Yukari Kinga
近賀 ゆかり
FullnameYukari Kinga
Birth date2 May 1984 (age 42)
Birth placeYokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
Height1.61 m (5 ft 3 in)
PositionDefender
Youthyears 12000–2002
Youthclubs 1Shonan Gakuin High School
Years 12003–2010
Clubs 1Nippon TV Beleza
Caps 1146
Goals 130
Years 22011–2013
Clubs 2INAC Kobe Leonessa
Caps 242
Goals 23
Years 32014
Clubs 3Arsenal
Caps 312
Goals 30
Years 42015–2016
Clubs 4INAC Kobe Leonessa
Caps 436
Goals 43
Years 52016–2017
Clubs 5Canberra United
Caps 513
Goals 53
Years 62017–2019
Clubs 6Melbourne City
Caps 631
Goals 66
Years 72019
Clubs 7Orca Kamogawa
Caps 718
Goals 72
Years 82019–2020
Clubs 8Melbourne City
Caps 89
Goals 81
Years 92020
Clubs 9Orca Kamogawa
Caps 90
Goals 90
Years 102021–2025
Clubs 10Sanfrecce Hiroshima Regina
Caps 1039
Goals 102
Totalcaps274
Totalgoals44
Nationalyears 12002
Nationalteam 1Japan U-20
Nationalcaps 14
Nationalgoals 10
Nationalyears 22005–2016
Nationalteam 2Japan
Nationalcaps 2100
Nationalgoals 25
Club-update24 December 2019

Yukari Kinga (近賀 ゆかり, Kinga Yukari, born 2 May 1984) is a Japanese former football player who played as a defender. She previously played for the Japan women's national football team, winning the 2011 Fifa World Cup and an Olympic silver medal before her international retirement in 2016.

Club career

In Japan until 2013

Kinga was born in Yokohama on 2 May 1984. After graduating from high school, she joined Nippon TV Beleza in 2003 where she played as attacking midfielder and right-winger. In the 2003 season, she was given the Nadeshiko League's Best Young Player award. During her time at Nippon TV Beleza, the club won the Nadeshiko League championship 5 times. In 2011, she moved to INAC Kobe Leonessa with international players Homare Sawa, Shinobu Ohno and Chiaki Minamiyama due to financial strain at the club. At INAC Kobe Leonessa, the club won the Nadeshiko League championship for 3 years in a row (2011–2013). She was selected to the league's Best XI for 6 years in a row (2007–2012).

In January 2014, INAC's general manager revealed that Kinga had agreed to join English FA WSL club Arsenal Ladies[1] and in February she officially signed the contract.[2] At Arsenal, Kinga helped propel the club to reach the final of the 2014 FA Women's Cup which they won in a 2–0 margin over Everton.[3]

She re-signed with INAC Kobe in early 2015.[4] In 2016, she began playing in the Australian W-League for Canberra United.[5] In October 2017, Kinga joined defending W-League champions Melbourne City.[6] In February 2019, she returned to Japan and joined Orca Kamogawa FC.[7] In October 2019, Kinga re-signed with Melbourne City.[8] In February 2020, it was announced that Kinga would re-sign with Orca Kamogawa at the end of the 2019–20 W-League season.[9]

National team career

In August 2002, Kinga was selected by the Japan U-20 women's national team for the 2002 FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship.[10] On 29 March 2005, she debuted for the Japan women's national team against Australia.[11] She was playing as an attacking midfielder and right-winger until 2007, when she was converted to rightback by manager Hiroshi Ohashi. After she converted her position, she became a regular player in the Japan national team. Japan won the 2011 World Cup in which Kinga played in the final,[12] came second in the 2015 World Cup and earned a silver medal in the 2012 Summer Olympics. She played 100 games and scored 5 goals for Japan until her retirement in 2016.

Club statistics

ClubSeasonLeagueNational CupLeague CupTotal
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Nippon TV Beleza200320644-2410
200414741-188
200518652-238
200614233-175
20072134021274
200820041-241
200921340-253
20101831061254
Total1463029118218343
INAC Kobe Leonessa201116140-201
20121823050242
2013804250172
Total423112100615
Career total18833401318224448

National team statistics

[11][13]

Japan national team
YearAppsGoals
200510
200620
2007160
2008181
200931
2010152
2011170
2012151
201310
201440
201550
201630
Total1005
International goals
DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.12 August 2008Shanghai, ChinaNorway1–11–5Football at the 2008 Summer Olympics
2.1 August 2009Montargis, FranceFrance0–30–4Friendly Match
3.6 February 2010Chōfu, JapanChina2–02–02010 EAFF Women's Football Championship
4.8 May 2010Matsumoto, JapanMexico1–04–0Friendly Match
5.1 April 2012Sendai, JapanUnited States1–01–1Kirin Challenge Cup

Honors

International career

Japan

Club

Nippon TV Beleza[16][17]
INAC Kobe[16][17]
Arsenal[3]
Sanfrecce Hiroshima Regina[18]

Individual

References

  1. ^ "Nadeshiko Japan's Kawasumi to play for U.S. team". The Japan Times. 29 January 2014. Retrieved 29 January 2014.
  2. ^ "Club signs Yukari Kinga and Shinobu Ohno". arsenal.com. Arsenal L.F.C.. 15 February 2014. Retrieved 6 July 2015.
  3. ^ "Women's FA Cup final: Arsenal beat Everton to retain trophy". BBC Sport
  4. ^ "Kinga and Ohno return to INAC Kobe". shekicks.net. 8 January 2015. Archived from the original on 8 January 2015. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  5. ^ Dutton, Chris (5 October 2016). "Canberra United Japan soccer great Yukari Kinga to boost W-League title hopes". The Canberra Times. Archived from the original on 29 September 2017. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
  6. ^ Davutovic, David (25 October 2017). "Melbourne City caps off W-League signing spree with international duo Alanna Kennedy and Yukari Kinga". Herald Sun
  7. ^ Orca Kamogawa FC Archived 17 April 2019 at the Wayback Machine(in Japanese)
  8. ^ "Melbourne City FC re-signs three W-League stars". Melbourne City. 30 October 2019.
  9. ^ "近賀ゆかり選手 再加入のお知らせ" [Notice of re-signing of Yukari Kinga] (in Japanese). Orca Kamogawa. 1 February 2020. Archived from the original on 16 April 2021. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  10. ^ "FIFA". Archived from the original on 22 June 2018. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
  11. ^ Japan Football Association(in Japanese)
  12. ^ "USA v Japan – as it happened". The Guardian. 17 July 2011. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
  13. ^ List of match in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 at Japan Football Association (in Japanese)
  14. ^ "Y. KINGA". Soccerway.com
  15. ^ "Yukari Kinga". Eurosport.com
  16. ^ "Canberra United Japan soccer great Yukari Kinga to boost W-League title hopes". Canberra Times.com. Archived from the original on 4 October 2017. Retrieved 29 June 2017.
  17. ^ "Canberra United secure Japanese international". W-League.com.au. 4 October 2016.
  18. ^ "Sanfrecce outlasts Albirex for WE League Cup title". JapanTimes. 14 October 2023.