Shinji Kagawa

Despite having the most people on the planet, Asia has never done very well at football. Britain’s Barclays Premier League is arguably the most prestigious in the world, attracting talent from far beyond the UK. Other top leagues include the Spanish, German and French, while the South Americans and Africans also shine at the World Cup.

So where are the talented Asian footballers? Here is a handful who have made it to the top level of the sport.

1) Shinji Kagawa

Japanese attacking midfielder Shinji Kagawa has been making the most headlines among Asian players, ever since his move to Manchester United at the start of this season. He was transferred from German champions Borussia Dortmund for 17 million pounds, making him the club’s second most valuable signing (after Robin van Persie at 24 million).

So far so good – Shinji has been praised for how well he fits into the Man U machine, and scored an easy goal against Fulham in a match which the Red Devils won 3-2.