By Andrew Warshaw
July 10 – Keisuke Honda, Japan’s outstsanding player at the World Cup, is the latest signing by the country’s bid team seeking to win the right to host the 2022 finals.
Honda, who plays his club football in Russia with CSKA Moscow, scored twice in South Africa for Japan – one a superb free kick against Denmark – and was a major influence on their progression to the second round where they lost only in a penalty shootout to Paraguay.
The Japanese bid team have wasted no time in getting Honda on board.
Few Asian players outside their own continent have made such an impact and Honda is expected to be hot property when the transfer window opens for the top European clubs on August 1.
Born on June 13, 1986, in Settsu, Osaka Prefecture, Honda joined Nagoya Grampus Eight in 2005.
He moved to VVV Venio in Holland in 2008 and then on to CSKA early this year.
He made his Japan representative debut at the World Under-20 Cup in 2005 and played for Japan at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
Japan is one of four members of the Asian Football Confederation contesting the 2022 World Cup but is considered a long shot behind Australia, Qatar and South Korea – as well as the bid from the United States who are also targeting 2018.
FIFA’s bid inspection team will be visiting Japan, and more specifically proposed venue sites in Tokyo and Osaka, between July 19 and 22.
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