Latest news with #Nadeshiko
Japan Times
20-03-2025
- Sport
- Japan Times
How Mina Tanaka evolved into a prolific striker for Nadeshiko Japan
All the great teams have them: Tenacious goal scorers that come up big in important moments, boasting prowess and profile in equal measure. But it's not just about the iconic goals and eye-catching trickery — just as crucial to the acclaim of such players is a commonly shared backstory of ambition and perseverance fueled by a burning desire to succeed at the very highest level. Nadeshiko Japan and Utah Royals striker Mina Tanaka amply fits this categorization. The 30-year-old has always been a player of high-renown within the Japanese women's soccer sphere, but it is her team's recent triumph at the SheBelieves Cup in February that has elevated her global status to new heights. Japan won all three of its matches at the U.S.-hosted invitational competition, emerging victorious after a 2-1 win over the American team in San Diego. Tanaka scooped both the top scorer and MVP awards for herself in what can only be described as a stellar performance in the tournament. She now finds herself back in the mountainous surroundings of Salt Lake City as she eyes success with her NWSL club. 'It was amazing to win a competition here in America for the first time,' she said in a recent interview. 'I was delighted to have played a part in our success.' Newly appointed Nadeshiko head coach Nils Nielsen patrolled the sidelines for the first time since he was named to the role in December. He has seemingly revitalized the Nadeshiko's resolve and Tanaka finds herself front and center of his attacking ranks. Evidently, this decision has paid dividends, with Tanaka scoring four goals and assisting on two others across the three games in the U.S. last month. Now an established figure in Japanese women's soccer, Tanaka is well positioned to offer sound insight into the current state of play from a broader perspective given her overseas experience. | Utah Royals 'The new coach is really kind," she says. "He challenges us to 'be brave' and not be afraid of making mistakes. He has instilled this mindset in all of us. With the strong performances we produced at SheBelieves, morale is really high right now. 'As for the way we play, the formation itself hasn't changed that much and it's still early days so there haven't been too many tactical adjustments either. But we are moving the ball around a lot more and trying to increase the number of passes. We are also defending more in transition and we now aim to play with the ball in front of us as much as possible.' Going right back to the beginning, Tanaka's introduction to the game follows a similar tale to many well-known Nadeshiko talents, with the major influences found close to home. 'It was my older brother who got me interested in soccer when I was 5 years old,' she recalls. 'I started out at a local club before joining the Tokyo Verdy Menina academy when in junior high school.' Menina is an elite women's soccer academy with a highly selective acceptance rate. Its track record in producing high-caliber soccer talent speaks for itself, with many recognizable names among the alumni. 'From my intake only five were selected from 100 trialists. The likes of Yui Hasegawa, Yuka Momiki and Narumi Miura were coming through the ranks at the same time as myself. Actually quite a lot of the current national team members came up through Menina.' And this talent factory is where Tanaka found her natural position as a center-forward. 'Before Menina, I played as a defensive midfielder, primarily focusing on passing and creating chances. When I joined, I started playing up front and from there I knew this was the position for me.' Tanaka (11) celebrates her second goal of the first half alongside her teammates in a a SheBelieves Cup match against Australia in Houston on Feb. 20. | Imagn Images / via Reuters Menina is the affiliated academy of Tokyo Verdy Beleza, Japan's most successful women's soccer team. Making her senior debut at age 17, Tanaka spent a further eight years with the capital city club. Her tenure yielded much success as she helped her side win five league titles, four Empress's Cups and four league cups while claiming four consecutive league top scorer awards for herself. But despite the accolades, adversity reared its head in 2019 when she was left off Nadeshiko's Women's World Cup squad. By then, Tanaka had established herself as a national team regular, so the snub came as a shock. 'I wasn't called up in 2019 so I felt I had to change something. For this reason I decided to move to INAC Kobe. At Beleza I had been playing in the same system alongside the same players for a very long time. I wanted to see what I could do in a new team with new surroundings.' They say disappointment is the best teacher and this certainly seems to be the case here. Similar levels of success came as she added a further league and Empress's Cup winners medal to her collection. The move also put her back on the national team radar and she was selected for both the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and the 2023 Women's World Cup. After three seasons at INAC Kobe, Tanaka made the tough decision to depart Japanese shores and develop her attributes overseas with the Utah Royals. | Imagn Images / via Reuters After three seasons at INAC, Tanaka made the tough decision to depart Japanese shores and develop her attributes overseas. In August 2024, Tanaka joined the Utah Royals of the NWSL as a new chapter and a new challenge began. 'Soccer is played a lot faster here. The physicality and pace are a lot more intense and I feel the benefits of playing in this environment when I play for Japan. But of course I also have to think about how I can adapt and utilize my own attributes to suit the nature of this league and how all of that fits within the team. So far this has been a really exciting and enjoyable experience.' The center-forward position has evolved considerably in recent years. The requirement to contribute to the creation of goals, with incisive passing and by dragging defenders out of position, is now considered just as important as scoring them. Tanaka's sustained determination to diversify and evolve her own game seems to have run in tandem with this tactical development. 'With Utah I play as the center-forward a lot but sometimes I drop deeper, getting involved with buildup play and feeding passes to some of the other attackers.' Now an established figure in Japanese women's soccer, Tanaka is well positioned to offer sound insight into the current state of play from a broader perspective. Back in Japan the domestic league attendance record was recently shattered as over 20,000 watched Sanfrecce Hiroshima Regina host Urawa Reds Ladies in the WE League. It was an encouraging development that should be embraced with a hint of caution. 'I think for the league as a whole the yearly attendance numbers are pretty low and it seems difficult to attract spectators,' Tanaka says. 'Despite that, Hiroshima's project 10,000 managed to achieve its target twofold and I understand the merchandise also sold well, all very promising.' Project 10,000 was the name given to Regina's ambitious, long-standing initiative to set an all-time-high club attendance record by enticing as many fans as possible to its home game against Urawa. 'Hopefully this paves the way for higher attendances across the board and this match isn't just an outlier,' she adds. 'Compared to America, there's quite a difference in the amounts players earn in Japan, with Japan having a long way to go in that respect." While the domestic Japanese professional game is still a work in progress, there has been a major development on the international stage for women's club soccer. The inaugural FIFA Women's Club World Cup to be held in 2028 was announced at the governing body's first congress of 2025. The ground-breaking competition promises much in terms of commercial potential and is widely regarded as a significant stride forward for women's soccer. 'I think it's really exciting,' she says. 'If you're playing in Europe for a Champions League team it's probably a tight schedule, but in general I think it will generate more interest and hype around women's soccer. Of course it will be important to let players rest when they need to but I think the increase in the number of games is a good thing because, after all, we enjoy playing.' Central to Tanaka's story is the virtue of embracing the unfamiliar as a means of achieving sustained progress. Perhaps this rings just as true for the game at large as it does for the individual.
Daily Tribune
08-03-2025
- Sport
- Daily Tribune
Japan Eyes 2039 Women's World Cup After FIFA's Regional Shift
Bid Plans Adjust to FIFA's Timeline Japan Football Association president Tsuneyasu Miyamoto has confirmed the country will now target hosting the 2039 Women's World Cup, following FIFA's decision to exclude Asian nations from bidding for the 2031 and 2035 tournaments. Last week, FIFA outlined its hosting strategy, opening the 2031 edition to African and Concacaf federations—covering North and Central America and the Caribbean—while restricting 2035 to Africa and Europe. For Japan, a nation with its sights set on 2031, this means a longer wait. Miyamoto didn't hide his frustration, calling it 'extremely disappointing,' but quickly pivoted to the future, signaling Japan's resolve to stay in the race. Undeterred Ambition for Women's Football Despite the setback, Miyamoto made it clear Japan's commitment to growing women's football remains unshaken. 'We're not stepping back from our goals—more women playing, stronger competition, a better game,' he said in a statement that carried a quiet defiance. Japan's credentials are hard to ignore. The Nadeshiko, as the women's national team is known, lifted the World Cup in 2011, edging Germany in a penalty shootout, and reached the final again in 2015, only falling to the USA. At youth level, they've been relentless, making the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup final in the last three editions. Miyamoto sees this as a foundation to build on, not a peak to rest at. A Legacy Waiting to Host Japan's football history adds weight to its aspirations. The country co-hosted the 2002 men's World Cup with South Korea, a logistical triumph that saw packed stadiums and smooth operations across two nations. Yet the Women's World Cup has eluded them. Now, with 2039 as the earliest shot, the focus is on sustaining momentum. 'We're on the right path,' Miyamoto insisted, pointing to packed domestic leagues and rising participation. He's got his eye on more than just hosting—Japan wants its teams, from seniors to juniors, to be in the conversation for world's best, backed by facilities and support that match the ambition. Global Rotation Shapes the Wait FIFA's regional rotation means Brazil will stage the next Women's World Cup in 2027, their first go at it after a standout men's tournament in 2014. Then it's Africa or Concacaf in 2031, and Africa or Europe in 2035, leaving Asia on hold. For Japan, the delay stings but isn't fatal. Fans still talk about 2011—the night in Frankfurt when Ayumi Kaihori's saves sealed the title—and the buzz around the Nadeshiko's recent youth success keeps the fire alive. Miyamoto's plan is steady: keep pushing the sport forward, so when 2039 rolls around, Japan's not just ready to host—they're ready to dominate.
Reuters
05-03-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Japanese trailblazer, World Cup winner Nagasato hangs up her boots
TOKYO, March 5 (Reuters) - Japanese World Cup winner Yuki Nagasato, who in 2020 made history by briefly signing on loan for a men's team, has called time on her 24-year professional career at the age of 37. The striker played 132 times for her country, including at the 2011 World Cup where she came on as a substitute in the final as the Nadeshiko beat the United States to clinch the biggest prize in women's football. "For 30 years, ever since I first kicked a ball, football has been my life. I've chased the game, challenged myself and grown through every victory and defeat," Nagasato said in a post on Instagram. "The journey wasn't always easy, but every moment had meaning. Retiring wasn't an easy decision, but I'm excited for what's next." Nagasato's club career took her from Japan to Germany, where she won the Champions League with Turbine Potsdam in 2010, and on to Chelsea in England before she spent eight seasons in the U.S. with Chicago Red Stars, Racing Louisville and Houston Dash. It was while she was playing for the Red Stars that Nagasato, inspired by Megan Rapinoe's campaign for equality in the game, returned home to play five games for her brother's team Hayabusa Eleven in Japan's second flight. "I thought I could show that women can also play in a men's team," she said. "I want to help create a community where there is no boundary regarding gender or race." Nagasato, who also won an Olympic silver medal at the 2012 London Games, scored 58 goals for her country to stand behind only Homare Sawa (83) as Japan's second-most prolific international goalscorer. "Thank you, Nagasato, for all the moving moments," the Japanese Football Association (JFA) said in a tribute.
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Japan unseats USWNT in SheBelieves Cup, ending 5-year tournament winning streak
Japan won its first SheBelieves Cup title Wednesday thanks to its 2-1 defeat of the U.S. women's national team in the tournament's final game. It's only the second loss to Japan in USWNT's history and might help reignite a rivalry that peaked across a run of major tournament finals in 2011, 2012 and 2015. Japan struck first and early in San Diego, with Yuka Momiki scoring in the second minute of the game. The U.S. found an answer soon enough, with youngster Ally Sentnor scoring her second international goal (and her second of this tournament), assisted by Catarina Macario. Defender Tōko Koga provided the game winner for the Nadeshiko in the second half, poaching a goal after U.S. goalkeeper Jane Campbell made a leaping stop on a Japan free kick. Despite several changes following the opening goal, the USWNT was unable to find an equalizer, let alone a winning goal. It came close in the final minute of regular time, with Lynn Biyendolo sending it back to center back Tierna Davidson for a long-range shot. Japan goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita got enough of a hand to the ball to push it over the bar. Wednesday's loss to Japan was also Emma Hayes' first defeat as head coach of the USWNT, having previously won 15 games and drawn two since taking the job last year. Clumsy sequences were expected in this tournament given the number of untested players that Hayes selected. In the second minute of Wednesday's finale, Japan capitalized on a U.S. mistake. However, it wasn't a pair of newcomers who caused the error. Japan took a quick throw-in as the United States regained its defensive shape in the opening minutes, creating an advantage of momentum in a short-field setting. A clever through ball found Momiki, who ran beyond Emily Sonnett. As the U.S. defender tried to regain advantageous positioning, she instead tumbled to the ground after not seeing that Campbell made a mistimed lunge toward Momiki and the ball. It wasn't the first time that Japan had taken the initiative early against the United States, having given Hayes' side its first scare of the Summer Olympics by scoring in the opening minute. On Wednesday, the United States was again caught unaware. Sonnett's slip came on the high-trafficked zone of Snapdragon Stadium's now notorious surface. The San Diego venue was the site of last year's waterlogged contest against Canada, one that finished with Alyssa Naeher's penalty shootout heroics. Throughout the 2024 season, the San Diego Wave incurred multiple fines due to concerns over player safety on this pitch. The Wave's season finale was forced to be relocated, again due to issues with Snapdragon's surface. Regardless, the slip couldn't have come at a worse time for Sonnett and her team. With the veteran defender and 2023 NWSL goalkeeper of the year out of the sequence, Momiki set herself up for a very easy finish to open the scoring. The crowd at Snapdragon Stadium was largely stunned — but it was a goal borne from Japanese ambition that forced the hosts into some uncharacteristic mistakes. Last year concluded with longtime starting goalkeeper Naeher calling time on her international career. She stuck the landing on a tenure that included backstopping to a World Cup title in 2019, coming up big in the Paris Olympics and providing a needed leadership bridge from a difficult 2023 through to Hayes' arrival. Now, for the first time in three decades, there isn't a clear option atop the goalkeeping depth chart. Hindsight has largely forged a straightforward lineage from Briana Scurry to Hope Solo to Naeher. Alas, there is now a truly open competition in goal — and these three games didn't provide much conclusive evidence toward appointing a new No. 1. After starting the opening match against Colombia, Campbell made her second SheBelieves lineup on Wednesday. Her attempt to intervene and proactively clear the ball on Momiki's opener was well-intentioned if imperfectly executed, and may have worked as intended if Sonnett hadn't stumbled into her path. However, Japan's second goal came off of an unforced error by Campbell. In the 49th minute, Yazmeen Ryan — who was among the USWNT's best players in the first half — committed a foul just beyond the penalty arc. Manchester City midfielder Yui Hasegawa took a sharp direct free kick, looping it above the United States' defensive wall and toward the corner to Campbell's right shoulder. The Houston Dash goalkeeper made a brilliant diving save but ended up taking all velocity off the ball as it fell in front of her. Had Campbell punched the ball toward the flank or pried it beyond the end line for a corner kick, the score may have stayed level. Instead, 19-year-old defender Koga was quick to pounce and was quite literally handed the second international goal of her young career. Campbell's acrobatic stop on the initial free kick was a worthy showcase of the skill set that has made her among the NWSL's best goalkeepers even as the team in front of her has struggled. However, the ensuing mistake (and, to a lesser extent, the one on the opener) are the types of gaffes that one would hope don't crop up regularly for a team with the United States' ambition. Mandy McGlynn started the middle match against Australia. She conceded one goal, having been caught with clumsy positioning on a point-blank header. Phallon Tullis-Joyce is probably the most in-form option in the pool as she continues to excel with Manchester United, but she was brought into this camp only as a training player. As a result, this remains an open question that's seemingly no closer to being answered than it was entering this window. In the end, Japan deserved to lift the trophy at SheBelieves Cup after the most consistent and cohesive performance across all three matches of the tournament. It's also just fun to watch, even as it's clinical and organized. Mina Tanaka had her breakout performance with four goals and three assists. While the USWNT was successful at limiting her on Wednesday night, it was not enough to contain Japan as a whole. Ahead of the final game of the tournament, Hayes expected 'a very, very difficult match,' and that's exactly what they got. 'Well, I think it's fair to say Japan as a team are more played-in together than we are, so their connections and their application of their way of playing will probably be more pronounced than ours,' Hayes said Tuesday. 'But that's not to say we can't have success, and it doesn't matter if you have 150-plus caps or your third cap. It's about us playing our way, in our style, with our principles and to execute that at another level, which is what this game will be.' There will certainly be plenty for Hayes and the technical staff to pick apart after their first loss with the USWNT, but losing to this Japan team in February at this point in the World Cup cycle isn't, nor should be, panic-inducing stuff. Largely, the tournament fulfilled its purpose for this particular edition, for Hayes to rotate through the full roster and evaluate players in the first competitive matches of the year. 'I think you want to learn this lesson now. This is the game I really wanted for players who played less than five games for the national team, (see) what's missing for them and say, 'Listen this is what you're going to need to play at the highest level,'' Hayes told the TBS broadcast after the loss. 'That's what development is. We aren't playing for the World Cup today.' Australia, on the other hand, should maybe be considering something at least adjacent to panic after its last-place finish. It looked listless and particularly hapless in defense under head coach Tom Sermanni — a puzzling development as multiple players are in season in the Women's Super League in England. While the NWSL regular season kicks off on March 14, the U.S. is back in action in April for an Olympic gold medal rematch against Brazil. vs. Brazil at SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles vs. Brazil at PayPal Park, San Jose, Calif. This article originally appeared in The Athletic. US Women's national team, Soccer, NWSL 2025 The Athletic Media Company
CNN
27-02-2025
- Sport
- CNN
USWNT falls to first loss in a year with SheBelieves Cup defeat against Japan
The US Women's National Team's 18-match unbeaten run under coach Emma Hayes came to an end on Thursday with a 2-1 defeat to Japan in the SheBelieves Cup. The US was looking to win a sixth-straight SheBelieves Cup title at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, but goals from Yūka Momiki and Tōko Koga at the start of each half saw Japan lift the trophy for the first time. It was also a first victory over the US for the Nadeshiko in 14 matches, according to the Associated Press – a winless run stretching back to 2012. The match got off to the perfect start for Japan when Momiki got behind the US defense and scored after just 93 seconds, stunning the 17,000-strong home crowd. The US responded about 10 minutes later as Ally Sentnor, who had scored a wonderful goal against Colombia earlier in the competition, gathered the ball on the edge of Japan's box and equalized with a composed finish. Both teams had shooting opportunities later in the first half, but it wasn't until five minutes after half-time that the game saw its next goal. After Jane Campbell had saved Yui Hasegawa's well-struck free-kick, Koga pounced on the rebound to put Japan 2-1 ahead with plenty of the match still to play. The inexperienced US side, however, couldn't find a way back into the contest, falling to a rare defeat under Hayes despite late chances for Jaedyn Shaw and Tierna Davidson. Since its first game under Hayes in June last year, the US has won Olympic gold in Paris last summer and was looking to win an eighth SheBelieves Cup title in 10 editions over Japan, Colombia and Australia, despite a number of player absences. With Japan boasting a superior goal difference, Thursday's game was a must-win contest for the US after both teams had beaten Colombia and Australia earlier in the tournament. 'They (Japan) were at a higher level to us throughout the whole evening,' Hayes said on TNT Sports after the match, adding: 'We are where we are through the choice to develop players and I think we're better off as a result of this experience. I can see where the gaps are and put us in a position to say, 'Okay, these players are ready for later.'' Of the US starting lineup against Japan, five players had made 10 or fewer appearances for the team, including goalscorer Sentnor. 'I'm not going to sit here and say I like losing, I don't … but, like I said, there's no disgrace to be beaten by a team that have probably between them got about 800 caps,' said Hayes, whose record with the US now stands at 15 wins, two draws and one defeat. The US next faces Brazil in back-to-back friendlies on April 5 and 9. In Thursday's other SheBelieves Cup game, Colombia, making its debut in the competition, defeated Australia 2-1 to finish third, a place above the winless Matildas.
