Aya Miyama

Aya Miyama (宮間 あや, Miyama Aya, born 28 January 1985) is a Japanese former footballer who played for the Japan national team starting in 2003, and from 2012 to 2016 served as captain of the team. She appeared in four World Cups between 2003 and 2015, including the team that won the 2011 World Cup for Japan. Miyama also led Japan to a silver medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

Aya Miyama
Miyama playing in the 2011 World Cup
Personal information
Full name Aya Miyama[1]
Date of birth (1985-01-28) 28 January 1985
Place of birth Oamishirasato, Chiba, Japan
Height 1.57 m (5 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999–2000 Nippon TV Beleza 6 (2)
2001–2008 Okayama Yunogo Belle 110 (62)
2009 Los Angeles Sol 20 (0)
2009 Okayama Yunogo Belle 6 (1)
2010 Saint Louis Athletica 5 (0)
2010 Atlanta Beat 17 (1)
2010–2016 Okayama Yunogo Belle 122 (48)
Total 286 (114)
International career
2003–2016 Japan 162 (38)
Medal record
Nippon TV Beleza
WinnerNadeshiko League2000
Runner-upNadeshiko League1999
WinnerNadeshiko League Cup1999
WinnerEmpress's Cup2000
Okayama Yunogo Belle
Runner-upNadeshiko League Cup2013
Runner-upEmpress's Cup2006
Representing  Japan
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place2012 LondonTeam
FIFA Women's World Cup
Gold medal – first place2011 Germany
Silver medal – second place2015 Canada
AFC Women's Asian Cup
Gold medal – first place2014 Vietnam
Bronze medal – third place2008 Vietnam
Bronze medal – third place2010 China
Asian Games
Gold medal – first place2010 GuangzhouTeam
Silver medal – second place2006 DohaTeam
Silver medal – second place2014 IncheonTeam
AFC U-19 Women's Championship
Gold medal – first place2002 India
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Early career

Miyama was born in Ōamishirasato, Sanbu District, Chiba Prefecture, on 28 January 1985 . She started her career as a football player in the club her father founded. She later joined Nippon TV Beleza in 1999 after playing with their youth team, but when she was in eleventh grade, she left the team and went to the high school football club. Even among male players, she kept playing football.

Miyama joined L.League side Okayama Yunogo Belle in 2001, having received an invitation from Midori Honda, the coach.

WPS
Aya Miyama (Left) playing for Saint Louis Athletica against the Boston Breakers. Kelly Smith is pictured on the right.

On 24 November 2008, Miyama was selected by Los Angeles Sol of the U.S. Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) in the 2008 WPS International Draft, and joined Sol in 2009. In the 2009 Women's Professional Soccer season, she had 6 assists but no goals. When the Sol disbanded in early 2010, she was taken by Saint Louis Athletica. Miyama signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Beat on 10 June 2010.

Return to Japan

Miyama returned to Okayama Yunogo Belle in September 2010. She left the club at the end of the 2016 season.

International career

At the 2007 World Cup held in China, Miyama performed brilliantly in Japan's match against England, scoring the team's two goals both from direct free kicks as they held on to a draw. In Japan's first group stage match of the 2011 World Cup, she scored the go-ahead goal in Japan's win against New Zealand from another free kick in the 68th minute, and was named Player of the Match.

At the 2011 World Cup in Germany, Miyama scored the winner – a curling free kick – to help Japan beat New Zealand, and netted Japan's first goal in the final against the USA. Miyama also scored Japan's first penalty of the eventual penalty shoot-out in the final which ended 2–2 after extra time. Her team won 3–1 in the penalty shoot-out, making them the first Asian team to win the World Cup.[2] In the moment of victory, Miyama did not join her teammates in celebration, but instead went to the American players to hug and congratulate them. This has been reported both by Hope Solo and the Japanese media as evidence of Miyama's sportsmanship and respect for her opponents.

Miyama was named the AFC Women's Footballer of the Year in 2011,[3] 2012[4] and 2015.

At the 2012 Summer Olympics, Miyama led Japan to the silver medal as captain. At the 2015 World Cup, she also captained the team and lost in the final to the USA. At the 2016 AFC Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament, Japan failed to qualify for the 2016 Summer Olympics. Following the tournament, she retired from the national team. She played 162 matches and scored 38 goals for Japan.

Career statistics

Club
As of 21 November 2015
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup League cup Other[lower-alpha 1] Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Nippon TV Beleza 1999 00–
2000 62––
Total 62–
Okayama Yunogo Belle 2003 161321––1814
2004 1417––
2005 21844––2512
2006 17640––2116
2007 2192000–239
2008 21921––2310
Total 1106200–
Los Angeles Sol 2009 200––10210
Okayama Yunogo Belle 2009 6122––83
Saint Louis Athletica 2010 50–––50
Atlanta Beat 2010 171–––171
Okayama Yunogo Belle 2010 742000–94
2011 16931––1910
2012 1852242–249
2013 18631109–3116
2014 281521––3016
2015 24621––267
Total 111451461411–13962
Career total 27511110
  1. Includes 2009 Women's Professional Soccer Playoffs.

International
Appearances and goals by national team and year[5][6]
National teamYearAppsGoals
Japan 200362
200412
200592
2006173
2007176
2008184
200911
2010172
2011184
2012163
201371
2014174
2015134
201650
Total16238
Scores and results list Japan's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Miyama goal.
List of international goals scored by Aya Miyama
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
19 June 2003Rajamangala Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand Philippines13–015–02003 AFC Women's Championship
222 July 2003Sendai Stadium, Sendai, Japan South Korea4–05–0Friendly
318 December 2004Nishigaoka Soccer Stadium, Tokyo, Japan Chinese Taipei2–011–0Friendly
44–0
529 March 2005Miranda, Australia Australia1–21–2Friendly
621 May 2005Nishigaoka Soccer Stadium, Tokyo, Japan New Zealand5–06–0Friendly
723 July 2006Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide, Australia China1–01–02006 AFC Women's Asian Cup
823 November 2006Wildparkstadion, Karlsruhe, Germany Germany2–63–6Friendly
930 November 2006Grand Hamad Stadium, Doha, Qatar Jordan2–013–02006 Asian Games
1012 February 2007GSZ Stadium, Larnaca, Cyprus Sweden1–12–2Friendly
1110 March 2007National Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan Mexico2–02–02007 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification
1210 June 2007Bucheon Stadium, Bucheon, South Korea South Korea2–12–22008 Summer Olympics qualification
134 August 2007Lạch Tray Stadium, Hai Phong, Vietnam Vietnam4–08–02008 Summer Olympics qualification
1411 September 2007Hongkou Football Stadium, Shanghai, China England1–02–22007 FIFA Women's World Cup
152–2
1618 February 2008Yongchuan Stadium, Chongqing, China North Korea2–23–22008 EAFF Women's Football Championship
172 June 2008Thong Nhat Stadium, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Australia3–03–12008 AFC Women's Asian Cup
188 June 20082–0
196 August 2008Qinhuangdao Olympic Stadium, Qinhuangdao, China New Zealand1–22–22008 Summer Olympics
2014 November 2009Urawa Komaba Stadium, Saitama, Japan New Zealand1–02–1Friendly
216 February 2010Ajinomoto Stadium, Chōfu, Japan China1–02–02010 EAFF Women's Football Championship
2220 May 2010Chengdu Sports Centre, Chengdu, China Myanmar5–08–02010 AFC Women's Asian Cup
232 March 2011Vila Real de Santo António, Portugal United States1–21–22011 Algarve Cup
2418 June 2011Ningineer Stadium, Matsuyama, Japan South Korea1–01–1Friendly
2527 June 2011Ruhrstadion, Bochum, Germany New Zealand2–12–12011 FIFA Women's World Cup
2617 July 2011Commerzbank-Arena, Frankfurt, Germany United States1–12–22011 FIFA Women's World Cup
275 April 2012Home's Stadium Kobe, Kobe, Japan Brazil3–14–1Kirin Challenge Cup
2811 July 2012National Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan Australia1–03–0Friendly
2925 July 2012City of Coventry Stadium, Coventry, England Canada2–02–12012 Summer Olympics
3026 September 2013Fukuda Denshi Arena, Chiba, Japan Nigeria1–02–0Friendly
315 March 2014Stadium Bela Vista, Parchal, Portugal United States1–11–12014 Algarve Cup
3210 March 2014Estádio Algarve, Faro, Portugal Sweden2–12–12014 Algarve Cup
3318 September 2014Namdong Asiad Rugby Field, Incheon, South Korea Jordan10–012–02014 Asian Games
341 October 2014Incheon Munhak Stadium, Incheon, South Korea North Korea1–21–32014 Asian Games
3511 March 2015Estádio Algarve, Faro, Portugal Iceland1–02–02015 Algarve Cup
362–0
379 June 2015BC Place, Vancouver, Canada  Switzerland1–01–02015 FIFA Women's World Cup
3823 June 2015BC Place, Vancouver, Canada Netherlands2–02–12015 FIFA Women's World Cup

Honors

Japan

Individual

See also

References
  1. "FIFA Women's World Cup Germany 2011 – List of Players: Japan" (PDF). FIFA. 28 July 2014. p. 9. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 November 2019. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  2. "USA v Japan - as it happened". Guardian. 17 July 2011. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
  3. "AFC Women Player of the Year: Aya Miyama". AFC. 23 November 2011. Archived from the original on 11 September 2012. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
  4. "AFC Women Player of the Year: Aya Miyama". AFC. 29 November 2012. Archived from the original on 2 December 2012. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
  5. Japan Football Association(in Japanese)
  6. List of match in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 Archived 11 August 2018 at the Wayback Machine, 2016 at Japan Football Association (in Japanese)
  7. "2015 FIFPro Award". Archived from the original on 28 July 2017. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  8. "IFFHS WOMAN TEAM - AFC - OF THE DECADE 2011-2020". IFFHS. 30 January 2021.
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