Challenges and complexities of imagining nationhood : the case of Hong Kong’s naturalized footballers

In the field of sports and nationalism, little has been done to explore the process of how a member from another nation become representatives of another imagined community. In view of the growing significance of naturalization of foreign sporting talents in international sports, this paper highlights the complexities of the imagining a ‘deep, horizontal comradeship’ through the case of Hong Kong’s naturalized football representatives, with a focus on the negotiation of ‘Hong Kongness’ and ‘Chineseness’ among fans and naturalized representatives regarding selected contents in the stadium. It is argued that fans and naturalized players are constantly reminded of an inclusive Hong Kongness and an exclusive Chineseness that facilitated the acceptance of naturalized footballers as representatives of Hong Kong’s imagined community. But at the same time, paradoxes are identified in the imagination of a ‘deep, horizontal comradeship’ between Hong Kong citizens and the naturalized footballers