Shunsuke Nakamura

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Renowned as one of Japan's greatest ever footballers, Nakamura was known for his free-kicks; Steve Perryman once remarked that Nakamura 'could open a tin of beans with his left foot'. He began his professional career with J1 League club Yokohama Marinos in 1997, eventually making 338 league appearances during two spells at the club totalling just over twelve seasons. In between his spells at Marinos, Nakamura played in Europe with Espanyol, Celtic, and Reggina. During his time at Celtic, he became one of the best Asian players to have ever played in Europe; he was nominated for the 2007 Ballon d'Or, was named Scottish Player of the Year and SFWA Footballer of the Year in 2007, and became the first Japanese player to score in the UEFA Champions League. His team accomplishments at Celtic include winning the Scottish Premier League in 2006, 2007, and 2008, the Scottish League Cup in 2006 and 2009, and the Scottish Cup in 2007. Nakamura has 98 caps and 24 goals for the Japan national football team, including appearances in the FIFA World Cup finals in 2006 and 2010 and winning the AFC Asian Cup in 2000 and 2004; he was named Most Valuable Player of the 2004 competition. He also appeared in the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship as a member of the Japan under-20 team and the 2000 Summer Olympics as a member of the Japan under-23 team.

In Their Own Story

In the 2004 AFC Asian Cup, Nakamura pulled the strings for Japan, threading passes and scoring crucial goals. His vision and dead-ball accuracy made him the tournament's standout player, earning him the MVP award. Four years earlier, he had already lifted the Asian Cup in 2000. On the world stage, he played in the 2006 and 2010 World Cups, providing creativity in a disciplined Japanese setup. His 98 caps and 24 goals include moments like his free-kick against Australia in 2006 World Cup qualifying—a curling strike that kissed the post and sealed Japan's place in the tournament.

Reader's Guide

Nakamura made his senior debut on 13 February 2000. He was born and raised in Yokohama, Japan, and began playing football competitively at age 5 with local junior club side Misono FC. In fifth grade, he was selected for Yokohama's city junior all-star team's tour of the Soviet Union. At age 12 in 1991, he joined the youth setup of Nissan Motors, one of the predecessors of Yokohama F. Marinos. He later enrolled at Tōkō Gakuen in Kawasaki, leading the school to Japan's national high school football tournament in 1995 and to the tournament final in 1996. He signed with Yokohama Marinos in 1997, making his league debut on 16 April against Gamba Osaka. He left Marinos partway through the 2002 season to join Reggina on loan, then moved to Celtic in July 2005.

Did You Know?

• Nakamura is the only player to have won the J.League MVP more than once (2000 and 2013).
• He was the first Japanese player to score in the UEFA Champions League.
• He was named Most Valuable Player of the 2004 AFC Asian Cup.
• He scored a goal in a 2–2 draw with Brazil at the 2005 Confederations Cup.