By Mark Heys
July 3 2006

Hidetoshi Nakata has announced that he will retire from football following Japan's early exit from this summers World Cup finals in Germany. The 29-year old played for the Wanderers on loan from Fiorentina in the 2005-2006 season and he is regarded by many to be the best export to come out of Asian football in recent times.

His move to Italian football almost a decade ago proved to be a catalyst for many other Asian players to break into football on the European stage, so his premature retirement is much of a shock given the fact that he is still only in his twenties.

During his career Nakata served the now defunct Bellmare Hiratsuka in his homeland as well as Italian sides Perugia, AS Roma, Parma, Bologna and latterly Fiorentina whom he joined in two years ago.

Nakata made sixteen starts for Bolton last season, scoring once in the 2-0 win over West Bromwich Albion in October 2005.

Bolton manager Sam Allardyce says that the retirement of the Japanese ace isn't completely a surprise and left the door open for his former player to return to the club as a guest in the future.

Speaking to the Bolton official website Allardyce said:

"The news isn't a surprise as far as I am concerned. Hide has had the time to think about his future and has decided that the best outcome is for him to hang up his boots.

"He's had a glittering career and has achieved plenty in the domestic game. He will be remembered as the catalyst of Asian and Japanese football, and also the first Japanese export to European football.


"It was a privilege to work with him last season, and I'd like to wish him well. He will always be welcome as a guest at this football club in the future