Top 5 Asian players to have graced the Premier League

#3 Shinji Okazaki

Shinji Okazaki's goals helped Leicester to win the Premier League in 2015-16

Japan’s top active national team goalscorer with a total of 50 goals, Shinji Okazaki famously won the Premier League as part of football’s ultimate underdog side – Leicester City – in the 2015/16 season.

That season was his first one in England, as he made a £7m move to the King Power Stadium in the summer of 2015 following a run at Bundesliga side Mainz that saw him score 29 goals in 70 appearances.

While Okazaki’s part in Leicester’s eventual title victory wasn’t as monumental as that of Jamie Vardy or Riyad Mahrez, the Japanese striker certainly did his bit. He made 36 Premier League appearances during the season, scoring 5 goals – including winners against Everton and Newcastle, the latter of which was a spectacular overhead volley.

Okazaki won the Asian International Player of the Year award for his exploits that season, and while his influence waned over his subsequent 3 seasons in the East Midlands, he was still able to score a further 9 goals for the Foxes and remained a popular part of their side throughout his time at the club.

About the author

Scott is a veteran MMA writer with over two decades of experience, including his ongoing tenure in Sportskeeda, which began seven years ago. He has written over 3000 pieces for the organization, while also covering football. Before joining Sportskeeda, Scott wrote articles for websites like The Oratory and Inside Pulse MMA.

Scott has a degree in history, which drives his research skills and helps him compile accurate information. His long stint in the field helps Scott provide a clear take on important topics, such as the criticism of promotions regarding fighter pay. While he feels fighters deserve a bigger revenue share, he doesn’t want MMA to suffer with purse-split issues.

Scott’s work has been previously reshared by the former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman. He uses credible sources, such as the UFC’s official website, during the writing process.

His dedication to MMA writing won him the Feature Writer of the Month award for Sportskeeda in November 2021.

Outside of work, Scott likes to go to the gym, walk his dog, and travel.

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Edited by Arvind Sriram