Shunsuke Nakamura
Shunsuke Nakamura (Japanese: 中村 俊輔, Hepburn: Nakamura Shunsuke, born 24 June 1978) is a Japanese former professional footballer. He is currently the first team coach of Yokohama FC. He is the only person to have been named J.League Most Valuable Player more than once, receiving the award in 2000 and 2013. 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".
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Nakamura with Japan in 2008 | |||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 24 June 1978 | ||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan | ||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Attacking midfielder | ||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||
Current team | Yokohama FC (first team coach) | ||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||
| 1991–1993 | Yokohama F. Marinos | ||||||||||||||||
| 1994–1996 | Tōkō Gakuen High School | ||||||||||||||||
| 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
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||
Nakamura 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.