Japanese · Kobe, Japan · Born 17 March 1989Japan's most naturally gifted modern midfielder, whose dribbling brilliance and technical mastery earned him success at Borussia Dortmund and Manchester United.
Shinji Kagawa was born on 17 March 1989 in Kobe, Japan, and began playing football in the first grade of elementary school with local club Mariner Sports Club, later transferring to Kobe NK Football Club and then FC Miyagi Barcelona in Sendai, where he was selected for Japan's youth national teams. He turned professional with Cerezo Osaka in 2007. Kagawa became the first midfielder in J.League history to win the top scorer title, playing as a shadow striker, and his creative displays for Cerezo earned a move to Borussia Dortmund in 2010 for a modest fee. He became a key figure in Dortmund's back-to-back Bundesliga title wins under Jürgen Klopp, renowned for his intelligent movement and clinical finishing from midfield. Manchester United signed Kagawa in 2012, though his time in England proved difficult to settle into, and he returned to Borussia Dortmund in 2014, helping the club reach the 2013 Champions League final during his first spell and continuing to be a key contributor after his return. Kagawa earned dozens of caps for Japan across an 11-year international career, representing his country at the 2010, 2014, and 2018 World Cups, and is widely regarded as one of the finest Japanese players of all time. He later played in Turkey, Spain, Greece, and Belgium before returning to his first professional club, Cerezo Osaka, in 2023.
First Japanese player to score in the Champions League
He scored the first hat-trick by an Asian player in the Bundesliga and was named the Bundesliga Footballer of the Year for 2011-12, cementing his status as the most decorated Japanese player in German football history.
Did You Know?How They Played
Technical attacking midfielder with excellent passing and movement in tight spaces
Lasting Impact
Pioneering Japanese player who achieved success in Europe's top leagues
Career Honours
- Bundesliga 2011, 2012 (Dortmund)
- DFB-Pokal 2012 (Dortmund)
- AFC Asian Cup 2011
| Club | Period | Fee | Apps | Goals | Shirt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cerezo Osaka | 2007–2010 | — | 125 | 55 | #10 |
| Borussia Dortmund | 2010–2012 | — | 49 | 21 | #9 |
| Manchester United | 2012–2014 | £16m | 38 | 6 | #9 |
| Borussia Dortmund | 2014–2019 | — | 99 | 20 | #9 |
| Borussia Dortmund II | 2018–2018 | — | 1 | 0 | #9 |
| Beşiktaş | 2019–2019 | loan | 14 | 4 | — |
| Real Zaragoza | 2019–2020 | — | 33 | 4 | #9 |
| PAOK | 2021–2021 | — | 6 | 0 | — |
| Sint-Truiden | 2022–2023 | — | 18 | 2 | — |
| Cerezo Osaka | 2023–Present | — | 69 | 5 | #10 |
 Japan | — | — | 97 | 31 | — |
Japanese Athletes