The J.League has announced the U-21 J.League Monthly Best Play for August and September of the 2026/27 U-21 J.League. The winning play was selected by U-21 J.League Ambassador Ritsu Doan as the moment that made the strongest impression on him.
■ “U-21 J.League Monthly Best Play” (August and September)
Match: 2026/27 U-21 J.League East-West League Round WEST Matchweek 2, U-21 Nagasaki vs U-21 Nagoya (13 September 2026)
Selected Play: U-21 Nagoya's goal in the 67th minute
Player: Kota Sato
Team: U-21 Nagoya Grampus
Video of the Selected Play:https://youtu.be/wt34E8zqcok
■ Comments from U-21 J.League Ambassador Ritsu Doan
“This time, I focused on goals that could be replicated. I considered whether the goals would be effective at a higher level and whether the actions involved were intentional.
“For Sato's goal, I think he probably intended to take his first touch more towards goal. But when the ball went wider than he had intended, he was very quick to move it into an area where he is comfortable and adjust his thinking. He was surrounded by about four players when he took his shot, yet still managed to score in a way that he could reproduce in similar situations. I thought it was an extremely high-quality goal, which is why I selected it as the Best Play.”
■Comments from U-21 Nagoya Grampus Player Kota Sato
“I'm really happy to have been selected for the U-21 J.League Monthly Best Play for August and September. I watched the first team's match the day before and went into our game determined to score if I got the chance to play. I'm glad I was able to turn that determination into a goal. Of course, I was happy to score, but the best part was that we won the match!”
■Kota Sato – Player Profile and U-21 J.League Record
Position: FW
Name: Kota Sato
Club: Nagoya Grampus U-18
Date of Birth: 22 May 2009
Height: 176 cm
Weight: 69 kg
Appearances: 3
Goals: 1
Minutes Played: 225
*Appearances, goals and minutes played are as of 17 October 2026 (following Matchweek 5 of the East-West League Round).
■U-21 J.League Monthly Best Play Selection Process
Ritsu Doan will select the play that made the strongest impression on him from highlights of the eligible matches. The selected play will be announced as the “U-21 J.League Monthly Best Play,” together with Doan's reasons for his selection.
■Eligible Competition
2026/27 U-21 J.League
East-West League Round, Inter-Group Round, Play-off Round
■Eligible Periods (Seven in Total)
① August and September / East-West League Round, Matchweeks 1–3
② October / East-West League Round, Matchweeks 4–5
③ November / Inter-Group Round, Matchweeks 1–3
④ December / Inter-Group Round, Matchweeks 4–6
⑤ February 2027 / East-West League Round, Matchweeks 6–8
⑥ March 2027 / East-West League Round, Matchweeks 9–10
⑦ April 2027 / Play-off Round, all matches
*The Monthly Best Play will be announced in the month following each eligible period.
