After winning their first ever title at the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup France 2018, the U-20 Japan Women's National Team held a press-conference in Tokyo. JFA President TASHIMA Kohzo and JFA Women's Committee Chairperson IMAI Junko joined the press-conference along with Coach IKEDA Futoshi and the entire squad of the U-20 Japan Women's National Team.

Comments

TASHIMA Kohzo, JFA President
As the President of JFA, I am very honoured to make this announcement. I would like to take this time to thank everyone who has supported women’s football. I must also show my gratitude towards those people who has help these players to develop as a football player, those who gave them a chance to play football, and so many other people who are involved with these players in various ways. We have received many individual awards besides this World Cup trophy, which is an astonishing feat, but more than anything, I am delighted that the team was given the Fair-play award along with the tournament title. We have always kept an emphasis on fair play and earning the award while winning the title is a difficult accomplishment, but this team has done just that. The Women’s World Cup will be held next year followed by the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. And although it is still to be determined, we are announcing our candidacy for the 2023 Women’s World Cup to be held in Japan. These players will be at the centre of that event and their accomplishment today will give us great momentum and hope for the future.

IMAI Junko, Chairperson of JFA Women's Committee
I am very happy to be making this announcement. It has been a year and a half since the team was launched, and the players did a great job to showcase what they have worked throughout this time frame. I would also like to praise the staffs who led these players to win the title. Please allow me to thank the players’ teams and everybody who has been supporting women’s football. I hope that the players here will now strive to become a member of the Nadeshiko Japan and aim to play at a higher stage along with the world’s rivals and teammates they have faced in this tournament. Winning this title means that Japan has now won the Women’s World Cup in three different categories, which is an achievment that has never been accomplished in Women’s football. It is important for the development categories to develop quality players that can assist the Nadeshiko Japan to win at the world stage. And the fact that we have been able to do just that, is something we should be proud of. This year’s team was able to display a Nadeshiko style football during this tournament. They have mesmerised many people not only with their performance on the pitch, but also with their characters shown off the pitch. That is a special quality these players have, and I hope they can continue to capture the heart of their fans and become a beloved team. As part of the Japan women's football community, we will do our best to protect them.

IKEDA Futoshi, Coach (U-20 Japan Women's National Team)
I am very pleased to be given the opportunity to come back home with this trophy on this day. I am very proud of our players and staffs to make this a reality. This team is very polite, they eat well, sleep well, talked a lot, and trained well. And my job was to navigate the players to release their energy on the pitch. Since the start of this team, the players showed great improvements through each camp and the AFC U-19 Women's Championship. They have also kept on showing their gratitude towards their coaches and everyone who has supported them along the way. Their power and efforts were then materialised in a form of this trophy sitting in front of us right now. This team will conclude its activities after this tournament and the players will now strive to step up to the Nadeshiko Japan or other pathways they wish for. But regardless of their choices, I wish them the very best. Life will not always lead us to great success, but I hope they will continue to strive in their lives with their positive vibes, efforts, smiles, and gratitude.

GK #1 SUZUKI Aguri (Mynavi VEGALTA SENDAI LADIES)
I am very proud to be a part of this team and win the tile at the World Cup. Over the year and a half, we were supported by many people including Coach Futoshi, the staffs, and our captain (Minami) Moeka and I am truly grateful for what they have done for the team. I am aware that we cannot be here without the existence of all these people, and I will continue to work hard to become a better player.

GK #18 STAMBAUGH Hannah (INAC KOBE LEONESSA)
I am glad that we have won the gold medal at the U-20 World Cup. I am also proud that we have managed to compete at this world stage as a GK family, along with (Suzuki) Aguri, (Fukuta) Mai, and Coach NISHIIRI (Toshiro). I wish we can continue playing as a team, but unfortunately this team ends here, so I will continue to work hard at my own team.

GK #21 FUKUTA Mai (NITTAIDAI FIELDS YOKOHAMA)
I am truly thankful for this opportunity to be a part of this team. Not only was I given the chance to experience the world’s standard as well as Japan’s football in first hand, I’m now part of the world champions. I will continue to work hard and utilise this experience in the future.

DF #2 ONO Nana (Kanagawa University)
We have set our goals to become number one in the world, and I am thrilled to make that a reality with this team members. I hope to feed off of this experience and continue to strive for higher goals.

DF #3 TAKAHIRA Miyu (Mynavi VEGALTA SENDAI LADIES)
I am very happy that we became the world champions with this team. Through the six matches, we were given the opportunity to see how different countries play with different styles, and it also gave me the chance to realise what I must improve to become a better player. This tournament will be a lifetime memory for me.

DF ＃4 MINAMI Moeka (Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies)
Thank you very much for setting up such press conference for us today. I am very happy that we were able to finish our one and a half year run with this team by winning the title at the World Cup. This team was a wonderful team that showed great improvements as we played each match. I feel so fortunate to be able to win the title with such wonderful teammates and staffs, and I was so honoured to be named as the captain for this team. I will feed off of this experience and strive to become a better player.

DF #5 USHIJIMA Riko (INAC KOBE LEONESSA)
I will treasure all the moments I spent with my teammates, who were the best teammates ever, Coach Futoshi, and all other staffs. I will always keep in mind that I am only here because of the support of everyone surrounding me and continue to give my best at a daily basis.

DF #6 TAKAHASHI Hana (Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies)
My heart is full of gratitude towards these wonderful teammates and staffs. The time I spent with this team is going to be my treasure. I will always be thankful for the people supporting me and work hard to strive higher.

DF #13 MIYAGAWA Asato (NIPPON TV BELEZA)
This team had wonderful teamwork and that was one of the reasons why we won the title. I am proud that we managed to become the world’s number one with this member and staffs.

DF #17 KITAMURA Nanami (CEREZO OSAKA SAKAI LADIES)
I am so happy that we earned the world’s number one title with these awesome members. Playing football under coach Futoshi was a great learning experience. I hope to utilise this experience once I return to my team, so that I can strive for a higher stage from here.

MF #7 HAYASHI Honoka (CEREZO OSAKA SAKAI LADIES)
I am happy that we managed to achieve the goal we’ve set to win the World Cup. It might sound like a cliché, but I will utilise this precious experience in my football career to strive higher.

MF #8 FUKUTA Yui (INAC KOBE LEONESSA)
I am glad we managed to win the World Cup with these members. I was given the opportunity to experience the world standard in first hand, while seeing the strengths of the Japanese team at the same time. I hope to learn from this experience and work hard to improve myself. /p>

MF #9 MIYAZAWA Hinata (NIPPON TV BELEZA)
I am glad we managed to earn this wonderful result at the highest stage with these great members. We couldn’t have accomplished this feat without the support of many people. I will continue to keep this sense of gratitude and make this achievement as a first step to improve myself moving forward.

MF #10 NAGANO Fuka (Incheon Hyundai Steel Red Angels/Korea Republic)
First of all, I am very happy that we accomplished our goal to become the world’s number one. We had some tough moments, but after everything is set and done, I am truly glad to be a part of these teammates and staffs. I will keep on working hard.

MF #12 IMAI Yurina (NITTAIDAI FIELDS YOKOHAMA)
It was my first international tournament I participated in, and I am just so happy that I was surrounded by such wonderful members and staffs. They allowed me to see the best view possible. My football career has just started, so I will continue to work hard at a daily basis to become a better player.

MF #15 SATO Mizuka (JEF UNITED ICHIHARA CHIBA LADIES)
I am happy that we managed to become the world’s number one with these members and staffs. After the tournament was over, I was really able to embrace the fact I loved football and that I wanted to learn more about football. My feelings towards football grew even stronger. Once I return to my team, I will devote myself into football every day.

MF #20 ENDO Jun (JFA Academy Fukushima)
I am proud of the fact I was a part of this team that earned the title. Instead of keeping this experience by myself, I believe that by sharing this experience, I can help the women’s football grow even bigger. Thank you for all the support.

FW #11 TAKARADA Saori (CEREZO OSAKA SAKAI LADIES)
I am so happy that we managed to see the best possible view as a team. I was able to grow so much through this tournament. I will stay humble and work hard so that I can see that view once more.

FW #14 MURAOKA Mami (Orca Kamogawa FC)
I am glad we managed to achieve our goal to win the world title. I will treasure this experience of playing under such wonderful staffs. I will utilise this experience in my football career.

FW #16 KONO Fuka (NITTAIDAI FIELDS YOKOHAMA)
Thank you for your support in France and in Japan. I am happy that this team managed to become the world champions. My teammates were all wonderful players and I had so many things to learn from them. I have also learned so much from playing against foreign players. I will like to thank my coach, staffs, assistant coaches, and everyone who supported me for giving me this opportunity to play for this team. I will keep this sense of gratitude and continue to work hard.

FW #19 UEKI Riko (NIPPON TV BELEZA)
This team had the best team work and earned the best result in the world. I am so honoured to be a part of this team. I am so happy that I got to see the world’s best view with these teammates. This was the best summer ever. I will move on to see the next view.

Schedule

*Local Time, Japan time indicated within the parentheses
*The schedule is subject to change due to the team condition, the weather, etc.

FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup France 2018

Tournament Dates: Sun. 5 August - Sat. 24 August 2018
Live broadcasting for all of the Japanese matches scheduled on Fuji Television NEXT

Tournament Information