The connection in football is sometimes more poetic than one can imagine. Jonatan Acosta, the Argentine midfielder currently playing for Kwoon Chung Southern, once played for AH Zapla in Jujuy Province during his career. On the map, this province in northwestern Argentina happens to be the exact antipode of Hong Kong on the other side of the Earth’s diameter.
Separated by a straight-line distance of 20,000 kilometres, Acosta set off from the most distant origin on the planet, eventually crossing half the globe to take root in Hong Kong—a place where the seasons, days, and nights are the exact opposite. Having lived in the city for a total of seven years across two stints, Acosta will apply for a HKSAR passport, hoping to continue competing in the Hong Kong Premier League as a local player.
From the opposite end of the Earth
Acosta first moved to Hong Kong in 2013 to play for Happy Valley AA, signing a one-year contract. However, the season was marred by a match-fixing scandal and financial difficulties, leading the Hong Kong Football Association (HKFA) to suspend Happy Valley from all competitions. As a result, he only made 8 appearances across the First Division league and the Senior Shield that season.
After returning to South America, Acosta played for several clubs in Argentina and Colombia. In 2018, he made his return to Asia by joining PKNS FC (which has since merged into Selangor FC) in the Malaysian Super League. After completing that season, he once again received a call to return to Hong Kong.
“Coach Sin (Sin Ka-yu), whom I had worked with during my time at Happy Valley, knew I was in Asia. That winter, he reached out to see if I was interested in returning to Hong Kong. After some discussion, I decided to join Dreams FC. I never imagined I would stay in Hong Kong for this long.”
Acosta has now been playing in Hong Kong for seven consecutive years. After Dreams FC disbanded in 2019, he moved to Lee Man, where he played for five seasons. He admitted to receiving offers from Southeast Asia during that time but ultimately chose to stay because of the lifestyle in Hong Kong.
“Compared to Argentina, the public safety here is excellent, and my family truly enjoys and loves living in Hong Kong. When those offers came from Southeast Asia, I had already lived here for four or five years, so I had a plan to complete the seven-year naturalization process. Even after I retire, I want to continue living in Hong Kong.”
After joining Kwoon Chung Southern for the 2024-25 season, Acosta became a core member of the squad. In that season’s Sapling Cup Final, playing against his former club Lee Man, he opened the scoring and provided two assists to lead Southern to the championship. As the team’s No. 10, Acosta admitted that while he personally prefers a possession-based style of play, Southern’s current counter-attacking tactics are well-suited to the club’s resources and roster.
However, the current season (2025-26) has been far from smooth for Kwoon Chung Southern. The team once suffered a four-game losing streak in the league, and across all competitions this season, they have failed to hold onto a lead in six matches, eventually drawing or even losing.
Acosta confessed that this season has been extremely difficult: “I can’t simply call it bad luck, as it has happened repeatedly. The coach is under immense pressure, but he remains positive and keeps encouraging us. As players, we have a responsibility and feel very sorry for the fans. Southern’s squad depth isn’t as great as the bigger clubs, and as foreign players, when our performance fluctuates, the whole team struggles. We will continue to give 200%, hoping to show the fans a refreshed side after the Lunar New Year.”
Now 37 years old and having resided in Hong Kong for seven years, Acosta is fully adjusted to life in the city and is set to apply for a HKSAR passport for naturalization.
“I am not naturalizing for the sake of joining the Hong Kong representative team,” he stated. “Instead, I believe that by becoming a local player, my current form will allow me to continue competing in the Hong Kong Premier League for several more seasons. I haven’t thought much about retirement yet; my immediate goal is to give my all for the team and strive to get us back on the winning track.”
Inter-school competition
Acosta plans to remain in Hong Kong after retirement, a decision deeply rooted in his family life. His three sons all attend local schools and train at the Little Football Academy. His eldest and second sons have already begun participating in youth and inter-school competitions, following in their father’s footsteps as midfielders.
All three attend Man Kiu Association Primary School, a local institution. However, their participation in an inter-school 7-person tournament at MacPherson Playground this month—organized by the HKFA—sparked a controversy. A tall non-Chinese teammate was questioned on social media regarding his age, leading to widespread online debate.
Acosta, who was at the stadium to support the team as a parent, shared his perspective: “That child understands Chinese, so he knows what’s being said online. He doesn’t understand why these discussions are happening. The principal, teachers, and parents who have watched these children grow up are very angry. These comments are clear examples of cyberbullying and discrimination. You don’t know who the commenters are; they hide behind keyboards making cost-free remarks, so we shouldn’t pay them any mind. I personally told the boy not to care about what others say and just focus on being himself.”
While many fans assume foreign players prefer international schools for their children, Acosta chose local schooling. As a result, his sons are now trilingual, speaking Spanish, fluent English, and Cantonese. To him, this tournament was a vital stage for children of different ethnicities to compete together: “There were 60 schools participating. I saw some highly skilled players who aren’t yet affiliated with any clubs, perhaps because not everyone can afford football lessons. This platform is crucial because it allows these young talents to be seen.”
No pushing
“My children enrolled in this local school because Coach Chan Hiu-ming, who is close friends with the principal, recommended it to me. Once I realized the school has a mix of Chinese students and foreigners of various nationalities, offers instruction in both Chinese and English, and provides a great environment, I spoke with the principal and decided to send my kids there.”
“International school tuition is very expensive, and with three children, it would be a significant financial burden. On the other hand, by being here, they can learn Cantonese and experience many different cultures, which I believe is crucial for their personal growth.”
Acosta’s venture into coaching is also closely tied to his sons’ football journey: “The kids used to play for the Lee Man youth team under the guidance of Coach Law (Youth Director Law Kwok-ho). When he opened his own football school a few years ago, I wanted my children to continue training with him, so they moved to Leto to keep learning. Later, Coach Law invited me to help with the coaching, and I’ve been very happy to contribute. I never imagined myself becoming a coach before, but I’ve gained so much experience from Coach Law and through the process of teaching. This experience has made me determined to continue coaching after I retire from professional play.”
“My children are passionate about football. During holidays, they never want to stay home playing video games; instead, they always ask to go to the pitch. As a parent, I think that’s wonderful. However, I often tell them that many boys share the same dream of becoming a footballer. If you want to achieve that, you must work very, very hard. When others are playing, you must dedicate your time to constant training. I don’t push or force them to practice; if they ever decided to give up, I would support and understand their choice as a parent.”
Profile
| 姓名 | 莊拿芬 亞哥斯達 Jonatan “Jony” Leonel Acosta |
| 位置 | AMF |
| 擅長腳 | 右腳 |
| 出生日期 | 1988/10/11 |
| 職業隊 | Plaza Colonia 1 （2010） 9 de Julio （2011-13） Happy Vally（2013-14） CA Talleres 3（2014） 9 de Julio 16（2015） Desamparados（2016） AH Zapla（2017） Jaguares （2017） PKNS（2018） Dreams FC （2019） Lee Man（2019-24） KC Southern（2024-） |
資料來源：transfermarkt