Japanese Footballers in Europe Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Which of these Japanese players had played in the most major leagues in Europe?

Answer: Junichi Inamoto

Inamoto played in four different top leagues in Europe plus one second division. His teams include Arsenal, Fulham and West Bromwich Albion (England, both Premier League and Championship), Galatasaray (Turkey), Eintracht Frankfurt (Germany), and Stade Rennes (France). In 2010, he returned to Japan to play for Kawasaki Frontale.

2. Which Japanese footballer played in Italy, Scotland, and Spain, having an especially noteworthy spell in Scotland where in the 2006-07 season. His team completed a league and cup double, had a strong run in the Champions League, and he won numerous player awards including SFWA Footballer of the Year and SPFA Player of the Year awards?

Answer: Shunsuke Nakamura

Shunsuke Nakamura's time at Celtic was a very successful one. His finest moment in which he may be best remembered for during his time at Celtic was in the Champions League encounter in 2006 against Manchester United. He scored one of his trademark free kicks from 30 yards out to send Celtic into the Champion's League knockout stages for the first time.

3. As a 25-year veteren, "King Kazu" Kazuyoshi Miura was still playing at 44 years old. However, he only had two short spells in Europe, one in Croatia for Croatia Zagreb and another in Italy. Which Serie A team did he play for?

Answer: Genoa

Miura was the oldest player in the Japanese professional league system. His 25-year old career has seen him play in not only his native Japan, but also Brazil, Italy, Croatia, and even Australia. In March 2011, he starred for the J-League 11 in the earthquake charity match against the Japanese national team where he scored a goal.

4. After Japan's successful 2010 World Cup campaign, Yuto Nagatomo was snapped up quickly by newly promoted Cesena in Italy. six months into his time at Cesena, one of Italy's giants signed him on loan on the deadline day of the January transfer window. Which team was it?

Answer: Inter Milan

Starting off with FC Tokyo, Nagatomo was named J-League Rookie of the Year in 2008. The following year, he made the J-League best 11 as well as winning the J-League Cup in 2009. He also has played an instrumental part for his country, playing a key role in their successful 2010 World Cup run as well as setting up the winner in the AFC Asian Cup final against Australia in January 2011.

5. Due to being owned by a Japanese company, Grenoble who in the 2010-11 season played in France's second division, had a couple of Japanese players in their team including youngsters Sho Ito and which other player who was part of Japan's 2010 World Cup squad?

Answer: Daisuke Matsui

Grenoble was the third team Matsui has played for in France. He has also played for Le Mans and St. Etienne, while also having a short loan stint with Tom Tomsk in Russia. Endo and Tanaka have never played in Europe, and Ienaga joined Spanish side Mallorca in January 2011.

6. Nicknamed at one point the "Japanese Blond Bomber", which Japanese player had an unsuccessful stint in Serbia with Red Star Belgrade?

Answer: Takayuki Suzuki

Suzuki was signed to Belgrade mostly due to fact Toyota was Belgrade's major sponsor. Even though he had successful stints in his home country with Kashima Antlers, he also had another failed spell in Europe before his time with Belgrade when he played in Belgium for KRC Genk.

7. One of the biggest names in Japanese football history is Hidetoshi Nakata. Which English Premier League team was Nakata loaned out to in his final year as a professional player?

Answer: Bolton Wanderers

Nakata is one of the very few Japanese players who have won a major title in Europe. He played a big part in Roma's 2001 Serie A title win, as well as winning the Coppa Italia with Parma a year later. Nakata was also the only Japanese player to make Pele's FIFA 100 in 2004.

8. Yasuhiko Okudera was the first Japanese player to ply his trade in Europe in the 1970s. Which German team did Okudera start his European career with?

Answer: FC Koln

Okudera was the first for many milestones in not only Japanese football, but Asian football. He was the first Japanese player to win a major title in Europe with winning both the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal with Koln in 1978. He was also the first Japanese player to score in the European Cup, scoring in the 1979 semi-final against Nottingham Forest.

9. Before signing with CSKA Moscow in Russia, which Dutch team did Keisuke Honda make a name for himself for?

Answer: VVV Venlo

Honda was part of the Venlo side that won promotion to the Eredivisie in 2008-09 season where he won Player of the Year for the club that season. Honda also won Player of the Tournament for the 2011 Asian Cup, and Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger rated Honda as one of the best players in the 2010 World Cup.

10. Shinji Kagawa played a major part for Borussia Dortmund in his debut season for the Bundesliga club. He scored his first goal for Dortmund in a friendly against which cashed up English side?

Answer: Manchester City

Kagawa joined Dortmund for what many pundits class as a major bargain for the Bundesliga club. Kagawa won over the Dortmund faithful with his impressive performances, especially his two goals in his first Revierderby against heated rival Schalke.

Source: Author Frontale

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Nightmare before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

A quiz about footballers from Japan who have played in Europe in the last couple of decades.

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