Ritsu Doan was born on 16 June 1998 in Amagasaki, Hyogo, and rose through Gamba Osaka's academy. He made his J1 League debut at 17 and impressed enough to attract European attention quickly: in 2017, he joined FC Groningen in the Netherlands on loan and then permanently, scoring goals as a teenager in the Eredivisie.
In 2019 he joined PSV Eindhoven, but his most productive years came in Germany's Bundesliga. After a season on loan at Arminia Bielefeld he signed for SC Freiburg in 2022, where he found his best form yet — scoring crucial goals, defending tirelessly from the front, and earning a reputation as one of the league's most efficient wide players. In summer 2025 he completed a high-profile move within the Bundesliga to Eintracht Frankfurt, joining a project built around Japanese teammates and creative attacking football.
Doan is a left-footed right-winger who excels at cutting inside to strike from the edge of the box. His low-driven shots have produced highlight-reel moments at both club and international level. He is also a tireless presser, which has made him a coach's favourite at every club he has joined.
His Japan story includes a starring role at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, where he scored against both Germany and Spain in the group stage to help Japan top the group — moments still played on every Japanese broadcaster's highlight package.