Just over six months have passed since Spain lifted the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ title in Sydney. While Aitana Bonmati, Jennifer Hermoso and Co were unquestionably worthy champions, the European powerhouses did suffer one defeat on their way to glory.
Japan overwhelmed the Spaniards 4-0 in the group stage, with the Nadeshiko delivering a sensational team performance. Although Japan fell to an agonising loss to Sweden in the quarter-finals, Futoshi Ikeda’s side earned glowing praise for the style and class they displayed throughout the tournament.
Captain Saki Kumagai – now 33 and the sole member of Japan’s 2011 World Cup-winning team still playing for the national side – was a hugely influential presence for her country at Australia & New Zealand 2023. Currently on the books of Italian giants Roma, Kumagai has been plying her trade in Europe for more than a decade.
In an exclusive interview with FIFA, Kumagai reflected on her experience at last year’s World Cup, discussed Japan’s upcoming qualifiers for the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament, and explained why Lyon – where she played for eight years and which will host several matches at Paris 2024 – holds a special place in her heart.
Saki Kumagai: In a nutshell, it was incredibly enjoyable. It was a massive tournament, which you could see by how much it was promoted. We had a great team, and with each match we developed and improved. I wish those moments could have lasted even longer.
Japan made a huge impact at the World Cup and were the only team to beat eventual champions Spain. Was it in any way frustrating that a side you overcame went on to lift the trophy?
That’s just the nature of knockout football. Beating Spain showed that we also had the potential to beat anybody, but in tournaments like this, the strongest team wins in the end. We lacked that ability to keep stringing victories together, so I think that’s something we’ll need to work on.
Spanish midfielder Aitana Bonmati was recently voted The Best FIFA Women’s Player. What was it like playing against her at the World Cup?
She fully deserved that accolade. She has been magnificent for Spain and for Barcelona, and she really understands the game so well. She’s a fantastic player and in a league of her own.
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I think the World Cup really touched the hearts of many people. That’s because we were playing on the world’s highest stage, and I’d like to play football on a global stage again with my amazing team-mates. To make that happen, we first and foremost need to win our upcoming qualifying tie and secure a slot at the Games.
Rather than having confidence, I strongly feel that we absolutely must secure our spot at the Olympics. That feeling comes not from the pressure of needing to win, but more from the difficulty of getting through the Asian qualifying tournament. My team-mates in Europe often casually tell me, ‘Oh, you’ll make it through’, but that isn’t a given. Except for Australia, the other Asian teams play a similar style of football as we do, so sometimes it feels like we’re playing against versions of ourselves. The opening leg will be an away game, so that environment will make it a tough match. This certainly won’t be easy.
Lyon, which is a special place for you, will host several games during the Olympics. Does that motivate you even more to participate in the Games?
Yes, it does. Lyon is a place I’d love to return to. I played there for eight seasons, and I developed immensely as a person and a player there. I’d like to go back to show how much I’ve improved and repay what the club did for me.
You were part of the team that won silver at the 2012 London Olympics. The final against USA was played in front of more than 90,000 spectators at Wembley Stadium. What do you remember about that game?
It was amazing. I’d never played in front of so many people, and it’s still the largest crowd at any game in my career. The stadium was shaking, and the noise was so loud that at times I couldn’t even hear what my team-mates were saying. Once the game started, I wasn’t so aware of my surroundings, but I was happy when I walked out to the pitch and saw the stands packed with fans.
More and more Japanese female players are moving overseas to play, like you have. Do you think this is having a positive impact on Japanese women’s football?
The launch of the Women Empowerment League has improved the environment for female footballers to flourish in Japan, but I think it would be a shame if Japanese players don’t experience playing in Europe, where football is going from strength to strength. If a player gets a chance to move abroad, they should grab it. It’s not an argument about whether playing in Japan or overseas is better, but rather it’s important to see things from a different perspective. Opponents we face at World Cups all play in other countries. I believe having more Japanese players basing themselves in those environments would help lift the overall standard of our national team.
