BEIJING - Japan midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura has been named the Emirates Most Valuable Player of the Asian Cup 2004.  
 
The key man in the Japan attack, Shunsuke Nakamura has been superb in the Asian Cup 2004 scoring two goals and driving his team forward with his superb distribution and dead-ball skills.
 
He scored perhaps the goal of the tournament in the 1-0 win over Oman in the first round, exquisitely curling the ball past goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi with a deft left-foot strike.
 
In the 3-1 win over hosts China in the final at the Beijing Workers' Stadium, the 26-year-old Reggina midfielder was in imperious form and was a constant threat throughout the match.
 
A Nakamura free-kick in the 22nd minute saw Takayuki Suzuki heading across the face of the goalmouth and into the path of an unmarked Takashi Fukunishi, who nodded the ball home from close range.
 
Japan's second also came courtesy of Nakamura who curled a corner into the penalty box for Koji Nakata to score a somewhat controversial goal. The ball appeared to be palmed over the line by Nakata, who had charged in at the far post.

"Nakamura was by far one of the most consistent and influential players of the tournament," said an official from the Asian Football Confederation's Technical Study Group (TSG), led by Dr Jozef Venglos.

"He had impressed me in all the matches that he had played in, having a hand in many of the goals that Japan had scored. His final pass is excellent. Nakamura has a very sharp eye for a killer pass and his delivery is always of very high quality."

"Nakamura's achievements are clear for all to see. His temperament, his attitude is a model for youngsters to follow."