An Empirical Study on South Korean and Japanese Football Players’Participation in Overseas Professional Football Leagues

This study aims to provide foundational data for enhancing the international competitiveness of the Korean football system and establishing strategic directions. The overseas participation of Korean and Japanese football players in professional leagues as of May 2025 was investigated. Descriptive statistics and the Mann–Whitney U test(p<.05). were conducted using Microsoft Excel 2014 and IBM SPSS 26.0. Japan had 287 players abroad, more than twice the number of Korea(138), with 137 in Europe compared to Korea’s 35, showing a fourfold gap. In the top five European leagues, Japan had 24 players, far surpassing Korea (9), and since 2020, Japan has overtaken Korea in Premier League representation. Position and age distributions indicated that Korean players were concentrated in forwards and midfielders and tended to move abroad at an earlier age(under 20), while Japanese players were more evenly distributed across positions and advanced to European leagues through more diverse ages and pathways. Moreover, a higher proportion of Japanese players transferred directly from their domestic league to the top five European leagues. As per market value, Korea showed a ‘selective elite’ structure compared to Japan. Data related to performance revealed no significant differences in average playing time, number of matches, or starting appearances. Although Japan had three times more regular starters, Korean players slightly outperformed in performance indicators such as goals and assists, Man of the Match(MOM) awards, and average ratings. Further study needs to be derive development strategies for restoring international competitiveness based on the current situation identified in this study.