Japan’s Women’s Soccer / Football World Cup Team 2011 – Nadeshiko Japan

Japan refers to its Women’s World Cup Soccer Team as “Nadeshiko Japan”. They have only had limited success on the world stage, but in the 2011 world cup, after a huge upset of German, it looks as if they are going to be garnering the attention of a much arger audience than usual.

This article is being written a day after Japan upset Germany and a few days before their pending match with Sweden.

Nadeshiko Japan is a hardworking team of women from a variety of teams around Japan. A simple way to explain the system is to say that the women play for a variety of corporate teams around Japan.

For the list below I’ll identify the player, team, and whatever other information I may have at hand about the player. Hope it’s useful for the fans!

I’l have Number – First Name – Last Name – Height, Weight, Birthday – Team.

There are 3 Japanese goalkeepers listed on the official site:

#1 Nozomi Yamago – 163cm, 61kg, January 16, 1975 – Plays for Urawa Reds Ladies in Saitama.

#12 Miho Fukumoto – 165cm, 66kg, October 2, 1983 – Okayama Yunogo Belle in Okayama.

#21 Ayumi Kaihori – 170cm, 64kg, September 4, 1986 – INAC Kobe Leonessa

The Defenders are:

#2 Yukari Kinga – 161cm, 53kg, May 2, 1964 – INAC Kobe Leonessa

 

#5 Kyoko Yano – 164cm, 55kg, June 3, 1984 – Urawa Red Diamond Ladies

#14 Megumi Kamionobe – 157cm, 54kg, March 15, 1986 – Albirex Niigata

#3 Azusa Iwashimizu – 162cm, 54kg, October 14, 1986 – NTV Beleza

#15 Aya Sameshima – 162cm, 53kg, June 16, 1987 – Boston Breakers (USA)

#16 Asuna Tanaka – 164cm, 52kg, April 23, 1988 – INAC Kobe Leonessa

 

The Midfielders are:

#10 Homare Sawa – 164cm, 55kg, September 6, 1978 – INAC Kobe Leonessa

#8 Aya Miyama – 157cm, 50kg, January 28, 1985 – Okayama Yunogo Belle

#9 Nahomi Kawasumi – 157cm, 50kg, September 23, 1985 – INAC Kobe Leonessa

#6 Mizuho Sakaguchi – 165cm, 58kg, October 15, 1987 – Albirex Niigata

#13 Rumi Utsugi – 168cm, 63kg, December 5, 1988 – Montpellier HSC (France)

 

The Forwards:

#7 Kozue Ando – 164cm, 57kg, July 9, 1982 – FCR 2001 Duisberg (Germany)

#18 Karina Maruyama – 163cm, 56kg, March 26, 1983 – JEF United Ichihara Chiba

#11 Shinobu Ohno – 154cm, 50kg, January 23, 1984 – INAC Kobe Leonessa

#17 Yuki Nagasato – 168cm, 60kg, July 15, 1987 – FFC Turbine Potsdam (Germany)

#19 Megumi Takase – 165cm, 59kg, November 10, 1990 – INAC Kobe Leonessa

#20 Mana Iwabuchi – 155cm, 52kg, March 18, 1993 – NTV Beleza

 

They are a great team with a lot of popularity in Japan. Nadeshiko Japan news can also be seen on the well-maintained Japan Football Association website.