Hiroki Ito was born on 12 May 1999 in Shizuoka and came through Nagoya Grampus' youth setup before joining Júbilo Iwata. After developing at Júbilo in J1 and J2, he moved to Stuttgart II (Bundesliga reserves) on loan in 2021 and then permanently to VfB Stuttgart for around €400,000 in summer 2022. His debut Bundesliga season was outstanding: 26 league matches with 2 assists for Stuttgart, where he served as a versatile centre-back/left-back.
In summer 2024 Bayern Munich signed Ito for around €23.5 million, a remarkable progression for a player from the J1 youth pipeline. Injuries limited his first half-season at Bayern, but he was part of the Bayern squad that won the 2024–25 Bundesliga and the 2025 German Super Cup. He participated in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup and continued to feature for Bayern across the 2025–26 season: 15 Bundesliga matches with a goal and 2 assists by mid-season, plus 4 UEFA Champions League appearances.
A two-footed, ball-playing 188cm defender who can play centre-back or left-back and excels at progressive passing from deep positions, Ito is a critical figure in Japan's defensive setup. He played at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the 2023 AFC Asian Cup as a senior starter, and is one of the most-discussed Japan players heading into the 2026 World Cup as a Bayern Munich-level defensive talent.