The Japan side is led by the inspirational and hugely talented Homare Sawa, who is aiming to excel once again in her fifth FIFA Women’s World Cup.
“She’s an icon of the Japanese game. She typifies the football that we’ve been trying to achieve, and having been part of the national team for the last 15 years, she’s well aware of the history of women’s football in Japan.”
Those words, brimming with admiration and respect, belong to Japan coach Norio Sasaki, and they describe his side’s star player, who will captain her country at the forthcoming tournament in Germany.
An explosive, technically proficient midfielder, Sawa will be putting her skills at the disposal of the Nadeshiko for the fifth successive time at the world’s premier football tournament.
“If I had to choose one of them, it would have to be the first, because I was just 16 when I took part. For me it was a dream come true,” the 32-year-old says of her most memorable World Cup.
And she was not alone in pinching herself as Sweden 1995 saw Japan – an ever-present since the FIFA Women’s World Cup began in 1991 – put in their best performance to date in the competition, reaching the quarter-finals.
The objective for Sawa and her team-mates is to at least match that feat this time around.
“It’s never easy to set precise goals but I hope we can get through the group stage,” the INAC Kobe Leonessa playmaker says. “I think we’ll have a good tournament. And I’d love to win a medal, whatever the colour. It would be an amazing achievement.”
In the run-up to this year’s event, Japan’s players have felt even more motivated than usual, as fellow midfielder Naomi Kawasumi explains: “After the tragic earthquake in March, many of us encountered problems and were not able to train. I wondered if we’d be able to play in Germany. Thanks to the support we received from all over the world, we’ve managed to make it to the World Cup. And as a sign of gratitude, we’d love to put on a great show while we’re here.”
To do that, Sawa will need to be at her best. For coach Sasaki, her ball-winning skills will be key.
“Homare has an impressive ability to rob her opponents of the ball and to keep hold of it. When she gains possession she gets the ball forward quickly and aggressively,” he says.
“It would be great if people discovered Japanese football via Sawa – that’s precisely why she’s our captain.”
Sawa, a fan of Spanish midfield maestro Xavi, played in the USA’s now-defunct Women’s United Soccer Association (WUSA) with Atlanta Beat and the current Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) league with Washington Freedom, an experience that contributed greatly to her development as a footballer.
“I learned a lot – above all, it made me stronger mentally,” says Sawa, who made her debut in the Japanese women’s championship at the astoundingly young age of 12.
“When I arrived in 1999 I couldn’t speak the language and I had to adapt to a very different culture. The whole adventure really helped me to mature. On the pitch, I improved a lot too, both technically and physically.
“I first started kicking a ball around with my brother and his friends. Today the squad’s youngest players have talent, quality and a great attitude, and they’re also better prepared when they arrive, because a lot more opportunities are available to them.
“That said, female Japanese players need to keep on developing, building up their fitness and adopting a stronger mindset. They also need to get more experience. There’s still a lot of work to do.
“I haven’t figured out yet when I’m going to retire. Whether it’s after the World Cup or the Olympics, I just don’t know.”
Football fans would be well advised to take in Japan’s group matches – versus New Zealand, Mexico and England – at Germany 2011, because those games may see the iconic international proudly wear the east Asian nation’s blue jersey for the very last time.
Story courtesy of FIFA.com.
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