Fuka Nagano (長野 風花, Nagano Fūka, born 9 March 1999) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for NWSL club North Carolina Courage and the Japan women's national team. In 2017, she was named Asian Young Footballer of the Year at the AFC Annual Awards.[2]
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Full name | Fuka Nagano[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Date of birth | (1999-03-09) 9 March 1999 (age 23) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Edogawa, Japan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.60 m (5 ft 3 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Position(s) | Midfielder | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Club information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | North Carolina Courage | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Number | 18 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
National team‡ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2013–2016 | Japan U17 | 31 | (5) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2017–2018 | Japan U20 | 20 | (2) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2018– | Japan | 14 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Honours
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*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 30 September 2022 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 9 October 2022 |
In 2014, Nagano played for Urawa Reds in Japan's top-division Nadeshiko League and helped the team win a league championship.[3][4][5]
On 18 March 2018, Nagano signed a one-year contract with Incheon Hyundai Steel Red Angels.[6] On 23 April, she made her debut in a 0–0 draw with Gyeongju KHNP.[7] On 1 June, she scored her first goal in a 7–1 home victory against Changnyeong.[8]
In January 2019, Nagano left South Korea and returned to her native Japan to play for 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.
In January 2021, Nagano joined Mynavi Sendai.[9]
In July 2022, Nagano confirmed she would be joining the North Carolina Courage of the NWSL.[10] She scored her first goal for the Courage on 20 August in a 4-0 victory over Chicago Red Stars.[11]
In 2016, Nagano competed at the All Japan Youth (U-15) Women's Championship.[12] 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.[13] She captained Japan to the final of the 2016 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in Jordan,[14][15] where they were defeated by North Korea on penalty kicks,[16] and won the Golden Ball award as the tournament's top scorer.[17][18]
In June 2018, Nagano was called up to the senior team for the first time for a friendly match against New Zealand.[19]
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.
On 11 November 2018, she debuted for senior team against Norway.[20]
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.[21]
Club | League | Season | League | Cup[lower-alpha 1] | League Cup[lower-alpha 2] | Total | ||||
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Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
Urawa Reds | 2014 | Nadeshiko League | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | |
2015 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 15 | 0 | |||
2016 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 14 | 1 | ||
2017 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 0 | ||
Total | 23 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 39 | 1 | ||
Incheon Hyundai Steel Red Angels | 2018 | WK League | 21 | 1 | — | — | 21 | 1 | ||
Total | 21 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 1 | ||
Career total | 44 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 60 | 2 |
Japan national team | ||
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Year | Apps | Goals |
2018 | 1 | 0 |
Total | 1 | 0 |
No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
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1. | 19 July 2022 | Kashima Soccer Stadium, Kashima, Japan | ![]() | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2022 EAFF E-1 Football Championship |
Asian Young Footballer of the Year | |
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Men & Women | |
Men | |
Women |
FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup awards | |
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Golden Ball | |
Golden Shoe |
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Golden Glove |
Japan squad – 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup semi-finalists | ||
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