At just 20 years old, Kodai Sano has broke onto the Eredivisie scene with some performance highlights that demonstrate a player on the rise. His main strength lies in his defensive work, particularly in ball recovery where he ranks in the top 16% of his peers. This, combined with his strong ball retention skills—ranking at the top 13%—shows a young player who is trustful with the ball under his feet and capable of regaining possession in high-stakes situations.
However, Sano's promise in the midfield is somewhat overshadowed by several weaknesses in his attacking abilities. His chance creation sits shockingly low, at the bottom 2% of his peers—this could limit his effectiveness in providing scoring opportunities. His progressivity, both in terms of carrying and passing, also fall significantly short, ranking within the bottom quarter among his equivalents.
His goals per 90 and goal threat percentages are in a better position, falling slightly above mid-tier, and his efficiency in front of goal is notable; finding himself in the top third percentile.
While Sano's overall contributions might not be making headlines, his defensive solidity paired with a respectable goal efficiency show promising bearing for a young player in a competitive league like the Eredivisie. However, to transform into an influential midfielder he, unsurprisingly, needs a remarkable improvement in his chance creation and progressive carrying capacities.
Kodai Sano Key stats
Kodai Sano Career Trend
Kodai Sano Shot Maps
Kodai Sano Shot Summary
In the 2024-2025 season, Kodai Sano took 9 shots, scoring 1 goals. This output came from an Expected Goals (xG) of 0.66, averaging 0.07 xG per shot.
Right Foot: 0 goals from 6 shots. A 0.0% conversion rate. 0.03 xG per shot.
Left Foot: 0 goals from 1 shots. A 0.0% conversion rate. 0.06 xG per shot.
Headers: 1 goals from 2 headed attempts. A 50.0% conversion rate. 0.21 xG per shot.
