In the context of sport, football and Asia are not exactly synonymous with each other. Europe could be labelled as the hub of football, with several domestic leagues and the elite European championship (UEFA Champions League) capturing the attention of viewers worldwide. On the other hand, a handful of domestic leagues are active in Asia but the continent is yet to witness the heights that the game has hit in Europe and South America.
From decades, the best Asian football players transcended various cultural barriers, overcame racism and made a significant contribution to European clubs. Their perseverance and achievements left an indelible mark in the minds of the fans. It is important to remember that some of this was before the advent of televised football and social media platforms galore, which have now enabled the sport to penetrate a wider-reaching audience, more than ever before.
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Here we take a look at some of the top names from Asia who made a mark in European football during their respective careers.
10. Shinji Okazaki
Okazaki was relatively unknown in England when he moved to Leicester but soon became a household name when he won the 2015/16 Premier League in his debut season. He scored 5 goals in the league for the eventual champions but played a bigger part in the team’s build-up, style and tactics that enabled the Foxes to conquer the summit only 12 months after languishing in the relegation zone. Okazaki is only the second Japanese player ever to win the EPL, after Shinji Kagawa.
Prior to his stint in England, Okazaki scored 42 goals in more than 150 appearances during his stints at VfB Stuttgart and then FSV Mainz 05 to become one of the most prolific Japanese players in the Bundesliga
Always a team-player, Okazaki became a full international for Japan in 2008 at the age of 23. In 2009, he amassed 15 goals for his nation and won the ‘World's top goal scorer of 2009’ awarded by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS). With 49 goals for his country, the top scorer in the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers (Asian section) is currently third on Japan’s all-time scoring charts.
9. Keisuke Honda
The playmaker began his European career at little-known Dutch outfit VVV Venlo in January 2008 but the club experienced relegation at the end of the 2007/08 season. During the following campaign, Honda scored 16 goals and ensured the club’s promotion back to the top division. His tally of 24 goals from 68 league appearances during his time at VVV earned him the title of ‘Eerste Divisie Player of the Year’ for 2008/09 and he became popularly known as ‘Keizer Keisuke’ (Emperor Keisuke) among the Dutch fans.
Honda followed up his impressive beginnings with a trophy-laden four-year stint at Russian club CSKA Moscow where he won the treble of the Russian Premier League, Russian Cup and Russian Super Cup in 2013. In January 2014, the midfielder moved on to Italian club AC Milan where he scored key goals especially from set-pieces for the Rossoneri in the Coppa Italia quarterfinal and others against Parma, Empoli and Verona in the league.
An eye-catching striker of dead balls, Honda’s most noteworthy performances for Japan came in the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2011 AFC Asian Cup. In the former tournament, he was adjudged man of the match on three occasions, en route to the Samurai Blue’s journey through to the round of 16, and won the ‘Japanese Footballer of the Year’ award for 2010. During his national team’s Asian Cup title winning exploits in 2011, Honda was named the ‘Most valuable player’ of the tournament.
8. Shinji Kagawa
Kagawa was a key cog in the wheel for Jürgen Klopp‘s Borussia Dortmund as the club stormed to two consecutive Bundesliga league titles in 2010/11 and 2011/12, keeping the mighty Bayern Munich at bay during the process. Played in his most effective position as a central attacking midfielder, Kagawa thrived as he scored and set up goals for team-mates.
In his first season with Dortmund, he scored 8 goals before being sidelined by injury; he followed that up with 13 goals during the 2011/12 season and assisted another 8, thereby hitting a purple patch becoming a fan favourite. The league and DFB Pokal double ensured a successful end to the season; the icing on the cake came when Kagawa was named International Player-of-the-Year for 2012, awarded by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
His move to Premier League side Manchester United in 2012/13 lead another trophy-winning campaign, thereby becoming the first Japanese player to win the EPL. However, from a personal point of view Kagawa did not enjoy as much success on the pitch playing on the left wing with the Red Devils as he did in a central role while at Dortmund; this eventually prompted a return to his former club in the summer of 2014 where he was more than welcomed by Klopp.
Kagawa represented Japan at U-20 levels before turning into a senior international player; he was part of the team that won the AFC Asian Cup in 2011 and also turned out in the colours of the Samurai Blue at the 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2015 Asian Cup.
7. Shinji Ono
At a time when Japanese football was crackling with talent and attacking potential, a lanky teenager became the youngest player to represent Japan and made everyone sit up and take notice of him – it was Ono. The ‘Most Valuable Player’ at the AFC Youth Championship and ‘Asian Young Footballer of the Year’ in 1998, popularly became known as ‘Tensai’ (the genius) among the masses for his prowess, creativity, and footwork on the pitch.
A fan of the legendary Shunsuke Nakamura, Ono carved a niche for himself in Japanese history by being a regular and influential presence in the national team in the 2002 World Cup as well as the 2004 Olympic games. He was named ‘Asian footballer of the year’ in 2002, a well-deserved award to crown his achievements at both club and country level.
Ono began his club career in his home country before transferring to Dutch team Feyenoord in 2001. His successful five-year stint in the Eredivisie included a UEFA Cup in 2002, thereby becoming the first Japanese player ever to win a European trophy. He played in the Bundesliga as well as in the Australian domestic league (where he won three titles), punctuated by brief stints at clubs back home.
6. Ali Daei
The pinnacle of Iranian football was when Ali Daei played for his national team. The forward went on to score 109 goals for his country, the most by any player ever in international football. Not only did Ali turn up for the big games, but he also topped scoring charts regularly – be it the Asian Cup in 1996 or the 1998 FIFA World cup qualifiers. One of his most memorable games was a 4-goal haul against South Korea in the 1996 AFC Asian Cup quarterfinals.
Ali’s exploits in the Asian Cup did not go unnoticed; he earned a move to German outfit Arminia Bielefeld in 1997/98 before making the ‘big move’ to Bayern Munich the following season. Ali also became the first Asian player to feature in the UEFA Champions League.
Despite Bayern doing the double (league and DFB Pokal) and ending the season as UCL runners-up, his stint at the Bavarian club was not personally fruitful for the ‘goal machine’. Ali moved to Hertha BSC the following season and he scored 12 goals for the club, of which 6 came in Europe, during his three seasons in Berlin.
In 2002, Ali moved back to Asia and continued playing for clubs in the continent before going on to feature for Iran at the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He has coached the Iranian national team and several clubs in his home country.
5. Hidetoshi Nakata
Asia’s first football superstar and the ‘Asian Footballer of the Year’ in 1997 and 1998, Nakata broke into the Japanese national team when he was all of 20 years. The attacking midfielder, whose dribbling runs and passing were a joy to behold, went on to score 5 goals for Japan in their qualifier games thereby sealing his nation’s place in the 1998 World Cup. In the 2002 edition, as Japan co-hosted the tournament, Nakata played a key part in enabling his home country to get through the group stages for the first time.
He became only the second Japanese player in Italy when newly promoted side Perugia bought him in 1998 following his World Cup exploits. He continued to impress fans with his performances and eye for goal. In the seasons to follow, Nakata went on to play for AS Roma and AC Parma, winning the Scudetto (Italian league) with the former and the Coppa Italia with the latter, scoring crucial goals during his time in both teams.
His style of football and fashion sense led him to be labelled as ‘Asia’s answer to David Beckham’. His fame and popularity in Japan, combined with his game-play prompted the Italian press to give him the nickname Gioiellino (little jewel). He was awarded the ‘Knight of the Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity’ in 2005 for the promotion of football throughout the country. Nakata prematurely retired from football at the age of 29 after suffering from a series of injuries.
4. Shunsuke Nakamura
A dead-ball specialist and midfield playmaker, Nakamura is famous for his terrific volleys and is one of Asia’s most successful players in Europe. He started his European stint with Italian club Reggina; despite scoring some timely goals, his time there was hampered by injuries.
It is with Scottish club Celtic that Nakamura achieved the pinnacle of glory. He won three successive league titles from 2006-2008 and also made the Scottish Cup and Super Cup his own. He earned numerous accolades in 2007 - ‘Player of the Year’ at team and league level, the Scottish Football Writers' Association ‘Footballer of the Year’ and also Fans’ Player of the year. Most importantly, he became the first Japanese player to score in the UCL and also went on to be nominated for the Ballon d’Or.
Nakamura represented Japan at several international tournaments and scored important goals to help the team win the Asian Cup in 2000 and 2004. He was named ‘Most Valuable Player’ for his performances in the 2004 Asian Cup. The midfield marshal made up for the disappointment of being left out of the national squad for the 2002 World Cup by raising his game a notch and helped Japan qualify for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
3. Cha Bum-Kun
Cha Bum-Kun, the all-time leading scorer for the South Korean national team, was nicknamed ‘Boom’ for his ability to strike the ball with sheer force. One of the pioneers from Asia to ply his trade in Europe, Cha started off his stint in the German Bundesliga with SV Darmstadt 98. His aim was to learn the technical aspects and skills of the game and bring the knowledge back home to Korea.
After one season with Darmstadt, Cha went on to play for Eintracht Frankfurt where he found his footing, scoring 46 goals for the club and winning his first UEFA Cup in 1980. His move to Bayer Leverkusen resulted in more goals and he led the club to their first major tournament victory in 1988 – a UEFA Cup win, incidentally his second after a gap of 8 years.
Upon his return from a highly successful European stint, Cha opened up football centres in Korea and has coached the South Korean national team as well as clubs in the country’s domestic league. For his path-breaking achievements and contribution to football, he was voted ‘Asia's Player of the Century’ by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) in 1999.
2. Park Ji Sung
Park is one of the most decorated and certainly the most successful Asian footballers of all time. The former South Korean captain won the Dutch league twice with PSV Eindhoven, scoring 17 goals during his three seasons in the side. He transferred to Manchester United in 2005 and during a 7-year stint with the English giant, set out to add a lot of glitter to his impressive CV.
He won the Premier League four times and became the first Asian player to win the Champions League with United in 2008. Park was nominated for the Ballon d’Or in 2007 and also named FIFA.com’s ‘Best Asian Player in Europe’ the same year. Park’s ability to find space in the midfield was seen as a major asset and his then manager Sir Alex Ferguson, and his consistent performances in big games led him to label the South Korean a ‘big game player’.
His importance in the United team was highlighted by repeated contract extensions and regular appearances when it mattered the most; his energy, intelligent passing and performances saw him becoming the first Asian to captain the side against Lille in a Champions League game in 2005. Park scored 27 goals across competitions for the Red Devils and post-retirement, returned to the club as a global ambassador.
Park scored against Portugal in the 2002 FIFA World Cup sending co-hosts South Korea into the knockout stages of the tournament for the first time. The Asian nation finished as semi-finalists, their best record in the championship ever. He also scored goals for Korea in the 2006 and 2010 World Cups, becoming the only player from his country to do so in three consecutive editions of the tournament.
1. Paulino Alcántara
Born in the Philippines in 1896, Alcántara achieved fame and success in the colours of FC Barcelona, becoming the youngest player to feature for the club at 15 years of age. He was the highest goal-scorer for the club, recording 369 goals in 357 matches (including friendly games), until Leo Messi surpassed his feat.
He helped the club to no less than 17 trophies - 10 Catalan championship titles, 5 Copa del Rey and 2 Pyrenees Cups. The powerful striker represented both Spain and the Philippines in international football, leading the latter to a historic 15-2 win over Japan at the Far Eastern Championship Games. In 2007, Alcántara was named as the ‘Best Asian Player of All Time’ by FIFA.
While on tour with the Spanish national team in 1922, Alcántara scored a thunderbolt against France in a friendly which (quite literally) penetrated the French net, earning him the nickname ‘El Rompe Redes’ (The Net Breaker). On another occasion, the Blaugrana player’s fierce strike took with it a policeman on its course into the net, thereby leading it being called the ‘police goal’.
Alcántara was equally passionate about medicine as he was about football and turned down a call from the Spanish national team to participate in the 1920 Olympics to appear for his exams. He became a practising doctor at the age of 31, after taking leave from the pitch. From 1931-34, he returned to football as Director at FC Barcelona.
Honorable Mentions
As with any list of the “best of the best”, there is an element of subjectivity combined with objectivity in this compilation of the top ten Asian footballers who have stood out for their performances in Europe. A few names that narrowly missed out are Iranian legends Mehdi Mahdavikia, Javad Nekounam, Khodadad Azizi along with Pakistani international Zesh Rehman.
