Japan women's national football team

women's national association football team representing Japan

Japan women's national football team (サッカー日本女子代表, Sakkā Nihon Joshi Daihyō), also known as Nadeshiko Japan (なでしこジャパン), is a Japanese women's association football team. The team represents Japan in international competition. It is made up of the best female players in Japan.

Japan
Nickname(s)なでしこジャパン (Nadeshiko Japan)
AssociationJapan Football Association
ConfederationAFC (Asia)
Sub-confederationEAFF (East Asia)
Head coachAsako Takakura
CaptainSaki Kumagai
Most capsHomare Sawa (205)
Top scorerHomare Sawa (83)
FIFA codeJPN
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 8 Decrease 1 (7 December 2018)[1]
Highest3 (December 2011)
Lowest14 (July 2003)
First international
 Chinese Taipei 1–0 Japan 
(Hong Kong; 7 June 1981)
Biggest win
 Japan 21–0 Guam 
(Guangzhou, China; 5 December 1997)
Biggest defeat
 Italy 9–0 Japan 
(Tokyo, Japan; 9 September 1981)[2]
 United States 9–0 Japan 
(Charlotte, United States; 29 April 1999)[2]
World Cup
Appearances8 (first in 1991)
Best resultChampions (2011)
Olympic Games
Appearances4 (first in 1996)
Best resultRunners-up (2012)
Asian Cup
Appearances16 (first in 1977)
Best resultChampions (2014, 2018)
Medal record
World Cup
Gold medal – first place 2011 Germany Team
Silver medal – second place 2015 Canada Team
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 2012 London Team
Asian Cup
Gold medal – first place 2014 Vietnam Team
Gold medal – first place 2018 Jordan Team
Silver medal – second place 1986 Hong Kong Team
Silver medal – second place 1991 Japan Team
Silver medal – second place 1995 Malaysia Team
Silver medal – second place 2001 Chinese Taipei Team
Bronze medal – third place 1989 Hong Kong Team
Bronze medal – third place 1993 Malaysia Team
Bronze medal – third place 1997 China Team
Bronze medal – third place 2008 Vietnam Team
Bronze medal – third place 2010 China Team
Asian Games
Gold medal – first place 2010 Guangzhou Team
Gold medal – first place 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Team
Silver medal – second place 1990 Beijing Team
Silver medal – second place 1994 Hiroshima Team
Silver medal – second place 2006 Doha Team
Silver medal – second place 2014 Incheon Team
Bronze medal – third place 1998 Bangkok Team
Bronze medal – third place 2002 Busan Team

Nadeshiko Japan is best known as the first Asian team to win the FIFA Women's World Cup.

History

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Japan Football Association (JFA) set up an official women's organization in 1979. The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) asked each member country to promote and develop the sport among women.[3]

In 1981 the Japan women's national football team played its first international match in Hong Kong. The team lost to Taiwan 0-1.[3]

The women’s national team qualified for the "1991 FIFA Women's World Cup" in China.

In 2004, the JFA organized a public contest to select a name for the team;[3] and "Nadeshiko Japan" was chosen from among 2,000+ entries.[4]

In the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, Japan defeated the United States team in the last game of a knockout tournament.[5]

In the 2012 Summer Olympics, Nadeshiko Japan won the silver medal.[6]

International statistics

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FIFA Women's World Cup Record

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Olympic Games Record

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Coaches

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References

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  1. "The FIFA/Coca-Cola Women's World Ranking". FIFA. 7 December 2018. Retrieved 7 December 2018.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Japan Football Association(in Japanese)
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Hongo, Jun, "Nadeshiko Japan eyes London Olympic gold Archived 2012-11-01 at the Wayback Machine", Japan Times, 24 January 2012, p. 3.
  4. "Nadeshiko", a kind of dianthus flower, comes from the phrase Yamato nadeshiko (大和撫子, literally, "ideal Japanese woman")
  5. "Japan edge USA for maiden title," Archived 2011-07-18 at the Wayback Machine 17 July 2011; "Women's World Cup final: Japan beat USA on penalties," BBC (UK). 17 July 2011; retrieved 2012-8-8.
  6. Baxter, Kevin. "Japanese soccer team gets upgrade ...," Los Angeles Times. August 11, 2012; excerpt, " Japan's soccer association was chided for making the world champions fly coach to London .... But association President Kuniya Daini confirmed the women will have better seats on the trip home"; retrieved 2012-8-17.
  7. FIFA.com, FIFA Women's World Cup, p. 2 [PDF p. 2 of 2]Archived 2016-03-05 at the Wayback Machine; retrieved 2012-8-17.
  8. RedSwift.com, "'Nadeshiko Japan' Squad" Archived 2012-10-03 at the Wayback Machine retrieved 2012-8-17.
  9. FIFA.com, "Coach of the Year, Norio Sasaki" Archived 2015-03-30 at the Wayback Machine; Westlake, Adam. "Nadeshiko Japan coach Sasaki to step down after London Olympics," Archived 2013-03-18 at the Wayback Machine Japan Daily Press. August 9, 2012; retrieved 2012-8-17.

Other websites

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  Media related to Japan women's national association football team at Wikimedia Commons