Only very few Asian goalkeepers managed to play and cement their place in the European top leagues.
Asian goalkeepers have been very rare to see in the top five European major
leagues. Yet, it does not mean that there are not any. This season, Italian
Serie A sees the rise of a new young goalie whose form has been stealing the
spotlight. Parma’s Zion Suzuki has slowly but steadily been able to seal his
spot in the starting XI and helped his team to sit in the midtable with some
impressive wins, including a 2-1 win over AC Milan at the opener and a 2-2 tie
on the road against Juventus. Overall, he has made 11 appearances with one
clean sheet in the Italian top tier, quite impressive for a 22-year-old shot
stopper in his season debut.
Suzuki has been part of Japan’s set-up during the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
He already made an appearance in the 2023 Asian Cup too. The former St. Truiden
and Urawa Reds man is likely to be the main shot stopper for The Blue Samurai
for many years to come.
The US-born Japanese international is not the only Asian goalkeeper who has
competed and made actual appearances in the European top five, not simply sat
on the bench only in the first team. There were two other names who did the
same. One of them was even playing for the Premier League side.
However, the Australian goalkeepers are not included on the list, despite
the fact that Australia is in the AFC region. Historically, Australian players
have had a better and probably easier advantage to play in Europe due to their
European roots. They even already had names like Mark Bosnich, who managed to
play for Aston Villa and Manchester United in the 1990s, way before Australia’s
decision to switch confederations in the mid 2000s. Thus, sorry for Matthew
Ryan and Mark Schwarzer. Let’s check out who those distinguished Asian
goalkeepers are.
Eiji Kawashima (Japan)
The current Jubilo Iwata goalkeeper was one of the few Asian shot stoppers
who managed to play regularly in one of the European top five. He once played
for two Ligue 1 sides, Metz and Strasbourg. Previously, Kawashima had
established himself in Belgium with two top-tier sides, Lierse and Standard
Liege, for six years. Initially, the 41-year-old goalie did not get a nod in
the lineup, but he was able to earn it, even though for only one season in each
side.
In Metz, the former Standard Liege and Dundee United man was the first
choice in the 2017/18 campaign. He appeared in 30 games and made three clean
sheets. Unfortunately, he was unable to help his club avoid the red zone.
Despite his positive display, including two wins over the top teams, Rennes and
Nice, his contract was not extended as Metz was relegated at the end of the
season. Overall, he made 37 appearances for them before moving to RC Strasbourg in the summer 2018.
In Strasbourg, once again, Kawashima faced the same situation. He was only
the third in the pecking order and initially played for the reserve team. The
Saitama-born goalie did not get the opportunity to play regularly until the
2020/21 season. He played in 24 league matches and helped his team finish 15th.
Unfortunately, he suffered injuries in the following season and lost his place
again. The goalkeeper who idolised the Argentine shot stopper in 1990s, Sergio Goychochea, opted to
return to his native in 2024 after his contract there expired. He made 27
appearances in all competitions with 11 clean sheets.
|
Clubs |
Seasons when playing regularly in
the top tier (number of games) |
Notable matches |
|
FC Metz RC Strasbourg |
2017/18 (30 games) 2020/21 (24 games) |
Vs Lille 2-0 (A) Vs Nice 2-1 (H) Vs Rennes 2-1 (A) vs Monaco 1-0 (H) vs Nice 2-0 (A) vs Lens 1-0 (A) |
The former Oman international is the first and only Asian goalkeeper to play
regularly in the Premier League. His spell in England fared much better than
Japan’s Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi, who joined Portsmouth in the early 2000s and
never had a chance to make his Premier League debut. Al-Habsi did not only play
for one but five English clubs: Bolton, Wigan, Reading, Brighton, and West
Bromwich. He even won the FA Cup with Roberto Martinez’s Wigan in 2013,
although he did not feature in the final.
Al-Habsi owed his football career to the former Manchester City, Newcastle,
and Aston Villa goalie, John Burridge. He was the one who helped the Omani makea career breakthrough in England after his stint in Norway with Lyn Oslo. They
both met when the former Al Hilal goalie was still a junior player in the Oman
senior national team.
Al-Habsi first arrived in England in 2006 when he signed for Sam Allerdyce’s
Bolton Wanderers. He did not make his EPL debut till 2008. His first
competitive game for Bolton was a clash against Bayern Munich in the UEFA Cup
2007/08. He made a number of vital saves to help them hold a 2-2 draw on the
road in the group stage. Overall, he only featured in 18 games and made six
clean sheets.
The goalie, who was a fireman before switching his career as a footballer,
had his peak form with Wigan, as he was the first choice for three seasons in
the top flight from 2010-2013 until the arrival of Joel Robles. Under Roberto
Martinez’s tutelage, the Latics finished 16th and
15th, respectively. They clinched the FA Cup in 2013 but also relegated in
the same season. In total, Al Habsi made 154 appearances with 36 clean sheets.
|
Clubs |
Seasons when playing regularly in
the top tier (number of games) |
Notable matches |
|
Bolton Wigan Athletic |
2007/08 (16 games) 2010/11 (39 games) 2011/12 (40 games) 2012/13 (34 games) |
vs Bayern Munich 2-2 (A) vs Sporting Lisbon 1-1 (H) vs Chelsea 1-1 (A) vs Liverpool 1-1 (H & A) vs Arsenal 2-2 (H) vs Tottenham 0-0 (H) vs Man United 1-0 (H) vs Liverpool 2-1 (A) vs Arsenal 2-1 (A) vs Tottenham 1-0 (A) |
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