‘Die for Hong Kong’? Naturalized Players in Hong Kong Football Since 1945

Football was introduced to Hong Kong by the British when it became one of their colonies. The Chinese-foreigner relationship in the history of football development in Hong Kong is often discussed in different fields such as politics and sociology. Meanwhile, the concept of naturalized players that developed half a century ago is understudied. The Hongkonger identity of naturalized players within the history of Hong Kong football has been shaped by policies and regulatory systems throughout the colonial era. As the Hongkonger identity emerged, being a Hongkonger was no longer about merely possessing permanent residency. Naturalized players are immersed in the Hong Kong identity in terms of civic values and how naturalized players are recognized as part of Hongkongers against the imaginary Other today.