Takumi Minamino Biography; "The Scouse Samurai"

Known for his agility and aggressive attack, Minamino transferred to Liverpool’s top European clubs. Not to mention, he is also the first Japanese to represent the club and went on to win the Premier League with the club.

But of course, getting in one of the top clubs means more effort and challenges on his way. With the likes of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane,

, and Roberto Firmino ahead of him, it is unlikely for Takumi to surpass them. Despite that, the 26-year-old is determined to be one of the best deputies the club could find.

Here, we learn about

Takumi Minamino life story

, starting from his childhood, we evaluate to his playing career, analysis of his playing style as well as his personal life.

All You Need to Know About Takumi Minamino Biography

Here, in

Takumi Minamino bio

, we first learn some basic facts about the Japan's international before going in-depth about his career and his life story.

Takumi Minamino Information

Takumi Minamino date of birth

is January 16, 1995, and here are some basic facts about Liverpool forward.

• Full name: Takumi Minamino

• Nickname: The Scouse Samurai

Personal information

• Date of birth: January 16, 1995

• Zodiac sign: Capricorn

• Place of birth: Izumisano, Osaka, Japan

• Religion: Buddhism

• Nationality: Japanese

• Marital status: Dating

• Girlfriend Name: Yurina Yanagi

Body Measurements

• Hair color: Black

• Eye color: Black

• Height: 1.74 m

• Weight: 67 kgs

• Body Type: Athletic

Takumi Minamino Early Life

First of all, we narrate

Takumi Minamino childhood

story before continuing toward his career.

Born in Izumisano from Osaka Prefecture in Japan, Takumi was inspired by the finishing and dribbling of Brazilian striker

, who was the top scorer at the 2002 World Cup which Japan co-hosted when Minamino was seven, leading him playing football since he was in elementary school, for the local club Sessel Kumatori.

Aside from Ronaldo, Minamino’s family was also supportive of his growing passion for the game. Likewise, Takumi’s older brother Kenta also inspired him to play sports, he would defy his brother’s orders and follow him to training and play against older and stronger opponents than him. When they were young, his father would put cones down in a car park for them to dribble in and out of at speed. He attended Osaka-Kokoku High School and was graduated from Cerezo Osaka to start his senior career at the same club. Minamino joined the Cerezo Osaka youth team at age 12 and progressed through the academy. While at the Cerezo academy, players such as Shinji Kagawa, were in the first team, and Minamino would watch them up close and train with them. . In June 2011 He was elected by the Japanese U-17 National team plays for the 2011 U-17 World Cup.

"When I was little, my parents told me that my name means to cultivate and grow by myself.'I thought I shouldn't lose my name," Minamino confesses the origin of the name.

"I used to fight with my big brother. When I tried to follow him while his friends were playing, he said,'Don't come,' and I felt like I was against it. But in the end, I decided to keep up. (Laughs). I wonder if soccer started like that. I was kicking the ball with my big brothers before I even thought about it."

Takumi Minamino Profile

In this part of the Takumi Minamino biography, we take a look at the player’s career.

Cerezo Osaka

He broke into Cerezo Osaka first team in 2013 and was given the number thirteen shirt ahead of the 2012-13 season, the season he won J.League Rookie of the Year. Shortly after, his contract status changed to professional A, having met the requirement to play enough matches this season. Minamino continued to perform well throughout March when he set up two assists in the next two league matches before scoring his first goal of the season, in a 2–1 win over Oita Trinita in the Emperor's Cup. At the start of the 2014 season, Minamino made his AFC Champions League debut in a 1–1 draw against Pohang Steelers. He made 62 appearances for the club.

After all his great performance in Japan,

fell in love with him, they signed him on 7 January 2015 for a £0.72m fee. In August 2016, Minamino was elected by Japan U-23 national team for The 2016 Summer Olympics which was held in Rio de Janeiro, he played 3 matches in this event and scored a goal against Nigeria.

RB Salzburg

At the end of the 2014–15 season, Minamino went on to make 14 appearances and scored 3 times in all competitions for Salzburg. During the season, he quickly established himself in the starting eleven for the club, playing in the midfield position.

Takumi Minamino religion

is Buddhism and he became a unique figure of the culture in Austria. In the 2015–16 season, Minamino made a good start to the season when he scored his first goal of the season, in a 7–0 win over Deutschlandsberger SC in the first round of the Austrian Cup. At the end of the 2015–16 season, Minamino went on to make 40 appearances and scored 13 times in all competitions.

Throughout the 2016–17 season, Minamino was featured in and out of the starting line-up, as he was mostly placed on the substitute bench. Despite this, he helped the side win both the Austrian Cup and the league for the third consecutive time in his Red Bull Salzburg career. At the end of the 2016–17 season, Minamino went on to make 31 appearances and score 14 times in all competitions. During the season, he began to play in the striker position.

Having missed the start of the 2018–19 season, due to a hamstring injury, it wasn't until on 14 August 2018 when he scored his first goal of the season, in a 1–0 win over KF Shkëndija in the UEFA Champions League Qualification Round, to send the side through to the next round. On 8 November 2018, Minamino had his first-half hat-trick in a 5–2 victory over Rosenborg in a 2018–19 UEFA Europa League Group B match. By the end of the 2018–19 season, Minamino had made 45 appearances and scored 14 goals in all competitions. During the 2018–19 season, he continued to play in various positions in the attack.

At the start of the 2019–20 season, Minamino started the season well when he went on a scoring spree, resulting in him scoring four goals. In a UEFA Champions League match against Genk, he played a role when he set up two goals in a 6–2 win. Over the next two weeks, Minamino scored two more goals in the Austrian Cup and UEFA Champions League match against Rapid Wien and Liverpool respectively. His performances made

to pursue him for a £7.65m fee in January. With Red Bull Salzburg he had made 77 competitive appearances and scored 26 goals, winning six consecutive Austrian Bundesliga as well as four Austrian Cups.

Liverpool

Takumi Minamino nationality

is Japanese, and he became the first Japanese player to play for the Premier League giant. Salzburg's sporting director Christoph Freund commented that "The big clubs have been watching him and, if I was them, I'd have no hesitation to sign him. Takumi is ready to make the next step in January."

Minamino made his Liverpool debut in the club's FA Cup win over Everton on 5 January 2020 and made his Premier League debut against Wolverhampton Wanderers later the same month.

He remained as a squad player for the remainder of the season, with most appearances coming as a late substitute, and starts typically restricted to cup games. He did make enough appearances to earn himself a Premier League winners’ medal, becoming a champion within six months of his arrival to England.

After a promising pre-season, Minamino came off the bench in the Community Shield, with the Reds trailing 1-0 to Arsenal. Within 15 minutes of coming on, the Japanese international grabbed an equalizer, finishing calmly from close range to level the tie. He went on to convert his penalty in the shootout. However, Liverpool lost in the penalty shootout.

Minamino made his first start of the season, playing the full 90 minutes in a 7-2 win at Lincoln. The forward put in a man-of-the-match performance, grabbing two goals, as well as assisting

's effort. He was part of the Japan squad that reached the final of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup as well.

However, to seek more first-team game time, he was sent on loan to Southampton on 1 February 2021. He went on to feature ten times for Saints until the end of the season in the Premier League, scoring two goals. He returned to Liverpool for the 2021-22 season. Minamino netted his first goal at Anfield for Liverpool in a 4–0 home win against Arsenal. On 22 December 2021, Minamino scored the last-minute equalizer against Leicester City in the EFL Cup. The match eventfully went to a penalty shoot-out, and although Minamino missed his penalty, Liverpool went through 5–4 on penalties. In a total of 50 appearances for Liverpool, Takumi has contributed a total of 11 goals and 4 assists.

Style of Play

Here in this part of

Takumi Minamino biography

, we take a complete look at his playing style.

Minamino doesn’t always use one certain run or type of positioning which allows him to receive passes, but always looks for new solutions, and can adapt to different positions and systems. To do so, especially the first touch is very important and logically Minamino’s touch is outstanding. You see it numerous times in a match that the Japanese tries to solve situations already with his first touch and acceleration. One necessary quality to make a successful and good first touch is to permanently scan the pitch and especially before receiving the ball. The Japanese permanently does so.

There have been small glimmers of Minamino’s talent already in his fledgling Liverpool career. His avid pressing has often opened up pockets of space in his brief cameos. Minamino has shown he is not afraid to get stuck in with some zealous challenges in the FA Cup ties against Everton and Shrewsbury.

He’s looked composed on the ball too and exudes flair. His best performance so far has come at Stamford Bridge where Minamino managed two interceptions, three tackles, three dribbles, and created one key chance against Chelsea. That is exactly the type of performance

expects from his attackers. The German lauded Minamino’s contribution in the aftermath of the match, and admitted the team “could have used him much more often”.

If there can be anything extracted from his career so far, it’s that Minamino is a player who is prepared to work hard and put in the extra shift to ensure he meets expectations. The motivation will be even greater at Liverpool considering he admitted in a 2015 interview his “dream” would be to work under Klopp.

Reception

Liverpool's German manager, Jurgen Klopp was a great admirer of the Japanese from the very beginning, and in 2022, he was pleased to have Minamino back and available with the team about to embark on a busy fixture schedule without Mohamed Salah and

.

"Taki was injured, so that's all. Nothing serious but serious enough that he couldn't play, so that's how it is.

"But he is back and very important for us, very, very important – especially when we have a lot of games coming up and, how we all know, that two of our main guys up front are not here. It's good."

"I liked Taki a lot when he came on. He's actually in a really good shape but, of course, the injury interrupted it slightly, that's how it is. But now he's back, it's good and we need him desperately."

Taki admitted he was a fan of Liverpool since his childhood, "I like Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres and Liverpool was one of my favourite clubs growing up.

"I was very impressed with their strong mentality to come back from 3-0 down and I remember how they played in that second half [against AC Milan in the 2005 Champions League final]."

Klopp's first words to Minamino made quite an impression on his new charge as well. "I cannot forget his words - two or three days after joining the club, he said I could play in any way I wanted to play and he said just enjoy playing in any way you want to play," Minamino revealed.

"So I was really happy as a player that he said that. In the locker room, he is very good at motivating players, so I want to respond to his motivation even in the practice sessions and in the actual games."

All these things leads Taki to be nicknamed as “The Scouse Samurai” by fans even before his arrival, and his performances in the field grew this love mutually.

Goal Celebration

Takumi Minamino's actions after his goal against Norwich in the Carabao Cup as he stunned fans with his celebration.

The attacker scored the opener against Premier League strugglers after just four minutes at Carrow Road, sparking wild celebrations in the away end.

And the Japan international wheeled away in celebrations of his own, much to the delight of Reds fans.

After scoring his first goal for the club since returning from a loan spell with Southampton, Minamino cheered in celebration and pointed at the Liverpool badge.

As the rest of the squad left the celebrations, No.18 then turned to the Kop to thank them for their support and the fans replied with a loud roar. It appears from the outside that the bond between all the players is great and this moment illustrates it very well.

Takumi Minamino Outside Football

Until now, he has played for many prominent clubs, from Cereza Osaka to now a top international club, Liverpool. As of now, Takumi’s net worth is estimated to be 6 million euros. Minamino also makes additional from his endorsements and sponsorship deals. In fact, this renowned name has struck a deal with the global sports brand Adidas.

As a matter of fact, Minamino is a Guinness World Records holder for getting the highest fives within a minute(187). he achieved such a feat by running at the Komagawa Shopping Street.

Takumi Minamino Personal Life

Takumi Minamino was born to parents in Izumisano, Osaka Prefecture.  His parents were kind and supportive, and they encouraged him to follow his dream of being a football player. They are continually encouraging and motivating him to make excellent decisions. Takumi claims that his parents are the backbone of his professional success. He has not, however, revealed the names of his parents.

At age of 26, Minamino is still a young man who had his full focus on football to reach such a level. However, Minamino is reportedly dating Japanese model & actress, Yurina Yanagi.

In addition, Minamino is bilingual and is fluent in Japanese, his native language, and German. Added to this, Minamino is a massive fan of the Japanese idol group AKB48, and he also owns a car collection, with a Toyota Innova, a Range Rover Sport Autobiography, a BMW, an Audi RS8, and a Mercedes Benz S Class.

Family, Children and Relationships

Minamino is reportedly dating the Japanese model & actress, Yurina Yanagi. Yanagi started her acting career by winning the special award of the 'Smart Boys&Girlfriend' program in 2013. Then she was very active among magazines & TV, as well as a radio program.

Yurina has been Minamino's girlfriend for years. Minamino, who is also from Osaka, has dated her since last summer when he was still playing in Salzburg Redbull. Yurina's office had confirmed the news in January and said in the statement, "work is still the priority for both Yurina and Minamino. Thanks for everyone's blessing."

Philanthropy

Takumi has been influential in Japan and also did contributions to charities like Standard Chartered Foundation. For Standard Chartered Foundation, Takumi donated his signed shirt which was eventually auctioned for £2,725.

The Standard Chartered Foundation tackles inequality by promoting greater economic inclusion for disadvantaged young people from low-income households, particularly girls and people with visual impairments.

The Foundation funds community programs focused on education, employability, entrepreneurship, and eye health. It is the lead delivery partner for Futuremakers by Standard Chartered, a global initiative to empower the next generation to learn, earn and grow.

Legal Issues

There’s no legal issue reported for the Japan international so far as he’s growing as a kind Samourai through Liverpool.

Takumi Minamino Career Statistics

In this section of

Takumi Minamino biography

, we bring you all the career statistics of the Liverpool midfielder. Playing for Cerezo Osaka, Red Bull Salzburg, Liverpool, and Southampton, Takumi had an outstanding career.

Club

In a total of 85 appearances for

, Minamino has contributed 17 goals and 9 assists, before achieving a move to Salzburg, where he scored 64 goals and provided 52 assists in 200 appearances.

In a total of 50 appearances for Liverpool, Takumi has scored 11 goals and provided 4 assists. He further on scored two goals across the half-season he was on loan at Southampton in the 2020/21 season.

International

As early as he was 19, Minamino was included in Japan's senior team for the preliminary 30-man squad ahead of the FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

Minamino made his debut for Japan national team in a friendly against Iran on 13 October 2015, coming on as a substitute in 87th minute, in a 1–1 draw. He scored his first Japan goal, in a 3–0 win over Costa Rica on 11 September 2018.

Minamino was one of 23 Japanese players selected for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. In January 2019, he made his Asian Cup debut against Turkmenistan, providing an assist. In the semi-final against Iran, Minamino was Japan's star as he assisted twice and won his team a penalty, which was successfully converted by Yuya Osako. He scored his first-ever Asian Cup goal in the final against

, but ended up losing 3–1.

In a total of 37 Japan appearances, Minamino has scored 17 goals.

Takumi Minamino Honors

In this part of

Takumi Minamino biography

, we first note the Japanese’s individual honors before moving toward the club honors.

Early in his career in 2013, Minamino won J.League Rookie of the Year as well as the Japan Professional Sports Grand Prize's Rookie Award in 2013. His other individual honor is being included in IFFHS AFC Man Team of the Year later in his career, in 2020.

Most of his club has been achieved with Red Bull Salzburg, where he won six consecutive Austrian Bundesliga as well as four Austrian Cups. He further added a Premier League title with Liverpool in 2020.

On the international level, he went on to win the AFC U23 Asian Championship in 2016 with Japan U23 and led his nation to the finals of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup by providing the assist for the match-winning goal in the semi-finals, against Iran.

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