Fūka Nagano

Fūka Nagano (長野 風花, Nagano Fūka, born 9 March 1999) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Women's Super League club Liverpool and the Japan women's national team.

Fūka Nagano
Personal information
Full name Fuka Nagano[1]
Date of birth (1999-03-09) 9 March 1999
Place of birth Edogawa, Tokyo, Japan
Height 1.60 m (5 ft 3 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Liverpool
Number 8
Youth career
2013–2014 Urawa Reds
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2017 Urawa Reds 23 (0)
2018 Hyundai Steel Red Angels 21 (1)
2019–2020 Chifure AS Elfen Saitama 34 (1)
2021–2022 Mynavi Sendai 20 (0)
2022 North Carolina Courage 11 (2)
2023– Liverpool 15 (0)
International career‡
2013–2016 Japan U17 31 (5)
2017–2018 Japan U20 20 (2)
2018– Japan 29 (1)
Medal record
Urawa Reds
WinnerNadeshiko League2014
Runner-upNadeshiko League Cup2017
Runner-upEmpress's Cup2014
Incheon Hyundai Steel Red Angels
WinnerWK League2018
Representing  Japan
FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup
Gold medal – first place2018 France
AFC U-19 Women's Championship
Gold medal – first place2017 China
FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup
Gold medal – first place2014 Costa Rica
Silver medal – second place2016 Jordan
AFC U-16 Women's Championship
Silver medal – second place2015 China
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14:36, 26 October 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 14:36, 26 October 2023 (UTC)

Nagano begun her senior career with Urawa Reds in 2014. She joined WK league club Hyundai Steel Red Angels in 2018.[2] She then returned to Japan and play for Division 2 side Chifure AS Elfen Saitama before joining Mynavi Sendai for the inaugural WE League season.[3] In 2022, she went overseas to join NWSL club North Carolina Courage during the midseason.[4] At the end of the season, she left the club to join Liverpool in the Women's Super League.[5]

Nagano had represented Japan at every youth level and had won both the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup and FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup with her country. In 2017, she was named Asian Young Footballer of the Year at the AFC Annual Awards.[6] In 2018, she made her senior international debut for Japan in a friendly match. She has since represented Japan in the AFC Women's Asian Cup, the EAFF E-1 Football Championship and FIFA Women's World Cup.

Club career

Urawa Reds

In 2014, Nagano played for Urawa Reds in Japan's top-division Nadeshiko League and helped the team win a league championship.[7][8][9]

Incheon Hyundai Steel Red Angels

On 18 March 2018, Nagano signed a one-year contract with Incheon Hyundai Steel Red Angels.[2] On 23 April, she made her debut in a 0–0 draw with Gyeongju KHNP.[10] On 1 June, she scored her first goal in a 7–1 home victory against Changnyeong.[11]

Chifure AS Elfen Saitama

In January 2019, Nagano left South Korea and returned to her native Japan to play for Division 2 club Chifure AS Elfen Saitama. She stated that her motivation to join was because of her great respect for the coach of the team, Hiroshi Yoshida.

Mynavi Sendai

In January 2021, Nagano joined Mynavi Sendai.[3]

North Carolina Courage

In July 2022, Nagano confirmed she would be joining the North Carolina Courage of the NWSL.[4] She scored her first goal for the Courage on 20 August in a 4-0 victory over Chicago Red Stars.[12]

Liverpool FC

In January 2023, Nagano joined Liverpool FC.[5] She was due to complete her debut on 22 January 2023 in a league match against Chelsea before the match was abandoned after 6 minutes of play.[13]She made her official competitive debut in a 1-0 loss against West Ham United in the FA WSL Cup quarterfinals on 25 January 2023.[14]

International career

Youth

In 2016, Nagano competed at the All Japan Youth (U-15) Women's Championship.[15] She was part of the under-16 team that won the 2013 AFC U-16 Women's Championship in China and of the under-17 team that won the 2014 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in Costa Rica.[16] She captained Japan to the final of the 2016 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in Jordan,[17][18] where they were defeated by North Korea on penalty kicks,[19] and won the Golden Ball award as the tournament's top scorer.[20][21]

In June 2018, Nagano was called up to the senior team for the first time for a friendly match against New Zealand.[22]

In August 2018, Nagano was part of Japan's victorious team in the 2018 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in France, turning in a player of the match performance in the semi-final, and scoring a goal in the final in a 3-1 win over Spain.

Senior

On 11 November 2018, Nagano debuted for senior team against Norway.[23]

In 2022, now a regular in the Japan national team, she was part of the team that won the EAFF E-1 Football Championship in Japan.[24]

On 13 June 2023, she was included in the 23-player squad for the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023.[25]

Career statistics

Club
As of match played 22 October 2023
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup[lower-alpha 1] League Cup[lower-alpha 2] Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Urawa Reds 2014 Nadeshiko League 3000—30
2015 Nadeshiko League 14010—150
2016 Nadeshiko League 501081141
2017 Nadeshiko League 10204070
Total 23040121391
Incheon Hyundai Steel Red Angels 2018 WK League 211——211
Chifure AS Elfen Saitama 2019 Nadeshiko League Div. 2 16 1 4 0 8 0 28 1
2020 Nadeshiko League Div. 2 18 0 2 1 — 20 1
Total 34 1 6 1 8 0 48 2
MyNavi Sendai 2021-22 WE League 20 0 1 0 — 21 0
North Carolina Courage 2022 NWSL 11 2 — — 11 2
Liverpool 2022-23 Women's Super League 11 0 1 0 1 0 13 0
2023-24 Women's Super League 4 0 0 0 0 0 4 0
Total 15 0 1 0 1 0 17 0
Career total 12441212111576
  1. Includes the Empress's Cup, Women's FA Cup
  2. Includes the Nadeshiko League Cup, FA Women's League Cup

International
As of match played 26 October 2023[26]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National Team YearAppsGoals
Japan 201810
2021 2 0
2022 13 1
2023 13 0
Total291
Scores and results list Japan's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Nagano goal.
List of international goals scored by Fuka Nagano
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.19 July 2022Kashima Soccer Stadium, Kashima, Japan South Korea2–12–12022 EAFF E-1 Football Championship

Honours
Urawa Red Diamonds

Incheon Hyundai Steel Red Angels

Japan U17

Japan U20

Japan

Individual

References
  1. "FIFA U-20 Women's WC France 2018 – List of Players: Japan" (PDF). FIFA. 24 August 2018. p. 8. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 November 2019. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
  2. "長野風花 移籍のお知らせ" (in Japanese). Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies. 18 March 2018. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  3. "マイナビ仙台レディース 長野風花選手 完全移籍加入のお知らせ".
  4. "Courage Sign Japanese Midfielder Fuka Nagano".
  5. "Liverpool FC Women complete signing of Fuka Nagano". Liverpool FC. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
  6. "Fuka Nagano receives AFC Youth Player of the Year award | AFC". www.the-afc.com. Retrieved 2 December 2017.
  7. "Summary – Nadeshiko League 1 – Japan – Results, fixtures, tables and news – Women Soccerway". us.women.soccerway.com. Retrieved 2 December 2017.
  8. "［なでしこリーグ］浦和レッズレディース、引き分けも優勝をほぼ手中に収める｜みんな＠サッカー". minasaka.net (in Japanese). Retrieved 2 December 2017.
  9. "アジア年間最優秀ユース選手に輝いた長野風花選手。未来へ羽ばたく次世代のヒロインが世界の舞台を経験して感じたこととは？ | ジュニアサッカーを応援しよう！". jr-soccer.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2 December 2017.
  10. "Match Report: Incheon Hyundai Steel Red Angels 0–0 Gyeongju KHNP" (in Korean). WK League. 23 April 2018. Archived from the original on 25 April 2018. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  11. "Match Report: Incheon Hyundai Steel Red Angels 7–1 Changnyeong" (in Korean). WK League. 1 June 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  12. "North Carolina Courage vs. Chicago Red Stars - 21 August 2022 - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
  13. "Chelsea game with Liverpool off after six minutes". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  14. "Brynjarsdottir strike sends West Ham into last four". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  15. "MINAMI Moeka ＆ NAGANO Fuka: Hope they can take on challenges while enjoying – the 21st All Japan Youth (U-15) Women's Championship". Japan Football Association. 22 July 2016. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  16. "Japan squad for Women's U-17 World Cup announced". Japan Football Association. 26 February 2016. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  17. "Fuka Nagano, la veterana que busca el bicampeonato con Japón" (in Spanish). Telemundo Deportes. 28 September 2016. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  18. "Nagano wants revenge as Japan and their captain pursue history together". Association Internationale de le Presse Sportive. 21 October 2016. Retrieved 2 December 2017.
  19. "Emotional Nagano talks pain, prizes and penalties". FIFA.com. FIFA. 22 October 2016. Archived from the original on 22 October 2016. Retrieved 2 December 2017.
  20. "Nagano and Navarro Jordan 2016's golden girls | New Zealand Football". www.nzfootball.co.nz. Retrieved 2 December 2017.
  21. "Nagano: "Jamás soñé con el Balón de Oro"". FIFA.com (in European Spanish). FIFA. 22 October 2016. Archived from the original on 24 October 2016. Retrieved 2 December 2017.
  22. "Nadeshiko Japan (Japan Women's National Team) squad, schedule - New Zealand tour (6/4-11)". Japan Football Association. 23 May 2018. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  23. Japan Football Association (in Japanese)
  24. "Japan secure men's and women's double at 2022 EAFF E-1 finals". 29 July 2022.
  25. "Iwabuchi left out of Japan's World Cup squad". BBC Sport. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  26. "Nadeshiko Japan | National Teams｜JFA｜Japan Football Association".
  27. "Fuka Nagano player profile". FIFA. Archived from the original on 12 October 2015. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  28. "AFC Youth Player of the Year (Women) 2016: Fuka Nagano". Asian Football Confederation. 1 December 2016. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
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