The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 is just around the corner, and Nadeshiko Japan is gearing up for the tournament. The team will be appearing in their 9th tournament, and fans are excited to see what they can achieve. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at Nadeshiko Japan’s journey to the Women’s World Cup, including how they qualified, the team, coach, fans, and expectations for the tournament.
Table of Contents
How Did Nadeshiko Japan Qualify for the 2023 World Cup?
2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup Trophy Tour. (Photo by Yohei Osada/Aflo Images)
Nadeshiko Japan secured their spot in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup by reaching the semifinals of the AFC Asian Cup India in February 2022.
In that tournament the team defeated Thailand 7-0 in the quarterfinal after finishing top of their group with two wins: over Vietnam 3-0 and over Myanmar 5-0, and one draw: against Korean Republic 1-1. In the semifinal they lost against China in a penalty shoot-out.
The 2023 Team
Japan team group line-up at the 2023 SheBelieves Cup. (Photo by JFA/Aflo Images)
Ayaka Yamashita
Ayaka Yamashita is a goalkeeper who currently plays for INAC Kobe Leonessa in the Japanese WE League. She has been a regular member of the national team since 2018 and was part of the 2019 World Cup squad.
Risa Shimizu
Risa Shimizu is a defender who plays for Women’s Super League club West Ham United. She made her debut for the national team in 2015 and was also part of the 2019 World Cup squad.
Moeka Minami
Moeka Minami is a defender who plays for Italian Serie A club AS Roma. She made her debut for the national team in 2017 and was also part of the 2019 World Cup squad.
Saki Kumagai
Saki Kumagai is a defender who plays for German Club, FC Bayern Munich. She has been a regular member of the national team since 2008 and was part of the 2011 World Cup-winning squad. Kumagai won the UEFA Women’s Champions Leage 5 times playing for Olympique Lyonnais.
Shiori Miyake
Shiori Miyake is a defender who currently plays for INAC Kobe Leonessa. She made her debut for the national team in 2013 and was also part of the 2019 World Cup squad.
Rion Ishikawa
Rion Ishikawa is a defender who currently plays for Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies.
Hinata Miyazawa
Hinata Miyazawa is a forward who plays for Mynavi Sendai Ladies.
Fuka Nagano
Fuka Nagano is a midfielder who currently plays for Women’s Super League club Liverpool. The Japan international is a former Asian Young Footballer of the Year and winner of the U20 World Cup in 2018.
Riko Ueki
Riko Ueki is a forward who currently plays for Nippon TV Beleza.
Jun Endo
Jun Endo is a forward who plays for NWSL club Angel City FC. She was part of the 2019 World Cup squad. In 2019, she won the Asia Football Confederation’s Women’s Club Championship with Tokyo Verdy Beleza.
Yui Hasegawa
Yui Hasegawa plays as a midfielder for Women’s Super League club Manchester City and the Japan national team. She was part of the 2019 World Cup squad.
Hina Sugita
Hina Sugita is a midfielder who plays for NWSL club Portland Thorns. She was part of the 2019 World Cup squad.
Honoka Hayashi
Honoka Hayashi is a talented midfielder who played at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. She plays for the Women’s Super League club West Ham United.
Momoko Tanaka
Momoko Tanaka is a goalkeeper who plays for Nippon TV Tokyo Verdy Beleza. She made her debut for the national team in 2022 in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup.
Aoba Fujino
Aoba Fujino is a forward who plays for Nippon TV Tokyo Verdy Beleza in the WE League. She was part of the U-20 national team in 2022 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica.
Chika Hirao
Chika Hirao is a goalkeeper who plays for Albirex Niigata in the WE League.
Kiko Seike
Kiko Seike is a forward who made her debut for the national team in 2019. Currently she plays for Urawa Reds Ladies.
Maika Hamano
Maika Hamano is a forward who plays for in Sweden to Hammarby IF in Sweden. She was part of the 2022 FIFA U-20 World Cup squad.
Hikaru Naomoto
Hikaru Naomoto is a midfielder who plays for Urawa Reds in the WE League.
Mina Tanaka
Mina Tanaka is a forward who plays for INAC Kobe Leonessa in the WE League. Tanaka was the top scorer in 2016 and 2017. She was selected as one of the Best Eleven for 3 years in a row from 2015 to 2017.
Miyabi Moriya
Miyabi Moriya is a defender who plays for INAC Kobe Leonessa in the WE League.
Remina Chiba
Remina Chiba is a forward who plays for JEF United Chiba Ladies in the WE League.
Hana Takahashi
Hana Takahashi is a defender who plays for the Urawa Reds Ladies in the WE League.
The Coach
Japan head coach Futoshi Ikeda during the 2023 SheBelieves Cup. (Photo by JFA/Aflo Images)
Futoshi Ikeda is the current head coach of the Nadeshiko Japan team. He took over the position in 2021 and was tasked with leading the team to the 2023 World Cup. Prior to becoming the head coach, 53-year-old Ikeda was an assistant coach with the team for several years and has also coached the U17 and the U20 Japan Women’s National Teams.
The Nadeshiko Japan Fans
Fans during a East Japan Earthquake Charity Women’s Football Match. (Photo by Jun Tsukida/Aflo Images)
Nadeshiko Japan is trying to engage more fans on the road to the FIFA Women’s Soccer World Cup 2023. Recent away games have not been shown live on national television reducing visibility for the team. It is undeniable that the national team results on the pitch after their 2011 glory have not helped their cause.
This is in contrast, to Women’s football in some other territories notably Europe where games now attract large crowds and receive more media attention.
Rivals and Fixture
2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup Final. (Photo by Aflo Images)
Nadeshiko Japan will faces tough competition from some of the best teams in the world at the 2023 Women’s Soccer World Cup. The tournament, which will feature 32 teams for the first time, will be held in Australia and New Zealand. Japan will be playing in Group C alongside Zambia, Costa Rica and Spain. Nadeshiko Japan’s first match of the tournament is against Zambia on July 22, 2023, in Hamilton, New Zealand.
Japan’s Group C Fixtures:
22 July 2023: Japan vs Zambia (Walkato Stadium, Hamilton)
25 July 2023: Japan vs Costa Rica (Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin)
31 July 2023: Japan vs Spain (Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington)
Expectations
28th All Japan High School Girls Soccer Championship Final. (Photo by JFA/Aflo Images)
Nadeshiko Japan is currently ranked 11th in the FIFA world rankings, and they will be looking to improve on their performance in the last World Cup. According to bookmakers, Nadeshiko Japan doesn’t feature as one of the Top 10 teams likely to win the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023. The FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 will be the first World Cup featuring 32 teams, so it is hard to predict what will happen.
In the buildup to the World Cup, Nadeshiko Japan finished second in the She Believes Cup, played in USA in February. In preparation for the World Cup Nadeshiko will play two international friendly matches in Europe; vs Denmark and vs Portugal and then, in June they return to Japan for a final Training Camp at the Prince Takamado Memorial JFA YUME Field and a last game at the MS&AD Cup 2023 in Sendai, in early July.
Conclusion
2019 MS&AD Cup 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup bid appeal. (Photo by JFA/Aflo Images)
Since Nadeshiko Japan won the World Cup title in 2011 and finished second in 2015, many European Teams such as The Netherlands, France, England, Sweden and Spain have become stronger.
The expectations for the 2023 Women’s Soccer World Cup are quite cautious for Nadeshiko Japan because they failed to perform well at the international level in recent years.
The main aim for Nadeshiko Japan in the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 is to improve on their performance in 2019 when the team was eliminated in the round of 16.