Aya Miyama


Aya Miyama 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, and was part of the team that won the 2011 World Cup for Japan. Miyama also led Japan to a silver medal at the [Football at the 2012 Football at the Summer Olympics|Summer Olympics – Women's tournament|2012 Summer Olympics] in London.

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

On 24 November 2008, Miyama was selected by the Los Angeles Sol of the U.S. Women's Professional Soccer 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. 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, 2012 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

International

No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
19 June 2003Rajamangala Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand13–015–02003 AFC Women's Championship
222 July 2003Sendai Stadium, Sendai, Japan4–05–0Friendly
318 December 2004Nishigaoka Soccer Stadium, Tokyo, Japan2–011–0Friendly
418 December 2004Nishigaoka Soccer Stadium, Tokyo, Japan4–011–0Friendly
529 March 2005Miranda, Australia1–21–2Friendly
621 May 2005Nishigaoka Soccer Stadium, Tokyo, Japan5–06–0Friendly
723 July 2006Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide, Australia1–01–0Asian Cup
823 November 2006Wildparkstadion, Karlsruhe, Germany2–63–6Friendly
930 November 2006Grand Hamad Stadium, Doha, Qatar2–013–02006 Asian Games
1012 February 2007GSZ Stadium, Larnaca, Cyprus1–12–2Friendly
1110 March 2007National Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan2–02–02007 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification
1210 June 2007Bucheon Stadium, Bucheon, South Korea2–12–22008 Summer Olympics qualification
134 August 2007Lạch Tray Stadium, Hai Phong, Vietnam4–08–02008 Summer Olympics qualification
1411 September 2007Hongkou Football Stadium, Shanghai, China1–02–22007 FIFA Women's World Cup
1511 September 2007Hongkou Football Stadium, Shanghai, China2–22–22007 FIFA Women's World Cup
1618 February 2008Yongchuan Stadium, Chongqing, China2–23–22008 EAFF Women's Football Championship
172 June 2008Thong Nhat Stadium, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam3–03–12008 AFC Women's Asian Cup
188 June 2008Thong Nhat Stadium, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam2–03–12008 AFC Women's Asian Cup
196 August 2008Qinhuangdao Olympic Stadium, Qinhuangdao, China1–22–22008 Summer Olympics
2014 November 2009Urawa Komaba Stadium, Saitama, Japan1–02–1Friendly
216 February 2010Ajinomoto Stadium, Chōfu, Japan1–02–02010 EAFF Women's Football Championship
2220 May 2010Chengdu Sports Centre, Chengdu, China5–08–02010 AFC Women's Asian Cup
232 March 2011Vila Real de Santo António, Portugal1–21–22011 Algarve Cup
2418 June 2011Ningineer Stadium, Matsuyama, Japan1–01–1Friendly
2527 June 2011Ruhrstadion, Bochum, Germany2–12–12011 FIFA Women's World Cup
2617 July 2011Commerzbank-Arena, Frankfurt, Germany1–12–22011 FIFA Women's World Cup
275 April 2012Home's Stadium Kobe, Kobe, Japan3–14–1Kirin Challenge Cup
2811 July 2012National Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan1–03–0Friendly
2925 July 2012City of Coventry Stadium, Coventry, England2–02–12012 Summer Olympics
3026 September 2013Fukuda Denshi Arena, Chiba, Japan1–02–0Friendly
315 March 2014Stadium Bela Vista, Parchal, Portugal1–11–12014 Algarve Cup
3210 March 2014Estádio Algarve, Faro, Portugal2–12–12014 Algarve Cup
3318 September 2014Namdong Asiad Rugby Field, Incheon, South Korea10–012–0[Football at the 2014 Football at the Asian Games|Asian Games – Women|2014 Asian Games]
341 October 2014Incheon Munhak Stadium, Incheon, South Korea1–21–32014 Asian Games
3511 March 2015Estádio Algarve, Faro, Portugal1–02–02015 Algarve Cup
3611 March 2015Estádio Algarve, Faro, Portugal2–02–02015 Algarve Cup
379 June 2015BC Place, Vancouver, Canada1–01–02015 FIFA Women's World Cup
3823 June 2015BC Place, Vancouver, Canada2–02–12015 FIFA Women's World Cup

Honors

Japan
Individual