Keisuke Honda vs Takehiro Tomiyasu
Japan against Japan. The almanac states its case, the crowd votes, you decide.
Keisuke Honda
Japan · 2010–16 · RM
- Almanac rating
- 87
- Rank in Japan
- #3 of 33
- Caps
- 98 · 38 goals
- Clubs
- Nagoya Grampus, PFC CSKA Moscow, AC Milan
Japan needed only a draw against Denmark in Rustenburg on 24 June 2010, and Honda opened the scoring in the 17th minute with a knuckling free kick that dipped away from Thomas Sorensen. The 2011 Asian Cup made him its most valuable player, and he went on to become the first Japanese player to score at three World Cups, winning a Russian league title and two Russian Cups with CSKA Moscow and the 2016 Supercoppa Italiana at Milan. Career record: 98 caps and 38 goals for Japan; club career at Nagoya Grampus, PFC CSKA Moscow, AC Milan.
Takehiro Tomiyasu
Japan · 2016–23 · CB
- Almanac rating
- 86
- Rank in Japan
- #9 of 33
- Caps
- 23
- Clubs
- Avispa Fukuoka, Bologna F.C. 1909, Arsenal
Hajime Moriyasu sent him on at half-time on 23 November 2022, Japan a goal down to Germany, rebuilt the back line as a five around him, and won 2-1 on the day of Tomiyasu's World Cup debut. Runner-up with Japan at the 2019 Asian Cup, he won the 2016 AFC U-19 Championship with a back line that conceded nothing in six matches and took the 2023 Community Shield during four years at Arsenal. Career record: 23 caps for Japan; club career at Avispa Fukuoka, Bologna F.C. 1909, Arsenal.
The verdict
The almanac puts Keisuke Honda ahead by 1 rating point, 87 against 86.
Fans have not settled this one yet. Cast the first vote in the duels.