstein. But the most important thing is that with Shūto we have acquired a striker with strong dribbling and combination skills, who makes our offensive game very versatile." - former Kiel sporting director Uwe Stöver

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