Shinji Kagawa

Shinji Kagawa is an attacking midfielder of Manchester United and the national team of Japan. He was born in Kobe, Honshu, Japan.

Kagawa started to train and play football in his native town sport schools. At the age of 12 he was invited to the Miyagi academy, from where he moved to Cerezo Osaka at the age of 16. Shinji is known as the first Japanese footballer to sign a professional contract before finishing school. In 2007 the midfielder made his first appearance for Cerezo in the J. League Division 2 and in 2009 he helped the team to get back to the J. League Division 1. In 2010 Kagawa made his debut in the main Japanese championship scoring seven goals in 11 matches.

Such kind of a start could not be left unnoticed by the representatives of European clubs. Borussia Dortmund scouts found Cerezo rather quickly and on 1 July 2010 Kagawa’s transfer to the German club was announced. The player was bought for €300,000. On 13 July the same year Shinji made his first appearance for Borussia in a friendly match against Lotte that plays in German Regionalliga. The team from Dortmund hammered their opponents; the Japanese player made a wonderful start and showed magnificent performance in the first half, but he was substituted in the half time.

Playing for the Black Yellows, the Asian footballer twice became the Bundesliga Champion and lifted the DFB Cup. After 2011/2012 there were rumors that Kagawa can sign for Manchester United. Those rumors were later confirmed both by the player and Borussia management.

The Japanese footballer took part in the 2008 Olympics as a midfielder of his national team. On 24 May 2008 he made his debut for the Japan national football team in the match against Côte d’Ivoire. That match ended in 1-0 victory of the Asian squad.