Several foreign players featured in a recent match between Angkor Tigers (orange) and ISI Dangkor Senchey. CPL
A total of 58 foreign players from 23 countries have signed contracts with the 10 Cambodian clubs in the new Cambodian Premier League (CPL). The new season kicked off on August 5, with the final scheduled to take place on May 12 next year.
Under the rules of the CPL, each franchise is permitted to offer contracts to a maximum of six foreign players, with Phnom Penh Crown, Visakha, Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng, NagaWorld, Tiff Army FC, Angkor Tiger, Kirivong Sok Sen Chey and ISI Dangkor Sen Chey all opting to do so.
The Boeung Ket and Prey Veng clubs have chosen to offer contacts to just five foreign players, meaning a total of 58 overseas footballers from 23 countries will take part in the league.
The foreign players hail from Japan, Brazil, Colombia, South Africa, Uzbekistan, Canada, the UK, Kyrgyzstan, Spain, Egypt, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Serbia, Sierra Leone, South Korea, Gambia, Myanmar, Timor-Leste , Laos, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore and the Philippines.
Japan is the most well represented nation, with 19 players from the land of the rising sun set to turn out for Cambodian clubs. They are followed by 11 players from football powerhouse Brazil.
CPL regulations include an additional ASEAN quota for foreign players. Each club may only field four foreign players at any one time, with the exception of an additional overseas player whose homeland is a member of the ASEAN bloc.
Satoshi Saito, CEO of the premier league, addressed the July 28 unveiling of this year’s player kits. He explained that the presence of foreign players was certain to make the league more interesting and attractive to the fans, as well as providing invaluable experience to the Kingdom’s players.
“What you can expect this season is a higher-level competition than ever before. The number of clubs competing in the CPL has risen to 10, and the number of matches has increased to 141, the highest in a season the Kingdom has ever seen,” he said.
“At the same time, the number of foreign players on the pitch has also increased. The new ASEAN player quota system will lead to stiffer competition. It is also important to note that it is not just foreigners, but Cambodians who may be competing for international contracts,” he added.
The makeup of the overseas recruits differs between the 10 clubs. Phnom Penh Crown has contracted three Japanese players: striker Shimizu Shintaro, defender Takaki Ose, midfielder Yudia Ogawa, as well as Colombian striker Neito, Brazilian midfielder Rodrigues Roldao Denilson and Myanmar defender Soe Moe Kyaw.
Visakha’s foreign players consist of South African defender Khan Mohammed Faeez, Japanese striker Nishihara Takumu, Brazilian midfielder De Oliveira Bastos Jonata and striker Pedro Junior Jorge Eduardo, Uzbekistan midfielder Mirzaev Alisher Umidovich, and Timor-Leste striker Barreto De Lima Mouzinho.
Svay Rieng has secured Japanese midfielder Ryo Fujii and defender Takashi Odawara, Brazilian strikers Gabriel Silva Costa and Iago Bento Fernandes, Canadian striker Marcus Haber and Laotian striker Bounkong Bounphachan.
NagaWorld has Brazilian strikers Marques Marcio de Oliveira and Cristian Roque Silveira dos Santos, along with their countryman defender Alexandre Cardoso, as well as Japanese defender Yuta Kikuchi, Kyrgyzstani defender Bektur Amangeldiev and Indonesian striker Rafli Mursalim.
Tiffy Army has included Japanese strikers Tetsuaki Misawa, Toshiya Takagi and Shori Murata, as well as Brazilian midfielder Caio Dos Santos Vicente, Brazilian striker Lucas Massaro Garcai Gama and Thai defender Srayut Sompim.
Angkor Tigers feature made up English defender Nugent Ben William, Spanish striker Blasco Llorens Victor, Japanese midfielder Nishikawa Shodai, Canadian midfielder Riggi Alessandro, Singaporean striker Delwinser Singh and the Philippines’ defender Bugas Pocholo Arellano.
Kirivong has Japanese midfielders Dylan Nobiraki and Daiki Jahana, Egyptian defender Mahmoud Elsayed, Brazilian striker Alves Romario Reginaldo, Cameroonian midfielder Yannick Francois Ndoumene and Timor-Leste striker Zenivio.
Boeung Ket’s foreign selection comprises Japanese midfielders Yoshihama Ryohei and Takahashi Mahiro, English midfielder Stokoe Luke Alexander, Ivory Coast defender Zogbe Gbayoro Anderson and Serbian striker Golubovic Stefan.
ISI Dangkor has Sierra Leone midfielder Samra Umaru, Ivory Coast defender Coulibaly Abdel Kader, South Korean defender Chern Jinryeong, Japanese defender Yanagidate Kazu, Cameroonian striker Ndongo Louis Willy and Timor-Leste midfielder Jhon Frith,
Prey Veng has selected Japanese defender Kato Ryo, along with his countrymen midfielder So Omae and striker Takeshita Masatoshi, as well Gambian defender Saidy Ahmad and Myanmar midfielder Thiha Zaw.
