SC Freiburg have completed the signing of Japanese defensive midfielder Rihito Yamamoto from Belgian Jupiler Pro League side Sint-Truiden, with the 24-year-old becoming the latest in a quiet but consistent line of Japanese footballers to represent the Black Forest club.
Yamamoto, born in Sagamihara in Kanagawa prefecture on 12 December 2001, began his career at Tokyo Verdy, where he accumulated more than 90 appearances in the J2 League before moving to Gamba Osaka in the top flight in 2022. A loan spell at Sint-Truiden in 2023/24 became a permanent arrangement, and he went on to make 38 appearances for the Belgian side, contributing five goals and six assists as Sint-Truiden finished third in 2025/26 — a notable result for a club of their standing.
His arrival in the Bundesliga carries a broader context for Freiburg. He is the fifth Japanese player to represent the club, following Ritsu Dōan, Yuito Suzuki, Kisho Yano — who made 15 Bundesliga appearances for them in 2010/11 — and Kosuke Kinoshita, who was on their books as a youth player without making a senior appearance. Sint-Truiden, for their part, have operated under Japanese ownership for some years, and Yamamoto was one of 29 Japanese players to turn out for the club over the past decade, making his route to the Bundesliga something of a well-worn path.
Freiburg's sporting director Klemens Hartenbach described Yamamoto as a versatile midfielder capable of influencing matches in both phases of play, and pointed to his continued development as a key focus for the club. Yamamoto himself has been candid about his ambitions, stating that he is seeking to test himself in one of the world's most competitive leagues and that he hopes the move will strengthen his case for Japan's 2030 World Cup squad. He has already accumulated experience at international level, having represented Japan across nine different age groups and featured four times at the 2024 Paris Olympics, scoring against Paraguay and Mali before captaining the side in their match against Israel.
As a player, Yamamoto sits comfortably either as a holding midfielder or in a more advanced, box-to-box role. He is known for his passing range and his ability to carry the ball forward, combined with a physical presence off the ball. Whether Freiburg use him primarily as a screen in front of the defence or give him licence to drive forward will likely depend on how quickly he adapts to the demands of the Bundesliga — which, given his stated motivation for making the move, he will be eager to demonstrate.