Kaoru Mitoma

Kaoru Mitoma is a Japanese winger born in Kanagawa, who stood out for the combination of academic studies and football, having published research on artificial intelligence applied to dribbling during college. Discovered by Kawasaki Frontale, Japanese champions, Mitoma transferred to Brighton & Hove Albion, where he needed an adaptation period with a loan to Union Saint-Gilloise, in Belgium, before establishing himself in the Premier League. Since 2022, he has become one of Brighton's and the Japanese national team's main attacking references, recognized for his characteristic dribbling known as Mitoma Step, a technique academically studied by the player himself.