Ranking the Top 10 Greatest Japanese Footballers

The quality of Japanese footballers has seen an incredible rise in the past few years. For the first time in their history, they made it to the knockout round of the FIFA World Cup twice in a row in 2018 and 2022. However, it took some legendary Japanese footballers to put the East Asian country on the football map. 

The Japanese footballers took their nation to the World Cup for the first time in 1998. They got knocked out in the group stage without winning a game. But it was the beginning of something big for Japanese football. The team qualified for the Pre-quarterfinals in alternate appearances in the following World Cups. In 2022, they beat the 2010 world champions Spain and 2014 WC winners Germany to finish on top of Group E. They held 2018’s runners-up Croatia for a draw in RO16 but were knocked out in the Penalty Shootout.

From the Premier League to the UEFA Cup, Japanese footballers have won it all. Some of them were also nominated for the prestigious Ballon d’Or Award. With many youngsters showing their worth in top leagues around the world, Japanese football seems to have only one direction: upwards.

From legends like Maya Yoshida and Hidetoshi Nakata to rookies like Takefusa Kubo and Kaoru Mitoma, the world has witnessed some of the best Japanese football players in the past few decades. We have listed down the top 10 Japanese footballers in history from past to present based on their success, legacy, contribution, and impact at the biggest stage.

#10. Kazuyoshi Miura

Kazuyoshi Miura, nicknamed King Kazu, is a 57-year-old Japanese footballer. He is the first player to win the IFFHS Asia’s Footballer of the Year. Miura played 89 games for the Japan from 1990 to 2010 and found the net 55 times. He currently plays for Atletico Suzuka in the Japan Football League. 

Miura has made 794 appearances at club level and scored 218 goals. He holds the record for the oldest player to score in a professional football league and is also the oldest professional and Japanese footballer in the world at 57. 

#9. Shunsuke Nakamura

Shunsuke Nakamura played for the Japanese team from 2000 to 2010. He scored 24 goals in 98 appearances for his nation. He was linked with Spanish league giants Atletico Madrid and Bundesliga’s Borussia Dortmund. However, the attacking midfielder joined the Celtic. Nakamura helped the Celtic defeat Manchester United in the 2006-07 Champions League. 

The former Yokohoma midfielder had 795 games at club level and scored 136 goals. Nakamura also represented his nation at the FIFA World Cup in 2006 and 2010. He played a crucial role in Japan’s AFC Asian Cup championship run in 2000 and 2004. He won multiple domestic and league titles with the Celtics. Nakamura was also nominated for the Ballon d’Or in 2007. 

#8. Keisuke Honda

Keisuke Honda holds the record of being the only sixth player to have scored and assisted in three different World Cup editions. His goal earned Japan their first World Cup win away from home. Honda played 98 games in his international career from 2008 to 2018 and scored 37 goals. 

The Japanese footballer has played for multiple clubs in various countries throughout his career. Some of the top clubs he played for include CSKA Moscow and AC Milan. He played a total of 502 games and found the net 102 times. 

#7. Yuto Nagatomo

The 38-year-old Yuto Nagatomo is a full-back for J1 League Side FC Tokyo. His 142 caps are the second most for a Japanese footballer, only behind Yashuhito Endo. Nagatomo scored only four times for Japan but was a force to reckon with on the defensive line. He donned the Japanese colors at the 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022 World Cups. 

Nagatomo began his club career with FC Tokyo in 2007. He went on to join Seria A club Inter Milan. He started 170 games for the Italian side and scored 9 goals. Yuto alos played for Galatasary and Marseille. He returned to FC Tokyo in 2021. 

#6. ​​Makoto Hasebe

Makoto Hasebe is a Japanese footballer who is the current assistant coach of Japan’s football team. The centre-back earned 114 international caps and scored 2 goals. He led his country to the 2011 Asian Cup title. 

Hasebe stepped into European football in 2008 and played for Wolfsburg. Then, he played 14 games for Nurnberg before moving to Frankfurt. Makoto played 533 games at club level and beat the goalkeeper 19 times. He has clinched a UEFA Europa League, Bundesliga, and DFB Pokal in his career. 

#5. Yasuhito Endo

Endo is the most-capped Japanese footballer in history. He earned 152 caps from 2002 to 2015 and scored 15 goals for his country. He wore Japanese colors at three World Cups and three Confederations Cups. The 44-year-old won the Asian Cup in 2004 and 2007.

Yasuhito Endo spent most of his club career at Gamba Osaka. He made 605 out of his 775 club appearances for Osaka. The midfielder scored 113 goals at club level, 98 of which came for Gamba Osaka from 2001 to 2021.

#4. Shinji Okazaki

Okazaki is an active Japanese footballer who has played 119 games for the country. The 38-year-old has found the net 50 times in 11 years. He won the IFFHS World’s Top Goal Scorer award in 2009, courtesy of his 15 goals that year. It was his goal that earned Japan their first victory against Argentina in 2010. Okazaki is the third leading Japanese goalscorer. 

Shinji played in the Bundesliga for VfB Stuttgart and started 63 games. He was a part of the Leicester City squad that stunned the world by winning the Premier League in 2016. Okazaki played 494 club games and scored 109 goals. 

#3. Kunishige Kamamoto

Kunishige Kamamoto is undoubtedly the best Japanese goalscorer in history. He debuted in 1964 and scored a goal in his first game against Singapore. Kamamoto helped Japan win the Bronze Medal at the 1968 Mexico Summer Olympics. He scored 80 goals in 84 appearances for Japan.

Kamamoto was a one-club man and played for Yanmar Diesel throughout his career. In 252 games, he scored 202 games for the Japanese club. Kunishige made it to the Japan Football Hall of Fame in 2005. 

#2. Shinji Kagawa

Shinji Kagawa is a 35-year-old Japanese midfielder. He made 97 appearances for his country and scored 31 goals between 2008 to 2019. He was the 2012 AFC International Player of the Year. Many experts and fans have put Kagawa among the top Japanese footballers of all time. 

Kagawa also made an impact in Europe. Borussia Dortmund was his first European club from 2010 to 2012. After playing 49 games for the German club, Kagawa joined the Premier League club Manchester United in 2012. He returned to Dortmund in 2014 and played till 2019. Shinji has made 520 club appearances and scored 135 goals till date. He won two Bundesliga and 2 DFB Pokal with Dortmund. Kagawa also got his hands on a Premier League title and FA Cup with the Red Devils.

#1. Hidetoshi Nakata

Hidetoshi Nakata is arguably the greatest Japanese and Asian footballer ever. He played 75 games for his nation and netted 11 goals. The midfielder had a long career ahead but hung his boots in 2006 at the age of 29. He represented Japan in the 1998, 2002, and 2006 World Cup and the 1996 and 2006 Olympics before retiring. 

Nakata spent eight of his ten seasons in the top flight. He played for Seria A side Perugia, Roma, Parma, and Fiorentina. Hidetoshi made a total of 288 appearances and scored 41 goals at the club level. He was the first AFC footballer to earn a nomination for the Ballon d’Or. Nakata won the Seria A with Roma and Coppa Italia with Parma. 

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