Former Japan and Celtic star Shunsuke Nakamura, currently at Yokohama FC in the J. League second division, is set to retire at the end of the season, sources familiar with the matter said Monday.
The 44-year-old midfielder, known for his deadly set-piece deliveries with his left foot, played 98 games for Japan, scoring 24 goals, and was part of the 2006 and 2010 World Cup squads.
The two-time J. League MVP has scored 73 goals in 408 games in J1. His 24 goals from free kicks are the most in the league's history.
After making his debut with Yokohama Marinos in 1997, Nakamura quickly became a popular name in the J. League and featured regularly for Japan but was a shock omission by the then-manager Philippe Troussier ahead of the home World Cup in 2002.
Nakamura joined Reggina that summer and spent three seasons in Italy's Serie A before signing for Scottish giant Celtic, where he became a fan favorite and shone in the Champions League during his four-year spell.
One of Nakamura's career highlights came in 2006 when he scored two free kicks in the Champions League group stage against Manchester United, one at Old Trafford and another at Celtic Park.
While his goal did not prevent Celtic from losing 3-2 in the away tie, a breathtaking strike from distance proved crucial in the home game as it won 1-0.
Following a half-year stint at Espanyol in Spain's La Liga, Nakamura returned to Marinos in 2010 before joining Jubilo Iwata in 2017.
Nakamura has been with Yokohama FC since 2019. He has played five games this season in J2 and the side won promotion to J1 on Sunday.
Nakamura has voiced his desire to take up a coaching role in the future.