Shinji Kagawa is a Japanese international football player who currently features for the English and European powerhouse Manchester United. He plays as an attacking midfielder and can also be deployed as a winger.
Kagawa commenced his professional football career at Japanese giants Cerezo Osaka and played for the first team between 2006 and 2010. He signed his professional contract with Cerezo when he was 17, thereby becoming the first player in Japan to sign a professional contract before graduating high school.
Kagawa scored 55 goals in 125 league appearances for Cerezo and was signed by German giants Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2010 for €350,000. He quickly established himself as one of the most creative players in the Bundesliga, helping BVB winning the league title in 2011 and 2012, scoring 21 goals in 49 appearances in the German first division in the process.
| Team |
Cerezo Osaka
|
| Position | Midfielder |
| Height / weight | 1.75 m / 63 kg |
| Born | 17 Mar 1989 |
| Nationality |
Japan
|
| Official Site | www.kagawashinji.com |
| Team History | |
|
Cerezo Osaka
|
2023 - present |
|
De Kanaries (The Canaries)
|
2022 - 2023 |
|
PAOK F.C.
|
2021 |
Real Zaragoza
|
2019 - 2020 |
Besiktas
|
2019 (loan) |
Dortmund
|
2014 - 2019 |
|
Borussia Dortmund
|
2018 |
Man Utd
|
2012 - 2014 |
|
Dortmund
|
2010 - 2012 |
|
Cerezo Osaka
|
2007 - 2010 |
In June 2012 Manchester United signed Kagawa from Borussia Dortmund, with the 23-year-old becoming the first Japanese to play for the Red Devils. However, he struggled to cement his place in the first team in the 2012-13 campaign but still played his part in United’s Premier League-winning campaign of 2012-13.
Kagawa made his international debut for Japan on May 24, 2008 against the Ivory Coast and played for his country at the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa. He also won the AFC Asian Cup in 2011.
