Hidetoshi Nakata

Japanese midfielder who pioneered Asian players' arrival at elite European football, with notable stints in Italian Serie A. He played for Perugia, Roma, Parma, Bologna and Fiorentina, being an important player in Roma's Scudetto conquest in 2001. He was the main idol of the Japanese National Team in two World Cups. He retired while still young, at 29 years old, after the 2006 World Cup, dedicating himself to cultural and social projects in Japan.