Shunsuke Nakamura

For the wrestler, see Shinsuke Nakamura. For other people, see Shunsuke Nakamura (disambiguation).

Shunsuke Nakamura
Nakamura with Japan in 2008
Personal information
Date of birth (1978-06-24) 24 June 1978 (age 46)[1]
Place of birth Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[2]
Position(s) Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Yokohama FC (first team coach)
Youth career
1991–1993 Yokohama F. Marinos
1994–1996 Toko Gakuen High School [ja]
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1997–2002 Yokohama F. Marinos 148 (33)
2002–2005 Reggina 81 (11)
2005–2009 Celtic 128 (29)
2009–2010 Espanyol 13 (0)
2010–2017 Yokohama F. Marinos 190 (35)
2017–2019 Júbilo Iwata 48 (5)
2019–2022 Yokohama FC 38 (1)
Total 646 (115)
International career
1997 Japan U-20 5 (1)
2000 Japan U-23 4 (0)
2000–2010 Japan 98 (24)
Medal record
Representing  Japan
AFC Asian Cup
Winner 2000 Lebanon
Winner 2004 China
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Shunsuke Nakamura[1] (Japanese: 中村 俊輔, Hepburn: Nakamura Shunsuke, born 24 June 1978) is a Japanese former professional footballer. He is currently a first-team coach of Yokohama FC.[3] He is the only person to have been named J.League Most Valuable Player more than once, receiving the award in 2000 and 2013.[4] Renowned as one of the best free kick takers ever, Steve Perryman once remarked that Nakamura "could open a tin of beans with his left foot".[5]

Nakamura began his professional career with J1 League club Yokohama Marinos in 1997,[6][note 1] eventually making 338 league appearances during two spells at the club totalling just over twelve seasons.[7] 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,[8] was named Scottish Player of the Year[9] and SFWA Footballer of the Year[10] in 2007, and became the first Japanese player to score in the UEFA Champions League.[11][note 2] 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.[12]

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[13] and winning the AFC Asian Cup in 2000 and 2004; he was named Most Valuable Player of the 2004 competition.[14] 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.[15]

  1. ^ a b "2006 FIFA World Cup Germany: List of Players: Japan" (PDF). FIFA. 21 March 2014. p. 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 June 2019.
  2. ^ "Shunsuke Nakamura". Celtic F.C. Archived from the original on 7 February 2008. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  3. ^ 選手・スタッフ [Players/staff] (in Japanese). Yokohama FC. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  4. ^ "11/12/2013 Marinos midfielder Nakamura named J. League MVP". Japanese Football Association.
  5. ^ "Shunsuke Nakamura: Japan star player at World Cup 2010". The Telegraph.
  6. ^ Greig 2008, p. 128.
  7. ^ "Nakamura leaves Marinos to join Jubilo". The Japan Times. 8 January 2017. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
  8. ^ "Ballon d'Or nominees". Sky Sports. 22 October 2007. Retrieved 20 April 2014.
  9. ^ "Nakamura takes top player award". BBC Sport. BBC. 22 April 2007. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  10. ^ "Nakamura gets top writers' prize". BBC Sport. BBC. 2 May 2007. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  11. ^ "Japan - A Team-by-Team Guide to the 2010 World Cup". Time. 2 June 2010.
  12. ^ "Japan - S. Nakamura - Profile with news, career statistics and history". soccerway.com. Retrieved 15 June 2016.
  13. ^ "Nakamura Shunsuke". Japan National Football Team Database.
  14. ^ Molinaro, John F. (20 November 2009). "Japan's Nakamura a free kick specialist". cbc.ca. CBC Sports. Retrieved 12 June 2016.
  15. ^ 中村 俊輔 | 代表メンバー | 日本代表. jfa.or.jp (in Japanese). Japan Football Association. Retrieved 3 September 2016.


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