In the 57th minute of the U23 Asia 2026 final, with Japan leading 2-0, the team was awarded a penalty kick after Chinese defender Liu Haofan committed a handball in the penalty area. While Chinese players surrounded the referee to protest the decision, Sato stood outside the box. He held the ball with his left hand and played rock-paper-scissors with teammate Uche Nwadike using his right hand.

"Nwadike was designated to take the penalty, but I also wanted to score", Sato told Soccer Digest after the match at Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium. "We decided it ourselves. After discussing, we both chose rock-paper-scissors."

Ryunosuke Sato (number 10) and Uche Nwadike play rock-paper-scissors to decide who takes the penalty kick.

Sato won the game against his teammate, securing the right to shoot. From the penalty spot, he struck the ball into the bottom left corner, deceiving Li Hao – one of the best goalkeepers in U23 Asia 2026 – to extend Japan's lead to 3-0.

A psychological battle also unfolded during this moment. Li Hao repeatedly pointed to his own eyes and then to Sato's, saying, "Hey, look into my eyes. I'm watching you." However, the Japanese midfielder seemed focused only on the ball, taking several deep breaths through his mouth to compose himself.

The goal was immediately posted on the X account of a Japanese broadcaster, attracting numerous comments. Fans wrote: "Sato did not let the Chinese goalkeeper provoke him", "He never falls for traps", or "Sato is on a different level compared to this generation."

Ryunosuke Sato's penalty goal in the 59th minute.

Born in 2006, Ryunosuke Sato developed at the FC Tokyo Football Academy. This attacking midfielder was promoted to the first team in 2023 but found limited playing opportunities. He is currently on loan to Fagiano Okayama, also in J-League 1. After scoring 6 goals in 28 matches, Sato was voted the best young player in J-League 1 for 2025.

At the national team level, Sato has been a familiar face since the U16 squad and is slated to participate in the FIFA U20 World Cup 2025 in October. Four months ago, he made his national team debut in a 6-0 victory over Indonesia during the World Cup 2026 third qualifying round – Asia region. Sato broke Shinji Kagawa's record as Japan's youngest player to compete in a World Cup qualifier.

Sato celebrates his goal, which extended the lead to 3-0, during Japan's 4-0 victory over China in the U23 Asia 2026 final, held at Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on 24/1/2026. Photo: AFC

In Saudi Arabia, Sato continued to showcase his midfield prowess, helping Japan win the championship with a perfect record. In the final, he and his teammates played dominantly, forcing China to concede four goals, despite having kept clean sheets in their previous five matches. Sato himself was awarded the tournament's best player. He narrowly missed out on the top scorer award to Nguyen Dinh Bac due to playing more minutes (446 compared to 361) despite both scoring 4 goals and providing 2 assists.

"I am happy to win after a long journey. We achieved our goal of winning the championship in Saudi Arabia together", Sato stated. "I am glad to have contributed to the goals. However, I also missed many opportunities, and I want to continue improving to better capitalize on those situations."

The 19-year-old midfielder affirmed that he always sets high standards for himself and helps elevate his teammates. Following the U23 Asia 2026, Sato hopes to secure a spot in the World Cup 2026 in June.

Hieu Luong