Japanese winger Kaoru Mitoma has won the Premier League Goal of the Month award once again, further cementing his place among the league’s most spectacular finishers.
On May 8 (KST), the Premier League officially announced that the Brighton & Hove Albion star claimed the Guinness Goal of the Month award for April.
Mitoma earned the honor thanks to his stunning strike against Tottenham Hotspur on April 19. With Brighton trailing 0-1 deep into first-half stoppage time, Pascal Gross delivered a long diagonal cross from the right flank toward the opposite side of the box. Mitoma met it with a superb first-time inside-foot volley from the left side of the penalty area, threading the ball perfectly between the goalkeeper and the crossbar.
The award marks the third Premier League Goal of the Month trophy of Mitoma’s career.
After establishing himself as a regular starter for Brighton during the 2022-23 campaign, Mitoma won his first Goal of the Month award in August of the 2023-24 season. That goal came against Wolverhampton Wanderers, when he sliced through four defenders with a dazzling dribble before finishing emphatically.
His second award arrived in February of the 2024-25 season against Chelsea. On that occasion, Mitoma brilliantly controlled a long goal kick with his first touch, beat defender Trevoh Chalobah, and curled home from the edge of the area.
With a third Goal of the Month award now secured, Mitoma has become one of the most decorated players in the history of the accolade since it was introduced in the 2016-17 season. Prior to Mitoma, only Andros Townsend and Bruno Fernandes had won the award three times.
Mitoma is widely regarded as one of Asia’s premier players currently competing in the Premier League. Known for his unique dribbling rhythm and explosive movement out wide, he once established himself as Brighton’s attacking centerpiece.
However, injuries have repeatedly disrupted his momentum. During the 2023-24 season, he struggled with ankle and back problems, while a foot injury sidelined him for a significant stretch this campaign. As a result, his playing time and attacking output have fluctuated considerably throughout his four seasons at Brighton.
Last season, Mitoma recorded 10 goals and four assists in 36 Premier League appearances. This season, however, he has managed only three goals and one assist in 24 league matches.
Before Mitoma’s rise, Son Heung-min was widely considered the Premier League’s standout Asian player and one of the most devastating wingers in league history. Son won the Goal of the Month award twice during his career.
His first came in November of the 2018-19 season against Chelsea, when he tore through the defense with a powerful solo run that left Jorginho and David Luiz trailing behind him. His second arrived in December of the 2019-20 campaign against Burnley, when he produced his legendary 70-meter solo dribble goal.
That unforgettable strike later earned Son the prestigious FIFA Puskás Award, recognizing it as the best goal scored anywhere in world football that year.
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