SINGAPORE: The long-awaited dream for Tampines Rovers Football Club player Kyoga Nakamura is finally over, as he has been granted Singapore citizenship.
The Japanese-born footballer took the oath of allegiance to the Republic at the ICA Building on Friday, Oct 25.
“Just now, I took the oath to officially become a Singapore citizen – and it was an emotional moment for me,” shared a joyful Nakamura on social media.
The former Japan national U17 footballer obtained Singapore permanent residency earlier in June, which fuels his ambition to follow in the footsteps of Lion City Sailors player Song Ui-young to represent Singapore on the international football stage.
South Korean-born Song became a naturalised Lion in 2021.
The Singapore national team has leveraged the ‘Foreign Sports Talent Scheme’, launched in 1996, to recruit naturalised players, including pioneering foreign-born footballers such as Mirko Grabovac from Croatia and Egmar Goncalves from Brazil.
Nakamura began his professional career with JEF United Chiba before turning out for other Japanese clubs such as YSCC Yokohama and FC Ryukyu.
He was signed by Singapore Premier League club Albirex Niigata (Singapore) in 2019 and joined Tampines the following year.
During his first season in Singapore, Nakamura was nominated for the ‘Young Player of the Year’ and ‘Goal of the Season’ awards.
“Kyoga is a fantastic footballer and an even better person. I am delighted to welcome him as a new citizen, and I am proud to stand alongside him as a fellow Singaporean,” said Tampines chairman Desmond Ong.
Prior to gaining Singaporean citizenship, Nakamura, along with Cardiff City’s Perry Ng, was extended an invitation by the Football Association of Singapore to participate in a familiarisation stint with the Singapore national team’s centralised training in September.
The Tampines midfielder was once again called up to the Lions’ squad by national team head coach Tsutoms Ogura for centralised training in Japan earlier this month.
Singapore played three friendlies with local Japanese clubs in preparation for the year-end ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Mitsubishi Electric Cup to be held on Dec 8–Jan 5.
The Lions lost 4-0 to FC Tokyo in their opening match on Oct 8 but clinched a morale-boosting 2-1 win against Tokyo Verdy in their next game three days later.
They ended their stint in Japan with a crushing 7-1 defeat to Yokohama F. Marinos in their final friendly match on Oct 14.
“I’m really excited to finally be Singaporean, and from here on in, I will try my best to contribute whatever I can to our country and our football.
I am no superstar, but I will work hard for our flag and do whatever I can, on and off the pitch,” expressed the 28-year-old.
Singapore is in Group A with defending champions Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia and Timor Leste for the biennial regional tournament.
The Lions have won the ASEAN Championship four times: in 1998, 2004, 2007, and 2012.
In the previous edition of the tournament held in 2022, Singapore’s campaign was cut short and failed to advance to the semi-finals. They disappointingly finished third in the group stage, behind Vietnam and Malaysia.