The sky was the limit for Hidetoshi Nakata. ‘The Little Jewel’ was adored by fans for his exploits on the pitch due to his playmaking ability, while his extravagant style made him an icon both on and off of it.
Nakata was the face of Japanese football in his prime, with his dyed hair and silky skills launching him into stardom at the World Cup in 1998 – the country’s first-ever appearance at the biggest tournament in world football.
His performances in France that year would catch the eye of many clubs across Europe and he was instantly snapped up by then Serie A side Perugia.
While in Italy – where he would also play for Roma and Parma – his marketability saw no bounds, he was a gold mine due to the eyes he would bring to the Serie A from Asia.
Nakata would become the poster boy of the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea after his rise in popularity, establishing himself as Asia’s very own David Beckham. However, at the age of just 29 and four years after his hype train reached full speed, the midfielder hung up his boots.
Many stars leave the sport with regrets, but not Nakata. It was arguably the best decision he has ever made. These days, he is known for his exploits in the alcohol industry through his successful sake company.
Hidetoshi Nakata was a Japanese football icon after his performances in the 1998 World Cup
The midfielder decided to retire from football aged 29 after the 2006 World Cup in Germany
Nakata is a fashion icon that has a fortune of $28m (£21.5m) because of his alcohol business
By the time the now 48-year-old retired from the beautiful game, he had already played at three world cups and was playing for Bolton Wanderers in the Premier League after his success in the Serie A.
While his time in Greater Manchester isn’t the most memorable, in Italy he won both the top flight and cup, while he also holds the record for the most goals by an Asian player in Serie A history.
His decision to quit football came six months before the 2006 World Cup in Germany, but he kept it under wraps.
When the final whistle was blown in Japan’s final group game against Brazil, tears filled the eyes of Nakata and he never returned to the pitch again.
‘I never had a dream to become a professional footballer, but somehow it happened and I played in World Cups and I went to Italy and England,’ Nakata told the Athletic.
‘I played all the time for passion. I’m not a fan of football, I like to play football. That’s the reason I left, I had lost the passion. If I didn’t have the passion, it was like I was lying to myself.’
Following his retirement, Nakata went on an excursion across the world in search of a new obsession that did not involve kicking a ball.
After three years, he returned to his motherland yearning to delve into the lifestyle of his compatriots after so many years away. While there he found his new passion, and it came in liquid form.
Nakata has a brief spell in the Premier League with Bolton Wanderers before retiring
The Japanese star was more known for his time in Italy where he won the Serie A with Roma
Nakata was a style icon in his playing days which made him marketable on and off the pitch
Nakata’s time in Italy grew his passion for wine, and while back in Japan he became intrigued in sake, otherwise known as rice wine, which is a beveraged made form fermented rice.
After travelling to over 450 sake breweries and learning the tricks of the trade, he became the ‘master of sake’ and in 2015 he founded the Japan Craft Sake Company.
‘When I retired at 29, a lot of people told me, “You can still play’” or, “Why don’t you work in the football industry and become a coach or whatever?”‘ he continued to The Athletic.
‘But I’m not choosing things to do because I can. No, I’m doing things because I want (to do them). I do what I like.
‘So if I like fashion, I do fashion. If I like other culture, I do other culture. If I like sake, I do sake. Other people sometimes don’t understand why. It’s because I’m doing it for passion.’
Nakata entered the sake business at the perfect time, and would go on to make a lot of money. Research shows that the product saw its value increase by 590 per cent between 2009 – when he first registered interest – and 2021.
The former Japan international also launched an app called Sakenomy, which he paired with his business, while he also made his own tea company.
His aim for the app is to teach the world more about sake and he also regularly provides lectures to companies based on his experiences.
The 48-year-old decided to go into the sake business after emersing himself in Japanese culture
Nakata also regularly attends fashion shows and also fronted Stone Island’s most recent campaign
While his sake business is booming, Nakata was always known as a fashion guru and that has not changed.
As recently as February, football’s fashion king of the 2000s (sorry David Beckham) starred in Stone Island’s most recent campaign, even fronting the collection celebrities such as Giggs, a British grime artist, and Spike Lee.
All of his exploits whether it be in football, beverage-making, or fashion advertising have made him a reported fortune of $28million (£21.5m).
