Nakamura ends Japan career

Midfielder quits after WC exit

Last updated: 2nd July 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Nakamura ends Japan career

Nakamura: International retirement

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Japan midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura has quit the international scene following his team's exit from the World Cup.

Japan exceeded expectations in making it to the knock-out phase despite struggling in their pre-tournament warm-ups.

They pushed Paraguay beyond 90-minutes having qualified second in their group but fell short in a penalty shoot-out.

That was the Blue Samurai's best achievement in the tournament outside of when they hosted the World Cup in 2002, which Nakamura sees as an apt mark in which to bow out.

"Yes, that's right," he said to Japanese press, when asked to confirm media reports that his international career was over.

The former Celtic midfielder, who now plays for Yokohama F Marinos, made his Japan debut in an Asian Cup qualifier against Singapore in February 2000 and went on to win 98 caps, scoring 24 goals.