Shinji Kagawa facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Shinji Kagawa
香川 真司

Kagawa with Japan at the 2018 World Cup
Personal information
Full name	Shinji Kagawa
Date of birth	(1989-03-17) 17 March 1989 (age 36)
Place of birth	Kobe, Japan
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Cerezo Osaka
Number	8
Youth career
1994–1999	Marino FC
1999–2001	Kobe NK FC
2001–2005	FC Miyagi Barcelona
2005–2007	Cerezo Osaka
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2007–2010	Cerezo Osaka	125	(55)
2010–2012	Borussia Dortmund	49	(21)
2012–2014	Manchester United	38	(6)
2014–2019	Borussia Dortmund	99	(20)
2018	Borussia Dortmund II	1	(0)
2019	→ Beşiktaş (loan)	14	(4)
2019–2020	Real Zaragoza	33	(4)
2021	PAOK	6	(0)
2022–2023	Sint-Truiden	18	(2)
2023–	Cerezo Osaka	60	(4)
International career‡
2006–2008	Japan U19	4	(0)
2007	Japan U20	2	(0)
2008	Japan U23	3	(0)
2008–2019	Japan	97	(31)
Medal record Men's football Representing  Japan AFC Asian Cup Winner 2011 Qatar
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 27 February 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 9 August 2019 (UTC)

Shinji Kagawa (Japanese: 香川 真司, Kagawa Shinji; born on March 17, 1989) is a Japanese professional footballer. He plays as a midfielder for Cerezo Osaka. Many people think he is one of the best Japanese players ever.

Kagawa made history in Japan's J.League. He was the first midfielder to become the top scorer in the league. He achieved this while playing as a "shadow striker," which means he played just behind the main attackers. In 2009, he was the top scorer in the J2 League, scoring many goals and helping his team with lots of assists.

Shinji Kagawa started his professional career in Japan with Cerezo Osaka. He then moved to Europe, joining Borussia Dortmund in Germany in 2010. After two successful years, he signed with Manchester United in England. Two years later, he returned to Dortmund. Kagawa holds records for Japanese players in European club competitions, having played and scored the most goals. He also played for clubs in Turkey, Spain, Greece, and Belgium. In January 2023, he returned to his first club, Cerezo Osaka, in Japan.

Kagawa first played for the Japanese national team in May 2008. He has played in over 90 games and scored more than 30 goals for his country. In November 2012, he was named the Asian Football Confederation International Player of the Year.

Since 2023, Kagawa has mostly played as a central midfielder. In the first game of the 2025 J.League season, he scored a goal and made an assist in a big 5–2 win. This showed how important he is in his deeper midfield role.

Shinji Kagawa's Club Journey

Shinji Kagawa was born in Kobe, Japan. He started playing football when he was five years old. He played for several youth clubs, including Marino FC, Kobe NK FC, and FC Miyagi Barcelona.

Starting at Cerezo Osaka

Cerezo Osaka noticed Kagawa's talent and signed him when he was just 17. He was the first player in Japan to sign a professional contract before finishing high school, unless they came from a J.League club's youth team. In 2007, he became a regular player for Cerezo Osaka. In 2009, he became the top scorer in the J.League Division 2, which made many people notice him.

Playing for Borussia Dortmund

First Time in Germany (2010–2011)

Kagawa playing for Borussia Dortmund in 2011

In the summer of 2010, Kagawa moved from Cerezo Osaka to Borussia Dortmund in Germany. The transfer cost was not very high because of a special rule in his contract. This rule allowed him to leave cheaply if he had a chance to play in Europe.

On August 23, 2010, he played his first game in the Bundesliga, which is Germany's top football league. He quickly scored his first two goals for Dortmund in a European game. Then, he scored his first Bundesliga goal in a 2–0 win against VfL Wolfsburg. In a big game against their rivals Schalke 04, Kagawa said he would score two goals, and he did! This made him a favorite among the fans.

Kagawa missed half of the Bundesliga season because of an injury he got while playing for Japan. But he still managed to score eight goals in 18 games. His great performance helped Dortmund win the Bundesliga championship that season. He was even chosen for the Bundesliga Best XI team.

Winning More with Dortmund (2011–2012)

Kagawa was back and ready for the 2011–12 Bundesliga season. He quickly got back into the starting team. He scored his first goal of the new season on September 18. On October 22, Kagawa scored early in the game as Dortmund won 5–0 against 1. FC Köln. He scored again on November 5, helping Dortmund win 5–1 against VfL Wolfsburg. Kagawa also scored a goal in the Champions League against Arsenal.

On January 28, 2012, Kagawa scored two goals in Dortmund's 3–1 win against Hoffenheim. He scored the only goal in a 1–0 win against Werder Bremen on March 17. Kagawa scored two more goals in Dortmund's huge 6–1 win over Cologne on March 25. This helped Dortmund stay ahead in the title race. Dortmund won the Bundesliga again in 2012, setting a new record for most points in a season. Kagawa also scored a goal and made an assist against Bayern Munich in the German Cup final. He scored 13 goals and had 8 assists that season.

Joining Manchester United

Kagawa training with Manchester United in 2012

On June 5, 2012, Manchester United announced that Shinji Kagawa would join their team. This made him the first Japanese player to play for the famous English club. The transfer fee was about £12 million. Kagawa passed his medical and got his work permit, and the transfer was completed on June 22. He wore the number 26 shirt for United. Kagawa said he would always remember Borussia Dortmund and their fans.

Kagawa played his first game for Manchester United on July 18, 2012, in a friendly match in South Africa. He made his first start on July 21 and scored his first goal four days later. His Premier League debut was on August 20, playing the whole game in a 1–0 loss to Everton. He scored his first Premier League goal on August 25 in his home debut against Fulham. He scored from a rebound after a shot was saved. On September 19, Kagawa started his first Champions League game for United. He helped set up the winning goal in a 1–0 win. On October 23, he helped set up another goal in a Champions League win, but he twisted his knee and was out for two months. Kagawa returned from his injury in January 2013.

On March 2, 2013, Kagawa scored his first hat-trick for Manchester United. He also became the first Asian player to score three goals in one game in the Premier League. This happened in a 4–0 home win against Norwich City. On April 22, Kagawa played in the game where United won the Premier League title, beating Aston Villa 3–0. He became the first Japanese player to win a Premier League title. On May 12, Kagawa played in Alex Ferguson's last home game as manager, which United won 2–1. He received his Premier League medal and was named Man of the Match that day.

Coming Back to Dortmund

Kagawa playing for Borussia Dortmund in 2014

On August 31, 2014, Kagawa officially returned to his old club, Borussia Dortmund. He signed a contract until June 30, 2018, and was given the number 7 shirt. In his first game back, Kagawa scored a goal and set up another, helping Dortmund win 3–1 against SC Freiburg.

On July 14, 2017, Kagawa extended his contract with Dortmund until 2020.

In the first half of the 2018–19 season, Kagawa did not play much due to an injury and the coach preferring other players. Because of this, Kagawa joined the Turkish club Beşiktaş on loan for the rest of the season.

Playing in Spain and Greece

On August 9, 2019, Kagawa moved to Real Zaragoza in Spain, signing a two-year contract. He played his first game for the club on August 17, 2019, in a 2–0 win. Eight days later, he scored his first goal in a 1–1 draw. On October 2, 2020, his contract with Zaragoza ended.

On January 27, 2021, Kagawa joined PAOK, a club in Greece. That season, PAOK won the Greek Cup, and Kagawa played in three matches, giving one assist. By December 2021, Kagawa was not playing much, so he and the club agreed to end his contract. He left PAOK after almost a year, having played only 12 games.

Playing in Belgium

On January 10, 2022, Kagawa signed with the Belgian club Sint-Truiden.

Back Home to Cerezo Osaka

On January 31, 2023, Kagawa returned to Japan and rejoined his first club, Cerezo Osaka. On March 12, in his first start for the club in 14 years, he scored his first goal in a 2–1 win. This goal helped Cerezo Osaka get their first win of the season.

Shinji Kagawa's International Career

Kagawa played for the Japan under-20 national team in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup. In 2008, he was also chosen to play for the Japan team in the 2008 Summer Olympics. On May 24, 2008, he played his first game for the senior national team in a friendly match. Japan won that game 1–0. However, he was not chosen for the 2010 FIFA World Cup squad. In September 2010, he scored the only goal in Japan's win over Paraguay.

Kagawa was part of the Japan team for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup. In the quarter-final game against Qatar, he scored two goals, helping Japan win 3–2. In the semi-final against South Korea, Kagawa broke a bone in his foot. This meant he missed the final, where Japan beat Australia.

Kagawa was chosen for Japan's team for the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup. He scored a goal against Italy in a game that Japan lost 4–3. He played in his first World Cup in 2014, but Japan did not do well and was eliminated early.

At the 2015 AFC Asian Cup, Kagawa scored Japan's second goal in a 2–0 win against Jordan. He was named the man of the match. In the quarter-final against the United Arab Emirates, the game ended in a 1–1 draw. In the penalty shoot-out, Kagawa missed his kick, and Japan lost.

Kagawa scored a goal against Colombia in the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

How Shinji Kagawa Plays Football

Shinji Kagawa is a very skilled and creative player. He is a versatile attacking midfielder, meaning he can play in different attacking roles. He often plays as a playmaker, helping to create scoring chances for his team. He can also play on the left or right side of the field.

Kagawa is good at keeping the ball and makes smart decisions when passing. He is quick and moves around the opponent's defense to find good spaces for passes or through balls. He is excellent at attacking, both with and without the ball. He also has great positioning, which helps him see opportunities to score. His best qualities are his quickness, smart passing, creativity, good attacking positions, and ability to make key passes. He is quite fast and can score goals himself. When playing for Japan, he has played as a left midfielder or a central attacking midfielder.

Career Statistics

Club Games

International Games

Scores and results list Japan's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Kagawa goal.

List of international goals scored by Shinji Kagawa

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	9 October 2008	Denka Big Swan Stadium, Niigata City, Japan	United Arab Emirates	1–0	1–1	Friendly
2	4 February 2009	National Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan	Finland	3–0	5–1	Friendly
3	4 September 2010	Nissan Stadium, Yokohama, Japan	Paraguay	1–0	1–0	Friendly
4	21 January 2011	Thani bin Jassim Stadium, Doha, Qatar	Qatar	1–1	3–2	2011 AFC Asian Cup
5				2–2
6	10 August 2011	Sapporo Dome, Sapporo, Japan	South Korea	1–0	3–0	Friendly
7				3–0
8	11 October 2011	Nagai Stadium, Osaka, Japan	Tajikistan	4–0	8–0	2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
9				7–0
10	23 May 2012	Shizuoka Stadium, Fukuroi, Japan	Azerbaijan	1–0	2–0	Friendly
11	8 June 2012	Saitama Stadium 2002, Saitama, Japan	Jordan	4–0	6–0	2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
12	12 October 2012	Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France	France	1–0	1–0	Friendly
13	26 March 2013	King Abdullah Stadium, Amman, Jordan	Jordan	1–2	1–2	2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
14	20 June 2013	Itaipava Arena Pernambuco, São Lourenço da Mata, Brazil	Italy	2–0	3–4	2013 FIFA Confederations Cup
15	14 August 2013	Miyagi Stadium, Rifu, Japan	Uruguay	1–3	2–4	Friendly
16	10 September 2013	Saitama Stadium 2002, Saitama, Japan	Ghana	1–1	3–1	Friendly
17	5 March 2014	lNational Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan	New Zealand	2–0	4–2	Friendly
18	2 June 2014	Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, United States	Costa Rica	2–1	3–1	Friendly
19	7 June 2014		Zambia	2–2	4–3	Friendly
20	20 January 2015	Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne, Australia	Jordan	2–0	2–0	2015 AFC Asian Cup
21	3 September 2015	Saitama Stadium 2002, Saitama, Japan	Cambodia	3–0	3–0	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
22	8 September 2015	Azadi Stadium, Tehran, Iran	Afghanistan	1–0	6–0	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
23				3–0
24	29 March 2016	Saitama Stadium 2002, Saitama, Japan	Syria	2–0	5–0	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
25				4–0
26	3 June 2016	Toyota Stadium, Toyota, Japan	Bulgaria	2–0	7–2	2016 Kirin Challenge Cup
27				3–0
28	28 March 2017	Saitama Stadium 2002, Saitama, Japan	Thailand	1–0	4–0	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
29	10 October 2017	Nissan Stadium, Yokohama, Japan	Haiti	3–3	3–3	2017 Kirin Challenge Cup
30	12 June 2018	Tivoli-Neu, Innsbruck, Austria	Paraguay	4–2	4–2	Friendly
31	19 June 2018	Mordovia Arena, Saransk, Russia	Colombia	1–0	2–1	2018 FIFA World Cup

Shinji Kagawa's Awards and Trophies

Shinji Kagawa has won many awards and trophies throughout his career:

With Borussia Dortmund

• Bundesliga (German League): 2010–11, 2011–12
• DFB-Pokal (German Cup): 2011–12, 2016–17

With Manchester United

• Premier League (English League): 2012–13
• FA Community Shield: 2013

With Japan National Team

• AFC Asian Cup: 2011

Individual Awards

• Bundesliga Player of the First Half of the Season: 2010
• kicker Bundesliga Team of the Season: 2010–11, 2011–12
• VDV Team of the Season: 2011–12
• ESM Team of the Season: 2011–12
• AFC Asian International Player of the Year: 2012
• Bundesliga Team of the Season: 2015–16
• IFFHS Asian Men's Team of All Time: 2021

See also

In Spanish: Shinji Kagawa para niños