The JFA 26th U-18 Japan Women's Football Championship will be held at J-Green Sakai from Tuesday 3 to Monday 9 January 2023. Here we interviewed YAMAMOTO Yuzuki and IWASAKI Kokona (both Nippon TV Tokyo Verdy Beleza), winners of the 22nd and 24th editions of the tournament and participants of the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Costa Rica 2022™.

○This interview was conducted online on 8 December 2022

――What is your most memorable tournament or match?

IWASAKI　The tournament during my third year of high school brought me the most joy, and the tournament during my third year of junior high school brought me the most disappointment.

YAMAMOTO　Right. I am with Kokona too.

IWASAKI　In the tournament we played in the third year of junior high school, we took the lead against JEF United Ichihara Chiba Ladies U-18 in the semi-finals, but conceded a last minute equaliser and lost in a penalty shoot-out. I was in a position where I had to lead the team, so I felt sorry that I couldn’t lead the team to victory. We were really determined to win that tournament, so I remember being very frustrated afterwards.

YAMAMOTO　Against JEF, we conceded the equaliser after I missed an opportunity to score the team's second goal. I couldn't get over that feeling and ended up missing in the shootout too, which made me feel responsible for the loss. It was the most frustrating tournament for me, not only because of the result, but also because I couldn't fulfil my responsibility as a striker.

IWASAKI　The tournament I played in my third year of high school, which was also my last year with Menina, was the only tournament we played during that year due to the pandemic, so I was really happy to win the title.

YAMAMOTO　I didn't have any good memories of the national championships until my third year of high school. During junior high school, I didn’t play in my first year, we lost in the second round the following year, and we suffered a heart-breaking loss in the third year. Although the team won the title in my first year of high school, I wasn’t able to participate in the final because I caught the flu. We lost in the final in my second year, so I really didn’t have any good memories until my third year. That is why I was so happy when Kokona scored a goal against JEF at the semi-finals.

IWASAKI　We were dominating throughout the entire match and kept our opponents to zero shots. It would have been devastating if we were to lose that match. The goal came when a loose ball rolled towards my direction following a corner kick and I decided to hit it as hard as I can. It was kind of a miracle because I typically don’t take shots like that.

――What do you feel makes this tournament unique?

YAMAMOTO　Because it is held at the end of the season, it is a tournament where teams try to show the culmination of the team's efforts for the entire year. We entered the tournament thinking that the outcome would determine the outcome of the entire year. It was also a tournament that reminded us that the off-season was near.

IWASAKI　Which team can best demonstrate what they have been working on throughout the year and what kind of outcomes that will produce in the last tournament of the year? Given that it's a knockout tournament, I do believe that there is some luck involved. However, at the same time, luck is part of your skills, and it seems that strong teams have a tendency to be fortunate in this competition.

――In 2022, the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Costa Rica 2022™ took place and the U-20 Japan Women's National Team reached the final for the second consecutive tournament. What was your experience of this tournament?

IWASAKI　There was a big difference between foreign players and Japanese players. They were fast and strong, which was also very different from what I have seen in the WE League. When I made physically contact, I was astounded by how I felt. Even in a casual duel for the ball, I felt as though I had been hit by something very heavy. They are also fast on their feet, and if you don't anticipate where they are going, they could leave you behind in a blink of an eye. When you put this into perspective, you realise that you still lack the technical skills and physical strength to compete at the world level.

YAMAMOTO　We haven't been able to get together very often since the team was launched, so initially we weren't sure if we could even get past the group stage. In that sense, the team grew throughout the tournament. Our win over France in the quarterfinals made us realise that we can win if we don't give up. Of course, you have to be able to demonstrate a high level of skill and judgement, but from my experience, it ultimately comes down to who wants it more.

――Finally, please give a message to the players competing in this competition.

IWASAKI　For some of them this will be their last tournament, so I hope they give it everything they've got. I want everyone to play to their strengths and fight to the end regardless of the situation. I also want them to enjoy playing the game they love.

YAMAMOTO　Kokona just said everything I wanted to say. This will be the last tournament of the season, so I hope that everyone will give 100 per cent of what they have done all year and what they can do now, and finish with no regrets. Enjoy playing during the tournament and don't let the results or lack of results dictate your play.

*The full version of this interview is available in the tournament programme, which can be purchased at the match venues.

JFA 26th U-18 Japan Women's Football Championship

Tournament Dates: Tue. 3 - Mon. 9 January 2023
Venue: J-GREEN Sakai (Osaka)

Tournament Information