Former Pakistan hockey captain and goalkeeper Salman Akbar has joined the Japan hockey team ahead of the FIH Hockey World Cup.
Akbar will train Japan’s goalkeepers for one week as the team prepares for the tournament in Belgium and the Netherlands. His short-term role will focus on goalkeeping skills and match preparation.
Japan is currently in the Netherlands for the World Cup and will compete against some of the world’s top hockey teams.
Akbar has worked with Japan’s goalkeepers before. He also coached the team during the 2024 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, where Japan reached the final and defeated Pakistan to win the title.
The former Pakistan international represented his country at the 2004 Athens Olympics and the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He also played in several World Cups and Champions Trophy tournaments.
Akbar won a gold medal with Pakistan at the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou and was named the tournament’s best goalkeeper. He also won silver at the 2006 Commonwealth Games and bronze at the 2006 Asian Games. During his playing career, he was twice recognized among the world’s top goalkeepers.
After retiring from international hockey, Akbar began working as a goalkeeping coach and has trained players and teams in several countries.
He also runs his own goalkeeper academy in the Netherlands, coaches club goalkeepers there and has served as Japan’s national goalkeeping coach since 2018.
