Keisuke Honda

Keisuke Honda is one of the most charismatic and versatile midfielders in Japanese football, having played for prominent clubs in the Netherlands, Russia, and Italy before ending his career in a multinational trajectory that included a spell in Brazilian football. Recognized for his quality in free kick deliveries and his prominence in World Cups, he became one of the most recognizable faces of Asian football in the 2010s. After standing out at VVV-Venlo, in the Netherlands, and at CSKA Moscow, in Russia, Honda reached the peak of his career at AC Milan, where he wore the number 10 shirt between 2014 and 2017. He also had spells at Pachuca (Mexico), Melbourne Victory (Australia), Vissel Kobe, and Botafogo, in Brazil, ending his career as one of the most well-traveled Japanese players in history. For the Japanese National Team, Honda played in three World Cups (2010, 2014, and 2018), being the protagonist of decisive goals in all of them, and was also a key player in winning the AFC Asian Cup in 2011, a tournament in which he was voted the best player.