Who would be Calm, Cool and Collected?

Japan is currently blessed with a hoard of talented footballers. Although being ranked at a lowly 52 in the FIFA rankings presently, the team is undoubtedly under-performing. You only have to look at the exit from this year’s AFC Asia Cup to see the disappointment etched on many fans’ faces when knocked out in a penalty kicks loss to United Arab Emirates after previously topping their group with 3 wins out of 3 in the group stage.

With many of the star players currently in the international crop coming from top European leagues such as Germany, England and Italy many predict that the Japanese squad needs to reach its peak over the next couple of years. But after the disappointment of the AFC Asia Cup we thought we would take a lighthearted look at some of the national team’s squad members.

Have you ever wondered how some of the players would fare playing another sport? Poker has become a very valuable fundraiser for football clubs over the years. You only have to look at the extremely popular ‘Road to Old Trafford’ hosted by Manchester United that raised a sizeable amount for Rio Ferdinand’s Foundation in 2012. The charity poker event featured past and present players as well as a host of professional poker players. But how would some of Japan’s national players fare against each other? Let’s discuss…

Shinji Kagawa (Borussia Dortmund)

Always composed on the ball, Kagawa would be cool, calm and collected under pressure. With a rabid card culture at his old club Manchester United, the midfield maestro would’ve no doubt played his fair share of poker during his time in England. At the poker table, you could imagine Kagawa being unreadable at times staying stoic throughout – getting creative with his bluffs and would always be willing to take a risk just like when he’s taking on defenders in the final third for his current club, Borussia Dortmund.

Maya Yoshida (Southampton)

The big central defender is having the best period of his career to date with Southampton in the English Premier League. He would no doubt be full of confidence and wouldn’t be intimidated at the poker table. He’s also a ball playing defender who is calm under pressure, too and you’d expect this to transcend to his poker game.

Keisuke Honda (Milan)

One of Japan’s most celebrated players, Honda is suave and sophisticated – he’d likely bring a certain aura of confidence to the tables. Another creative, risk-taker, Honda would be unpredictable in his game play and always look for interesting ways to steal his opponents’ stacks.

Makoto Hasebe (Eintracht Frankfurt)

The national team captain, Hasebe would be dependable under pressure and like his on-the-field-game, extremely reliable and consistent. Unlikely to do anything particularly rash, Hasebe’s game would rely solely on playing the odds and percentages as opposed to risking his stack for a needless bet.

If the above international players were to engage in some high-stakes poker, they wouldn’t be the first from the football world. Just last year German international Max Kruse and Spanish ace Sergio Ramos played in the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas among 6,000+ professionals. With Kruse and Ramos learning their trade on online portal and during away trips, it didn’t take the pair long to realize their love for the game was more than just a hobby.

The availability of online poker portals in Europe is unparalleled with thousands operating legally across the continent. Betting exchange Betfair has over 30 game variants taking place at one time on their site, which is the ideal platform for poker players to access and play competitively anytime of the day. These vast options helped the betting exchange to post record profits in 2015 as well inking deals with professional clubs such as Liverpool, which has broadened the brand’s appeal in the football world.

With many professional footballers now transitioning into the world of poker. Who do you think will be the first Japanese international to make their bow at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas? And, who do you think out of the current crop of internationals would make the finest poker player? Let us know your thoughts below.