What is Nakata like now?

Hidetoshi Nakata retired at the age of 29 in 2006. Currently, he owns Japan Craft Sake, a company specializing in high-quality sake products. In addition, Nakata is the founder of the premium tea brand Hanaahu.

In addition to his business career, the 48-year-old former football star has also ventured into the fashion industry. Nakata has modeled for many famous brands. With his attractive appearance, the former football star is loved by football fans worldwide.

Nakata attended Paris Fashion Week a few weeks ago.

In a recent interview, Nakata shared his journey from a football player to a successful entrepreneur in the sake industry. During his eight years playing and living in Italy, he spent time exploring wineries.

"In my free time, I often visit vineyards. I not only enjoy wine but also appreciate the people who produce it and the surrounding environment," the former football star shared.

Upon returning to Japan, Nakata realized that his country's culture wasn't limited to wine. He further shared, "Japan isn't just about wine production. That has to do with sake. I noticed that sake is a unique product, found only in Japan. At that time, Japanese cuisine was becoming increasingly well-known worldwide . But nobody knew about sake, including me. So I thought this was a great opportunity to learn about sake, as it's also a part of Japanese culture."

Sake, an alcoholic beverage made from fermented rice, became a subject of interest and research for Nakata. He earned a "Master of Sake" certification, demonstrating his deep understanding of this drink.

Nakata focused on the sake business after retiring from his playing.

According to Celebrity Net Worth , Nakata has a net worth of $28 million . Nakata was once dubbed the "David Beckham of Japan" by the media, demonstrating his influence beyond the football field. With his football skills and high brand recognition, Nakata became one of the richest footballers in Japan and one of the icons of Asian football in the 2000s.

During his playing career, he was one of the first Japanese players to make his mark in Serie A. In his eight years playing in Italy, Nakata played for several clubs, including AS Roma, Parma, Perugia, Fiorentina, and Bologna. Nakata's peak was in the 1998/99 season when he scored 10 goals in 33 appearances for Perugia.

In Italy, Nakata won two titles, including one Serie A title (with Roma in the 2000/01 season) and one Coppa Italia title (with Parma in the 2001/02 season).

While playing for the Japanese national team, Nakata made 77 appearances and scored 11 goals.

Japanese striker Daizen Maeda impressed at Celtic with a crucial defensive sprint in the 86th minute as Celtic led St Johnstone 6-0 in the sixth round of the Scottish Premiership.