is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or winger for 2. Bundesliga club VfL Bochum and the Japan national team. He previously played domestically for Kawasaki Frontale, from where he spent time on loan with the J.League U-22 Selection, Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo and Yokohama F. Marinos. He joined Belgian club Royal Antwerp, initially on loan, in 2019, and four years later joined English club Birmingham City, where he spent just over one season before signing for Bochum.
Club career Early career Born in Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Miyoshi was introduced to football by his older brother in the first year of elementary school. Like him, his older brother was a footballer and his father was a football coach. His first club was at Nakanojima FC. Soon after, he joined the Kawasaki Frontale’s youth team at age 10. having been the only two out of the 300 participants to pass the exam. Miyoshi progressed through the youth team all way to the U18 side. Due to his "small stature and sharp movements", which was a reminiscent of Lionel Messi, he earned a nickname of "Miyessi".
In 2011, Miyoshi scored four times on two occasions in his first year at Kawasaki Frontale’s U18. Two years later, he scored three hat–tricks in his third year at Kawasaki Frontale’s U18. However towards the end of 2013, Miyoshi’s progress at Kawasaki Frontale’s U18 was interrupted when he suffered a knee injury that saw him sidelined for ten months. On 8 August 2014, it was announced that Miyoshi and Ko Itakura would be promoted to the Kawasaki Frontale’s senior team ahead of the 2015 season.
Kawasaki Frontale Ahead of the 2015 season, Miyoshi was introduced to the Kawasaki Frontale’s first team at the club’s press conference and was given a number twenty–six shirt. On 4 April 2015, he made his debut for the club, coming on as a late substitute, in a 4–1 win against Albirex Niigata. After the match, Miyoshi said it was a dream come true to have made his professional debut. On 22 April 2015, he made his first start for Kawasaki Frontale and played 45 minutes before being substituted, in a 0–0 draw against Vissel Kobe in the J.League Cup. Miyoshi went on to make five more appearances for Kawasaki Frontale in the 2015 season.
After his time at J.League U-22 Selection ended, Miyoshi returned to the Kawasaki Frontale’s first team, coming on as a 83rd minute substitute, in a 0–0 draw against Yokohama F. Marinos in the group stage match of the J.League Cup. For the reminder of the J.League Cup matches, he went on to set up three times for the club, but fell short of finishing third place and was out of the tournament. On 2 July 2016, Miyoshi scored his first goal for Kawasaki Frontale, in a 3–0 win against Vegalta Sendai. After the match, his goal against Vegalta Sendai earned him a nomination for the league’s Goal of the Game. However in a match against Sagan Tosu on 13 August 2016, he came on as 79th minutes substitute, only to receive a straight red card five minutes later for kicking Kim Min-woo, as the club lost 1–0. After serving a one match suspension, Miyoshi scored on his return, in a 5–2 lost against Kashiwa Reysol on 27 August 2016. He later scored two more goals later in the 2016 season and against Yokohama F. Marinos and Gamba Osaka. Miyoshi started the whole game in the quarter finals of the Emperor’s Cup against Urawa Red Diamonds and successfully converted the penalty in a shootout, as the club won 4–2 to advance to the next round. He was part of the Kawasaki Frontale’s squad when the club lost twice against Kashima Antlers in the league’s Championship stage and the Emperor's Cup final (during the match, Miyoshi set up the equalising goal that sent the match to extra time and the match ended in a 2–1 lost for Kawasaki Frontale). At the end of the 2016 season, he made twenty–seven appearances and scoring four times in all competitions.
Ahead of the 2017 season, Miyoshi renewed his contract with Kawasaki Frontale. He also switched number shirt from twenty to thirteen following the departure of Yoshito Ōkubo. Miyoshi made his AFC Champions League debut, starting a match and played 68 minutes before being substituted, in a 1–1 draw against Suwon Samsung Bluewings. After being absent from the first team due to international commitments with Japan U20, he returned to the first team, starting the match and played 67 minutes before being substituted, in a 2–1 win against Tochigi City in the Emperor’s Cup on 21 June 2017. After a three month absent from the first team, Miyoshi made his return to the first team, coming on as a late substitute, in a 5–1 win against Cerezo Osaka on 30 September 2017. He then scored three goals throughout October, including a brace against Vegalta Sendai that send the club to the final of the J.League Cup. In the final against Cerezo Osaka, Miyoshi started the match and played 45 minutes before being substituted at half time, as Kawasaki Frontale lost 2–0. At the end of the 2017 season, he went on to make twenty appearances and scoring three times in all competitions. Despite playing less than the previous season, Miyoshi was among eleven players to be selected for the Tag Heuer Young Guns’ Award.
Loan Spells from Kawasaki Frontale On 27 June 2015, Miyoshi was among several youngsters to join J.League U-22 Selection for the rest of the 2015 season. He played eight times for the J.League U-22 Selection, including scoring once against Fujieda MYFC on 25 October 2015.
On 26 December 2017, Miyoshi joined Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo on loan ahead of the 2018 season. Upon joining the club, he was given a number 41 shirt. He made his debut for the club, starting the whole game, in a 1–0 lost against Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the opening game of the season. Since joining Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo, Miyoshi became a first team regular, playing in the attacking midfield position. In a match against Kashiwa Reysol on 14 April 2018, he set up two goals for the club, as the side won 2–1. After the match, broadcaster DAZN named Miyoshi as the Best Player of the Week. By the end of the first half to the season, he made thirteen appearances despite being absent two times. After the Toulon Tournament, Miyoshi scored his first goal on his return for Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo, in a 4–0 win against Avispa Fukuoka in the third round of the Emperor’s Cup. Three weeks later on 1 August 2018, he played an important for the club, setting up two goals, in a 3–2 win against V-Varen Nagasaki. After the end of the Asian Games tournament, Miyoshi returned to the starting line–up, coming on as a 66th minute substitute, in a 2–0 lost against Kashima Antlers on 23 September 2018. This was followed up by scoring his second goal for Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo, in a 2–1 win against Sagan Tosu. After the match, broadcaster DAZN named Miyoshi as the Best Player of the Week for the second time in the 2018 season. He later scored two more goals for the club, coming against Vegalta Sendai and Júbilo Iwata. At the end of the 2018 season, Miyoshi made twenty–eight appearances and scoring four times in all competitions. Shortly after, he was among eleven players to be selected for the Tag Heuer Young Guns’ Award for the second time..
It was announced on 28 December 2018 that Miyoshi would be joining Yokohama F. Marinos for the 2019 season. Upon joining the club, he was given a number 41 shirt. Miyoshi made a good start to his Yokohama F. Marinos’ career when he scored on his debut, in a 3–2 win against Gamba Osaka in the opening game of the season. Since joining the club, Moyoshi became a first team regular under the management of Ange Postecoglou.
In a match against Vissel Kobe on 18 May 2019, he came on as a 71st minute substitute and scored a brace, in a 4–1 win. On his last appearance for Yokohama F. Marinos against Yokohama FC on 14 August 2019, he set up the opening goal of the game, in a 2–1 win. Despite missing three matches in the 2019 season due to international commitment, Moyoshi made twenty–three appearances and scoring times in all competitions. It was announced that his loan contract with the club was terminated, due to an imminent move to Royal Antwerp.
Royal Antwerp On 20 August 2019, he joined Belgian First Division A side Royal Antwerp on loan for a year from Kawasaki Frontale with an option to make the deal permanent. Upon joining the club, he acknowledged the different atmosphere, playing in Belgium than his home country.
Miyoshi scored on his Royal Antwerp debut, just four minutes after coming on as a substitute, in a 2–1 win against Anderlecht on 15 September 2019. He then made his first start for the club a week later against Lokeren in the sixth round of the Belgium Cup, and scored twice, in a 4–2 win, having played extra time. Since joining Royal Antwerp, Miyoshi found his playing time, coming from the substitute bench. He also faced setbacks with injuries throughout the 2019–20 season. On 6 April 2020, it was announced that the club signed Miyoshi on a permanent basis, signing a three–year contract. He appeared as an unused substitute bench, as Royal Antwerp beat Club Brugge to win the Belgian Cup final. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic which resulted in the cancellation of the league, Miyoshi went on to make fifteen appearances and scoring three times in all competitions.
In the 2020–21 season, Miyoshi continued to fight for his first team place that saw him placed on the substitute bench, having missed the first two league matches of the season due to injury. Between October and January, he was given a number of starts for the club, playing in the right–midfield position, though played as a forward occasionally. He then scored his first goal of the season, in a 4–1 win against K.V. Mechelen on 2 October 2020. His second goal of the season came on 6 December 2020, in a 4–2 lost against Genk; which he later scored against them for the second time this season on 30 April 2021. By mid–January, however, Miyoshi lost his first team place after testing positive for COVID-19 and found his playing time, coming from the substitute bench. At the end of the 2020–21 season, he went on to make thirty–two appearances and scoring three times in all competitions.
At the start of the 2021–22 season, Miyoshi missed the three league matches of the season following his international commitment. He returned to the first team, coming on as a 71st minute substitute, in a 1–1 draw against Charleroi on 13 August 2021. Miyoshi scored in both legs of the UEFA Europa League qualifier rounds against AC Omonia and was one of the three successful Royal Antwerp penalty taker in the penalty shootout following 4–4 draw on aggregate, as the club won 3–2 in the shootout. He then scored his third goal of the season, in a 4–2 win against Genk on 22 September 2021. However, Miyoshi suffered a hamstring injury that saw him sidelined for the rest of the year. He returned to the first team, coming on as a 66th minute substitute, in a 3–0 win against Charleroi on 16 January 2022. In a follow–up match against Oostende, Miyoshi came on as a second half substitute and set up a goal for Michel-Ange Balikwisha, who scored the winning goal, in a 2–1 win. He regained his first team place for the rest of the 2021–22 season and helped Royal Antwerp qualify for the play–off I to finish fourth place and playing in the UEFA Europa Conference League next season. During a 2–1 lost against Anderlecht on 12 May 2022, Miyoshi had his goal disallowed after VAR overturned the goal, prompting criticism from manager Brian Priske. At the end of the 2021–22 season, he went on to make thirty appearances and scoring three times in all competitions.