Hiiro Komori
{{Short description|Japanese footballer (born 2000)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Infobox football biography
|name = Hiiro Komori
小森 飛絢
|image =
|fullname =
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|2000|8|6|df=y}}
|height = 1.78m
|currentclub = Sint-Truiden (on loan from JEF United Chiba)
|clubnumber = 41
|position = Forward
|youthclubs1 = FC Higashi
|youthyears1 =
|youthclubs2 = Toyama Daiichi High School
|youthyears2 = 2016–2018
|college1 = Niigata University of Health and Welfare
|collegeyears1 = 2019–2022
|years1 = 2022– |clubs1 = JEF United Chiba |caps1 = 73 |goals1 = 36
|years2 = 2025– |clubs2 = → Sint-Truiden (loan) |caps2 = 3 |goals2 = 0
|nationalyears1 =
|nationalteam1 =
|nationalcaps1 =
|nationalgoals1 =
|club-update = 11 May 2025
|nationalteam-update =
}}
{{nihongo|Hiiro Komori|小森 飛絢|Komori Hiiro|born 6 August 2000}} is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a forward for Belgian Pro League club Sint-Truiden, on loan from JEF United Chiba.{{cite web |title=小森 飛絢：ジェフユナイテッド千葉：Ｊリーグ公式サイト（J.LEAGUE.jp） |url=https://www.jleague.jp/player/1639183/#attack |website=Ｊリーグ.jp（日本プロサッカーリーグ） |access-date=11 December 2023 |language=ja}}
Youth career
Komori started out at FC Higashi. They trained on the same pitch as one of the strongest high school teams in Toyama Prefecture, Toyama Daiichi High School. Through this connection, he would make his way up to the school's first team.{{cite web |title=何で富山第一サッカー部を選んだの？「小さい頃から富山と言えばトミイチ」【高校サッカー選手権 2018】：ヤンサカ |url=https://yansaka.com/funny/post_002727.html |website=サッカー部員の本音が読める：ヤンサカ |access-date=11 December 2023 |language=ja |date=9 September 2018}}
In 2017 and 2018, Komori represented Toyama Daiichi High School in the Inter High School Championship and the Prince Takamado Trophy JFA U-18 Football League. In August 2018 in the Inter High School Championship, Komori scored seven goals in the space of three games, including two hat-tricks.{{cite web |title=[MOM2587]富山一FW小森飛絢(3年)_プロ入り目指す10番、2度目のハットで得点ランク独走中! |url=https://web.gekisaka.jp/news/soutai/detail/?251547-251547-fl |website=ゲキサカ |access-date=11 December 2023 |language=ja |date=9 August 2018}} Toyama Daiichi were knocked out by the eventual tournament winners Toko Gakuen High School in the quarter-finals.{{cite web |title=Soccer D.B. : 2018 全国高等学校総合体育大会サッカー競技大会 |url=https://soccer-db.net/competition/index.php?comp=1083&yr=2018 |website=Soccer D.B. |access-date=11 December 2023 |language=ja}} He finished as the tournament's top scorer.
In 2019, Komori began his University football career at Niigata University of Health and Welfare.{{cite web |title=【選手権】「みんなに申し訳ない...」インターハイ得点王の富山一・小森飛絢が人目をはばからずに涙を流した理由 {{!}} サッカーダイジェストWeb |url=https://www.soccerdigestweb.com/news/detail/id=52206 |website=www.soccerdigestweb.com |access-date=11 December 2023 |language=ja |date=2 January 2019}}{{cite web |title=新潟医療福祉大登録メンバー/19 |url=https://web.gekisaka.jp/news/incolle/detail/?292644-292644-fl |website=ゲキサカ |access-date=11 December 2023 |language=ja |date=11 December 2019}} He made his debut in a 1–1 draw with Fukuoka University in August 2019 and scored his first goal for in a 4–3 victory over the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Kanoya.{{cite web |title=[MOM655]新潟医療福祉大FW矢村健(4年)_「キャプテンがダメだ!!」指揮官の檄で蘇った男が決勝弾 |url=https://web.gekisaka.jp/news/incolle/detail/?292732-292732-fl |website=ゲキサカ |access-date=11 December 2023 |language=ja |date=11 December 2019}} In his first three years, Komori scored five goals in ten appearances.
In June 2022, Komori scored his highest profile goal for the university in a 2–1 defeat to J1 League team Kashima Antlers in the Emperor's Cup.{{cite web |title=【公式】鹿島vs新福大の選手コメント（天皇杯：2022年6月1日）：Ｊリーグ公式サイト（J.LEAGUE.jp） |url=https://www.jleague.jp/match/emperor/2022/060108/player/#recap |website=Ｊリーグ.jp（日本プロサッカーリーグ） |access-date=11 December 2023 |language=ja}}
Club career
=JEF United Chiba=
In July 2022, it was announced that Komori would be joining J2 League team JEF United Chiba for the 2023 season.{{cite web |title=新潟医療福祉大学 小森 飛絢選手の来季加入内定について｜ニュース｜ジェフユナイテッド市原・千葉 公式ウェブサイト |url=https://jefunited.co.jp/news/detail/650 |website=ジェフユナイテッド市原・千葉 公式ウェブサイト |access-date=11 December 2023 |language=ja |date=18 July 2023}} Furthermore, in the following month, Komori was approved to be a designated special player for the remainder of the season, meaning he could represent both his university and JEF United Chiba.{{cite web |title=小森 飛絢選手（新潟医療福祉大学） 2022年JFA・Jリーグ特別指定選手認定のお知らせ｜ニュース｜ジェフユナイテッド市原・千葉 公式ウェブサイト |url=https://jefunited.co.jp/news/detail/781 |website=ジェフユナイテッド市原・千葉 公式ウェブサイト |access-date=11 December 2023 |language=ja |date=19 August 2022}} He made his debut in a 1–0 league defeat to V-Varen Nagasaki, one of two appearances he made as a designated special player.{{cite web |title=JEF United vs. V-Varen Nagasaki - 3 September 2022 - Soccerway |url=https://uk.soccerway.com/matches/2022/09/03/japan/j2-league/jef-united-ichihara-chiba/v-nagasaki-hualian/3736827/ |website=uk.soccerway.com |access-date=11 December 2023}}
In 2023, Komori scored on his professional debut in a 1–0 league victory over V-Varen Nagasaki.{{cite web |title=V-Varen Nagasaki vs. JEF United - 18 February 2023 - Soccerway |url=https://uk.soccerway.com/matches/2023/02/18/japan/j2-league/v-nagasaki-hualian/jef-united-ichihara-chiba/4009176/ |website=uk.soccerway.com |access-date=11 December 2023}} His scoring form continued early in the season, as he scored a goal in each of his first three games of the season. In his debut season, Komori scored 14 goals in 35 games across all competitions and was JEF United Chiba's top scorer and was fourth-highest scorer in the league with 13.{{cite web |title=ジェフ千葉に突如現れた「新エース」小森飛絢。"特別ではないが、何でもできる男"に期待する理由 - footballista {{!}} フットボリスタ |url=https://www.footballista.jp/special/170881 |website=www.footballista.jp |access-date=11 December 2023 |language=ja |date=20 November 2023}}{{cite web |title=All Positions {{!}} Goals {{!}} All clubs {{!}} MEIJI YASUDA J2 LEAGUE {{!}} 2023 Player Stats |url=https://www.jleague.co/stats/players/j2/2023/all/goals/ |website=J.LEAGUE |access-date=11 December 2023 |language=en}} At the end of season J2 awards ceremony, he was inducted into the 2023 J2 Best XI.{{cite web |title=Ｊ２受賞選手：2023Ｊ２リーグアウォーズ：Ｊリーグ.jp |url=https://www.jleague.jp/awards/2023/j2.html |website=Ｊリーグ.jp |access-date=7 December 2023 |language=ja}}
Komori continued his goalscoring form into the 2024 season with four goals in his first six league games. In September he was in incredible form, scoring 12 goals in 7 games and helping JEF United Chiba climb into the promotion play-off places. For his efforts, he was awarded the J2 League Monthly MVP award.{{cite web |title=Ｊ２受賞者 ジェフユナイテッド千葉 FW10 小森 飛絢：明治安田Jリーグ KONAMI月間MVP：明治安田Ｊリーグ 月間表彰：Ｊリーグ.jp |url=https://www.jleague.jp/monthly_awards/2024/09/mvp/j2.html |website=Ｊリーグ.jp |access-date=16 October 2024 |language=ja}} He finished the season with 22 goals in 37 appearances, with JEF United Chiba narrowly missing out on a place in the play-offs. Komori ended as the J2 League's top scorer, he was inducted into the Best XI for the second straight season and also won the J2 Player of the Year award.{{cite web |title=Ｊ２受賞選手：2024Ｊ２リーグアウォーズ：Ｊリーグ.jp |url=https://www.jleague.jp/awards/2024/j2.html |website=Ｊリーグ.jp |access-date=20 December 2024 |language=ja}}
=Loan to Sint-Truiden=
In January 2025, it was announced that Komori would be moving overseas, with a loan to Belgian Pro League club Sint-Truiden.{{cite web |title=Komori en Lamkel Zé versterken aanval van STVV |url=https://stvv.com/nl/nieuws/artikel/komori-en-lamkel-z%C3%A9-versterken-aanval-van-stvv |website=stvv.com |access-date=8 January 2025 |date=8 January 2025}} He joins a growing contingent of Japanese players at STVV, Komori being the sixth Japanese player at the club. He made his debut on 19 January, appearing as a substitute in a 2–1 league defeat to Standard Liège.{{cite web |title=Sint-Truiden vs. Standard Liège - 19 January 2025 - Soccerway |url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2025/01/19/belgium/pro-league/sint-truidense-vv/standard-de-liege/4364245/ |website=int.soccerway.com |access-date=22 January 2025}}
International career
In September 2022, Komori was selected as part of an All-Japan University Selection to tour Korea and Cambodia.{{cite web |title=新潟医療福祉大・小森飛絢、オナイウ情滋そろってゴールだ きょう大学日韓定期戦 - サッカー : 日刊スポーツ |url=https://www.nikkansports.com/soccer/news/202209170000227.html |website=nikkansports.com |access-date=11 December 2023 |language=ja |date=17 September 2022}}{{cite web |title=招集メンバー/スタッフ│国際親善試合｜U-23｜日本代表｜JFA｜日本サッカー協会 |url=https://www.jfa.jp/national_team/u23_2022/20220920/member.html |website=www.jfa.jp |access-date=11 December 2023}}
Career statistics
=Club=
{{updated|the end 2024 season}}{{cite web |title=Soccer D.B. : 2024 Hiiro Komori Result by Season |url=https://soccer-db.net/player/index.php?pl=67349&la=e |website=Soccer D.B. |access-date=15 November 2024 |language=en}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | |||||||||
| rowspan=2 | Club
! rowspan=2 | Season ! colspan=3 | League ! colspan=2 | National Cup{{efn|Includes Emperor's Cup}} ! colspan=2 | League Cup{{efn|Includes J. League Cup}} ! colspan=2 | Other ! colspan=2 | Total | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division
! Apps | Goals
! Apps | Goals
! Apps | Goals
! Apps | Goals
! Apps | Goals | ||||
| rowspan="3"|Niigata University of H&W
|2020 |colspan="3"|– |2 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 2 | 0 | ||||
| 2022
|colspan="3"|– |2 | 1 | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 2 | 1 | ||||
| colspan="2"|Total
!0||0||4||1||0||0||0||0||4||1 | |||||||||
| rowspan="4"|JEF United Chiba
|2022 |2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2023
|J2 League |33 | 13 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 1{{efn|Appearance in J1/J2 play-offs}} | 1 | 35 | 14 | |
| 2024
|J2 League |38 | 23 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 22 |
| colspan="2"|Total
!73||36||3||0||1||0||1||1||78||37 | |||||||||
| colspan=3 | Career total
!73||36||7||1||1||0||1||1||82||38 |
{{notelist}}
Honours
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.jleague.co/players/6474/Hiiro-KOMORI/ Profile at J.League]
- [https://jefunited.co.jp/teams/detail/2047 Profile at JEF United Chiba]
- {{Soccerway|hiiro-komori/678046}}
{{Sint-Truidense V.V. squad}}
{{Navboxes
| title = Awards
| bg = gold
| fg = navy
| list =
{{J2 League top scorers}}
{{J2 League Player of the Year}}
{{2023 J2 League Best XI}}
{{2024 J2 League Best XI}}
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Komori, Hiiro}}
Category:Japanese men's footballers
Category:Men's association football forwards
Category:Association football people from Toyama Prefecture
Category:Niigata University of Health and Welfare alumni
Category:JEF United Chiba players
Category:Belgian Pro League players
Category:Sint-Truidense V.V. players
Category:Japanese expatriate men's footballers